HF20 and artists

How are you, content creators like artists, writters, musicians, bloggers etc... seeing HF20?

Artist unknow

We're all enthusiastic about it and hoping it changes for the better but personnally, after having read (without fully understanding due its technicity) most last posts from @steemitblog and many of the huge amount of comments, I must admit that I slowly lean toward a negative point of view, ... Glups! ...

(If you don't want to read my whole mumbo, I coldly summarized everything at the bottom of the post).

So, ... I read that we're all passing through a difficult time and that we're thanked for withstanding it.

Great.

On my side, except the lower value of the coin, I have not felt problems (Oh no, wait, Steem wallets became -or still are?- inactive on Bittrex!). I am actually thankfull of the better communication from Steemit inc.

But ....

... It all seems about costs and scale and technical blabla which again, without fully comprehend, I choose to leave to the developers with confidence. However, after reading and reading, I am simply surprised (and disappointed) to not find anything regarding the "condition" of Content Creators, especially minnows of course. The discussion is mainly between techies and cryptocurrencies experts. Almost nothing from or about "simple" users (the few that let comments don't get answers to their fears).

Source: The Oatmeal

I do get that the costs and scalability are important steps for the sustainability of the network but isn't it clear that another very important thing to make Steemit sustainable (and therefore increasing Steem value), is to bring more genuine users and offer them an attractive user experience? Shouldn't this be a high priority?

They do talk about making it easier to register but I don't see anything new regarding how actually attractive it can be to come here instead of another networks (except the reward system and the advantages of decentralised networks).

Everybody knows now that most newcomers are often discouraged by the complexity but I don't see any development to make it simpler, at the contrary (Yeah, yeah, it has to be hard, I know, ... still ..).
I've seen dozens of amazing new artists showing up, making great posts and then stopping. Obviously, the equilibrium between the time spent on Steemit with the advantages it gives you (wether in STU's or in exposure, promotion, user experience, fun...) are still very, very difficult to balance. And it's fine to not make much but then shouldn't you need to at least see that the coin or the amount of newcomers steadily going up?

I have done a lot to try to bring good content creators here but on the few that did register, none have become active! It's obvious that (among other flaws) so long it looks like a place only for crypto-enthusiasts, it won't attract many people that aren't in this rather small bubble.

The inequalities and a system that tends toward oligarchy are, in my opinion, some of the biggest flaws in Steemit. Again, I am not sure to see if there are any efforts to make this evolutate, even slowly. If @hendrikdegroote (thanks!) is not upvoting my post, it barely ever goes over 1 or 2 STU's. There is a gap.

Hf20 do mention the spam problem and adresses it, I assume it'll take some time to see if this really works.

Additionnally, several new (till even 50 of reputation) users seemed to be unable to perform actions since the hardfork took place (end even after it being "stable") and looked desperate! I am not sure if this became more stable by now and if they could post more than twice again by day but this is a bit scary. I am sure this made even more user leaving the boat.

Someone else pointed out that Steemit is totally missing all the opportunities of getting more users (mostly during the scandals dirtying facebook), bringing up that Steemit inc. hasn't done any press release or action to tell eveyone "Hey, there is a better network here!".

Indeed, they have done nothing.
Worse, for some of them, it was impossible to register, no need to say those people will NEVER come back.

Many "gurus" are also writing about how Steem is just steadily going down which compared with oter coins, makes it, despite the speed etc... looks like a bad invest.

In short:

• More people leaving/Not many registering (I don't know the number, this is all from my point of view).
• Lambda people see Steemit as a place only to make money, they just don't see why they would register there.
• Steem went under 1$ (I had read it was designed to not to).
• Big supportive accounts like @ocd and @slothicorn have become inactive.
• Absence of new massive supporting curators like @curie (they're great but more are needed).
• It won't make me go but it might makes it more difficult to convince people to come in, as I feel less confident.

Would please someone telling me the good points? (except the scalability)

Edit: THE GOOD POINTS! (Thanks to those who answered, I could edit this)

• Voting power did increase.
• Option to hide Re-steems.
• Steem blockchain working towards DAPPS.
• Infinite edits.
• There's more I am sure!

I still believe in Steemit and hope a lot from it but my nightmare is that it becomes (or stays) a place governed by cryptobarons robbing all the pool and where users are solely driven by rewards. In my opinion, even if many posts are qualitative, that will always leave a wrath of hypocrisy and fakeness hovering over it. Rewards are one thing but creativity can really be in danger when everything is about $$$. This is sometimes sadly making Facebook still better (nooooo please noooo ).

I am all theorizing here and again, it's absolutely possible that I don't see that the improvements are there and are on their way but that's why I make this post! If someone has any clue or opinion to light my lantern, that'd be great!

Source: Over the garden wall

Thanks!