Applications Team Update: Hivemind/Communities, Sign-ups, Developer Tools, and Condenser (steemit.com)
Today’s @steemitblog post is brought to you by the Steemit Applications team. In this post, we highlight some of the projects we’ve been working on over the past few weeks.
Hivemind 1.0 and Communities
In @roadscape’s last Communities/Hivemind post, he explained how the first phase of development for hivemind / communities is to complete Hivemind 1.0 (Core). Hive 1.0 contains a minimum viable product (MVP) API to replicate all the relevant pieces of get_state and get_discussions_* needed to support condenser. While this phase is uneventful with respect to user interfaces, it’s crucial to get steemit.com running on hive so it can be tested for load, reliability, and compatibility.
We are excited to announce that hive 1.0 has been completed and is live in production! Condenser has been updated to start using the hive APIs and is currently undergoing testing against hive’s condenser_api implementation. The current focus is on compatibility and stability.
As soon as we confirm everything looks good and address any unexpected issues that come up, it will be time to start the fun part - Hivemind 1.5!
We know that it has taken much longer than everyone has expected for us to get to this point. Development has taken much longer than originally planned because we made the decision early on that we should build communities for Steem and not exclusively steemit.com. In other words, we wanted to build a Communities layer that every Steem developer could leverage. This would create a unifying layer that would enable the Communities you see on one Steem application to be the very same Communities you see when you visit other DApps powered by Steem. While this decision added a lot of time to the development cycle, we feel that the value that this new software will add for developers will make it well worth the wait!
Even this new application layer (hive 1.0) will benefit developers by allowing them to write applications that use Steem blockchain data without them needing to run a full node. This will greatly expand the ability of third-party developers to (cost-effectively) build exciting new applications on Steem.
Improving Sign-ups
Improving the sign-up process continues to be a top priority for the team. We recently added a sign-up tracking system so that we can monitor how many users make it through each phase of the sign-up process. This data will give us much better insight into which parts of the sign-up process are causing the most issues for users.
The tracking system logs all of the steps that each user completes, from the very first step (landing on the sign-up page) to the very last (confirming their password and activating their account):
Better Image Hosting
The imagehoster application is what we use to upload and store images that users share via steemit.com. We recently did a major refactor / rewrite of the imagehoster code, which has allowed us to improve image load speeds. Users outside of America should notice the most significant improvement.
Another big improvement we made with the rewrite was to make it “storage agnostic,” which means we can transition storage providers at will, or put all the images on IPFS. This gives us maximum flexibility to shop around for new providers that meet our needs for image hosting as the platform continues to scale. This also allows third-party developers to use our open-source software without being constrained to use the same provider that we do.
Lastly, the rewrite lays the foundation for some fun new features like GitHub issue 60, which will allow image resizing to be done via condenser / steemit.com.
Improving Developer Tools
Steem Python
Steem-python is a library used by application developers to interface with the Steem blockchain. We made several updates to the library that will improve the experience for developers using the library: GitHub issues 169, 170, and 226.
Jussi
Jussi is a critical piece of software for the Steem development stack. It is a “reverse proxy” service, which allows us and developers to map various API calls to different Steem blockchain servers to optimally distribute the load. It's a really important component for keeping the quality of Steem-related services high. It's especially useful for developers and node operators.
We have done a lot of work improving this application to be a more effective tool for developers looking to integrate with Steem:
- Improved error handling for when errors are caught (GitHub issue 158).
- Improved logging (GitHub issues 151, 152, and 153).
- Update the caching behavior for irreversible blocks (GitHub issue 159).
- Optimize processing for non-cacheable requests (GitHub issues 167 and 168).
- Provide a default configuration so a developer can run jussi locally (GitHub issue 143).
- Miscellaneous (highly technical) updates (GitHub issues 119 and 164).
Condenser (steemit.com) Updates
- We recently added additional performance monitoring and refactoring to help speed up steemit.com.
- To keep everyone safe, there are new warnings for URLs within people's profiles which alert users to suspected phishing attempts.
- As discussed in this post, we added a new prompt for users to read and explicitly accept Steemit's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
- A new tooltip component was created to be used for providing contextual help. With this new component, we will be able to add tooltips to areas of the website that need additional clarification to help improve the user experience.
