RE: Arguments For Keeping the Steem Reward Pool Whole
You might say "Let's just give it a try anyway, it's ready to go, just drop all objection to it." I'd like to point out that once a feature is in, it's harder to remove.
and
The goal is rational: give more incentive potential to comments to increase user participation, engagement, and retention.
I'm not sure if separating out a comment pool will indeed support intended goal. However, my opinion is, we shall test and see the results.
I understand the fact when some feature is implemented in the code, it may not be that easy to get it disabled again. But I still think we should give it a try and give x weeks, or y months to determine the effectes and results. Would it not be possible to agree with Steemit Inc a clear "what to do" plan with clear criteria? When the real purpose of this feature is not resulting in the wanted effects, Steemit Inc commits to remove the separation of the comment pool from the reward pool again in z days/weeks/months?
I would also add the ability for a configurable split, ie the 38/63 split can be adjusted by just a configurable parameter to eg 20/80, 30/70. With such ability, a series of test can be executed in sequence trying different settings/percentages of split. This may give all of us a much better view how to progress, then just based on theories define our way forward.
In the end, we need to get the basics right before Steemit is ready to grow, and with that Steem. It will benefit all of us. To be able to create a great solid foundation to Steemit and Steem, we really have to test a lot of different ideas. IMHO, the split of the reward pool is one of them.
Great ! As we discussed already !
Thank you for commenting @edje. There are several major changes in the present release that I would consider experimental: a fixed 7-day payout schedule with no provision for meaningful abuse mitigation, delegated STEEM Power with the ability to create accounts with delegated SP, and a separated comment reward pool. Trying to see the results of three experiments at the same time is not ideal. You won't know what had the effect, and what didn't.
In regards to a configurable split, I would not count on it. People, such as those who might want to make an app for Steem, will base their decision to participate or build upon Steem on knowing the rules. If basic, intuitive rules like the reward pool being whole are always subject to change, it will make that decision a more difficult one.
Agreed fully. I think the basics include an undivided reward pool. It's simple, and comments are likely to get more rewards with a flatter reward curve.
I don't necessarily agree with treating Steem like a rat maze science experiment. It's true that there is more flexibility at a smaller size, but if growth is not being achieved it's not necessarily because of the blockchain rules. I believe in the goal of increasing comment reward potential. I think it will help with growth and retention. But the more straightforward experiment (fix, in my eyes) to try to make that happen is a flatter reward curve.
The name of this release is Simplicity. It was presented as a release to make Steem a more open platform. To put more bells and whistles on it, 3+ at a time, for the sake of experimentation will hardly get us anywhere. Any changes that limit the scope of Steem must be avoided.
Let's not turn Steem into this (note the two bubbles, one for each reward pool! :)
Love the pic! :)
I agree to this; Simplicity is Key; In anything.
I was just thinking from a coding perspective, once there, no code change is required to adjust. Adjustments only allowed when in test phase and in agreement with community, or at least the witnesses. After test phase, either the feature out of the code, or still by procedure managed by Steemit INC and Community.
Agree. Would be super nice if all those 3 changes can actually be implemented in serie, rather than all at the same time. No idea if it is somehow possible to re-build the software once more and allow by configuration each of the 3 changes to be switched to the new functionality and back to how it is now (probably not, but wanted to question it anyway). Again, of course, thinking of code time spend, release time spend, and the need for "getting the basics right" by testing.
This I agree with. I suppose there may just be a fear of being the only blockchain to reach hard-fork 100 and still not have it right.
I don't see this particular experiment as dangerous. It doesn't make us lab rats! We are a long way off taking off to the moon yet and I for one wouldn't want to get halfway there only to be overtaken by a competitor who recognised that the engagers (commenters) are 1000 times more valuable than the bloggers. Respectfully, please respond to my comment and points made rather than just refer me to re-read yours.
I referred to these replies because they addressed the specific things you were talking about and I didn't want to repeat myself. :) I don't disagree that rewarding comments is important. A flattened, less-than-rshares-squared reward curve should empower people who wish to vote on comments to have a more meaningful impact. But more importantly, implementing that will have a positive impact on the whole system. Let's give it a shot before trying to put Steem in another box.
Here's a related bit from @smooth:
i believe that the prospects of success of the blockchain rests heavily on more experiments by the community and different developers in form of different use cases and user interfaces and not just steemit.com and its own set of experiments, however important rapid or comprehensive those experiments may be.
now not all experiments are equal. introducing economic rules which strongly impede and disadvantage these forms of broad experimentation are harmful, arguably an existential threat. it is very possible for steemit do its work and rapidly iterate on combination of some UX and blockchain factors which do not have these harmful side effects and will still produce useful results (positive and negative), may very well lead to improved retention, etc. look at the usage metrics since the whale non-voting (which changed slope significantly before the price rise and continued through it) and consider that it bears a lot in common with linearity and has little (nothing) to do with segmented comment pool for example.
imo this is witnesses doing our job and safeguarding the blockchain as a neutral and promising medium for all users and reasonably-viable usages and not just steemit.com
Above text licensed by smooth under DGAF-0 license
I understand your and @smooth points!