RE: Steemit's Challenges / Problems / Obstructions To Growth...?
I have literally just joined Steemit, so my opinions should be taken with a pinch of salt, but I find one thing in particular off-putting about Steemit, and it will probably negatively influence my decision to use it versus other options such as Reddit, Facebook and Twitter.
You guys discourage posting plagiarised content. I like Reddit and Facebook because people can share things with me that they have come across online and they have been entertained by. Here, however, for someone to post something for others to see, they have to reform it into their own blog post or whatever. Why can't they just link the original article or Youtube video? Many posters are skilled, but sometimes content can be made uninteresting by an OP with poor writing skills or whatever.
Linked to this point is that every post becomes half way between sharing media and a blog post. Sometimes I don't want to read a lot, I just want to see funny cat gifs or a photograph someone has taken. I very often do not need an explanation of the story behind it over and above what is available in the title, yet here I find myself reading unnecessary text when really I just want to see the content that the OP came to share.
I get that this is the form of Steemit and many people will like it. However I am not sure it will catch on in the same way that the likes of Reddit or Facebook have for the simple reason that people do not have long enough attention spans.
I think the issue of plagiarism and discouraging it has a lot to do with the fact that you can be paid for your content. You can share links and other info without plagiarizing. In fact, that actually happens a lot.
Link sharing is not plagiarism. Claiming that you created content that was actually created by someone else is the issue. With a limited rewards pool, stakeholders have put emphasis on original content and prefer to simply not reward plagiarists. That doesn't mean that such people cannot post/share...it only means that they usually won't be rewarded and probably won't have much of a reputation score.
That being said - this was designed as a blogging platform. There will be other interfaces that won't have an emphasis on long-form blog posts. The STEEM blockchain is not Steemit.com.
This will be solved as we introduce communities -- some communities may want to "enforce" original content, others will be link sharing, and everything in between.
That makes it much more appealing. The full spectrum can appeal to the widest audience.
Communities is great, when will that come @roadscape ?
The roadmap shows the target as Q3. A draft spec for community review will be released much sooner.
Can' wait to see it, Q3 is not that long
I just noticed your vote on my post from y-day, and I wanted to come and say hi, and thanks very much!! Turns out my article/post is kind of related to this one which is nice also
TY again @roadscape -- it is appreciated.