- We fixed the drop-downs so that they’re colored correctly when switching to night mode.
- We removed the three-day averaging of estimated Steem account value in the wallet view. The estimated USD value in the wallet should now be more accurate, as it reflects the current prices.
- We made minor updates to the FAQ section around Steem Power and Powering Up.
- We updated the witness voting page to distinguish between active and disabled witnesses.
Steemit is Hiring
As many of you have already heard, Steemit is hiring. If you’re a talented software engineer who loves the challenges of building cutting-edge DApps for cryptocurrency (and especially for Steem), then we want to hire you.
More information can be found in this recent post or on our jobs site: https://jobs.lever.co/steemit.
Thanks for reading!
Steemit Applications Team
"We are excited to announce that hive 1.0 has been completed and is live in production!"
That is huge. Congrats!
Pretty obvious the current registration system loses many that never see the registration email approval a few days later.. Many friends I have asked to sign up, lost at that point (short attention span disorder is prevalent).
Not having to run a full node, again pretty huge accomplishment there as well. None of this really shows up in the UI yet, so I can't help but feel, though this level of communication is "really great", many are still left wondering the timing of the next HF...
Cheers!
Many are calling for a limit on self-voting. I think it's a fair addition to the app, since I would say the code scales, but does Steem Culture as it stands, really scale to the masses?!
I contend more direction will have to be built-in, and simply turning off self-voting may help at least direct people away from behaviors, who are not really looking to cheat, but simply are trying every feature, to understand the app shortly after signup.
steemreports and other sites reveal associated voting patterns, which have to be policed anyway.. I'm familiar with the game theory arguments for allowing self-voting, but I contend 90% of users are not interested in gaming the system, and will just want to be part of a community and post.
the new social network ONO ... the death of steemit? ... I have been saying for a long time that the great problem of steemit is the bad distribution of wealth ... and that if the powerful ones, that with greed accumulate sp and instead of beginning to delegate in a cheaper way sp, so that many of us win, prefering to sell votes the future of steemit is doubtful and people end up leaving steemit... in this new social network (ONO) there is equal voting power for all... there is no voting power ... maybe they have to start thinking about changing things in steemit... because if it stays the same, steemit will die and it will be they, those who have more, who lose the most ...
in these days this new social network comes out internationally... It was a success in China where the first launch was made ... I mention it so that all think a little and do something so that steemit does not die and lower the value of our coins so much ... or they will continue to have millions, but millions of nothing
Provided developer interest in Steem continues to grows and future SMTs continue to favor Steem Power accumulation for dApps, there will naturally be more centralizaton of STEEM and I see nothing wrong with that. How that filters down accordingly will be through SMTs, which will serve to decentralize power accordingly through unique communities.
The problem of today is that Steem seems too dependent on Steemit to be viewed in any other context. Decentralized functionality found in dapps with unique tokens backed by Steem is what will make Steem far more useful as a reserve currency than in its current state.
Imagine a steemmonsters SMT that wields users increase benefits in the Steemmonsters universe. The success of that SMT will surely benefit all steem holders, but power itself is distributed more fairly because someone who has little interest in Steem and more interest in Steemmonsters can have more influence in the niche community absent of having meaningful influence in the world of Steem.
if this, if that ... steemit dies ... I do not want it to be that way because I love steemit... and this social network ONO is going to finish killing if it works well... I do not understand how all these guys are so smart but they do not realize when something is dying and they do not do anything to save it ...
as well as ONO killed the beatles going to kill steemit lol
If anything, i blame the long time minnows who can't figure out how to get people to like their stuff. Disregarding the @steemit,@steem, and exchange accounts, wealth distribution seems on par with Zipf's law to me. other than the stupidly long tail.
Well, are YOU doing anything? i dont get the mentality of non-whales pointing fingers to whales and tell them to "you should do this, do that" from their armchair. Everyone can do something. not just the "whales". these "the whales should something" talk is so reminiscent of how poor people in poor countries blaming everything to their government while not doing anything about their circumstances. Those who work don't complain.
