RE: Steemit Suggestion - User Stream Subscriptions
I've actually thought about this with Youtube playlists months ago and wondered why it wasn't on Steemit when I became one of its users. The idea in itself is really good but it obviously needs more refinement, which is totally normal. So the two improvements I would make to the idea of streams are the following.
Being able to put a post in multiple streams
I'm not really sure about this one but it could only be better I guess. Let's say I make multiple series about gaming and other unrelated things on the side. I will put a different stream name for each serie but if my viewers are like me, they are lazy. I'm not sure viewers would go on my account to see if I make other gaming content. I could put those series all in one big gaming tag to be sure they see the other series but then some series in this tag would not interest everyone. It's in this kind of case that the multiple streams come in handy, I could put a games reviews serie in "games-reviews" and "gaming" for example.Notifying all the followers when a fresh stream has started (with a post in it)
This one must exist if Steemit implements the idea of streams in my opinion. If it doesn't, that would be a huge flaw in the system. Let's say a user follows you on one stream only. If you create a new stream for a new serie, he will never see it except if he randomly clicks on your profile one day. Notifying him that a new stream has started by putting it in his feed and maybe adding a little notification on the top right would at least make him want to check what the new serie is about.
I'm happy to see that you have the overall same ideas I have about what you call "streams". Your posts are really thought-provoking, I love that !
Thank you, @ragepeanut, both for your up-vote as well as your excellent comment and set of improvement recommendations! :c)
It is also a good sign that you were thinking along the same lines, as I like to think that good design is something that people gravitate towards. ^_~
Now, to your suggestions. :c)
Placing a post in multiple streams:
This is certainly 'possible' but I would suggest that only one of them is "free" Otherwise people might be inclined to abuse the system and create stream tags that are purposely similar to the top-paying terms.
In truth I'd also been toying with the idea of having an exclusion list barring the top 25 or so paying terms from being used - but then I figured - "Meh - if somebody wants to have a "life" stream then why not?".
fresh stream notifications
I am of two minds about this. If I choose to subscribe to @ragepeanut's gaming feed then I may not want to be bothered by notifications of a new stream on raging peanuts. ;c)
There 'are' other ways for a person to notify users of other content. Its kind of like how I advertised my other post in this post. Through allocating a section of the page - users who otherwise 'avoid' politics know that I posted a political post. Likewise I could have stated that I have a new "political stream category" and to go to my profile and 'Edit Following' to sign up for it if interested.
An alternative would be to upgrade the user interface to have users be informed by the user interface upon log-in that one or more of the persons they are following have new category (with a post in it). Clicking the notification could take us to a page dedicated to managing one's following, highlighting those with recent changes (and specifying the changes).
This way notifications needn't be committed to the blockchain. Such would be static.
Thank you again for the support and your suggested improvements. :c) Your enjoying my materials means a lot to me (I like your materials too - gaming-related especially).