Steem is the beginning of an experiment to tokenize the web, it will be a process years in the making (it took 40 years to get the internet to where it is today). Expect Bugs.. I don't know how ONO will do what it promises, but their vision sounds... Keynesian, to me.
blame the fish?jajajajaa...If you blame the fish you do not know what is the distribution of wealth...
that many minnows dont do anything and post shit and expect them to vote just for belonging to steemit is true...always criticize that.. it's not my case
steemit is going to die for the ones who have the most and his greed, not for the minnow ... but they will also be the ones who lose the most when they die ... then they do not cry like little girls ... but if you think different I respect it...
keep accumulating and asking sp the minnow instead of giving it more accessible and see how steemit dies ...
So... Steemit dies unless welfare to the poor? There's no more argument here.
My God ... I said that? no ... what I say in this way people leave steemit because they do not see the future... but how do you explain that a 1millon account was created recently but only 60,000 are active? because people do not see the future and it goes away ... people do not trust that the platform deserves to give their time and publish quality ... that's why the shit that is published is published ... as you explain that such a spectacular social network As steemit only 6% is active ... I'll explain it to you ... for everything I said before ... because the reality of steemit leads to that... and the fault is of the minnow? coherence...
simple ... and if you and the powerful do not want to see it will not change anything ... and therefore will die ... I repeat the most lost will be those who can change things
Let's just make it clear.. Steemit is a microcosm of the real world.. It is designed to be a microcosm of the real world. Vests act as shares of a company and those with more Vests gets a bigger say. There is a clear reason why Ned and Dan designed it to be this way.
And I still really don't see your argument behind "powerful ones should do something". In your OP you suggested "delegate away SP in a cheaper way". Now unless there is clear gains in delegating SP to a project or to someone, why would me with an so delegate to some guy who don't do shit other than post a food photo 3 times a day?
There are reasons why the poor stay poor and it applies here too.
It's my so and I do whatever I want with it. You can pitch to me why I should delegate to you but no one is entitled to my SP.
Those who don't give anything to the platform can't expect to take everything from the platform.
Thanks for the constant updates in the last weeks.
Pls consider bringing back the "views counter". Even if it shows only traffic from steemit.com, I want to have at least an idea of how many people read my blogs. It kinda sucks without it.
Awesome!! This is one of the biggest reasons why I use Reddit Enhancement Suite.
Thanks for the update and great job to the team and @roadscape for all the work he's put into hivemind. It's great to know the reasons why the development has taken longer than anticipated, thanks for the continuous communication! Good things come to those who wait. :)
Thanks for you patience and understanding!
This is awesome news. Thanks for the update.
I agree with the decision to make communities a STEEM feature and not only Steemit. That enhances the value of the entire ecosystem. For a breakthrough like that, I am willing to wait a bit longer since it does increase the development time.
It is going to be exciting when all this comes out. The fact that the ability to scale before the traffic arrives is very encouraging. This will avoid what Ethereum and others went through.
Great update!
I'm thrilled to know Hivemind is making so much progress.
Nothing worth having comes easy, and I think there will be few who don't pardon the delay knowing that this was one of the reasons:
The communities and their builders will appreciate that!
Steem is about to change the game for social media blockchain! 💪🏼🙌🏼💯
Yeah Baby!
Hey man, you want to start a DAC?
chat me up..
Thanks for the update :). Looking forward to communities. Will I be able to start one on steemit backed by an SMT or will I need to do it from another website?
We've got some exciting stuff planned for communities ... but you'll have to wait and see ;)
Love the updates that's been communicated!
Everything in the Steem Blockchain is mission critical so i understand that any update takes time and strenuous testings before it's been introduced.
By the way, the image resize feature isn't a small deal. People are going to love it!!
Have your team considered using https://jobs.cointelegraph.com/ to advertise your vacancies? Seem fitting to me that a blockchain company would use a blockchain focused platform to look for candidates.
Browsing through all the addressed issues is a great Friday read. These are well structured and well spaced updates. Kudos~
Thanks!
Thanks for carrying about steem python:)
You may wan't to check out beem: https://github.com/holgern/beem.
There is also a new tutorial series by emrebeyler about beem.