One of the things I see happening in the Bitcoin community and I have found myself doing here is promoting the protocol. I think this should be avoided.
I’m guilty as well of saying Bitcoin is great! The safe network is going to be the future of the internet! The problem is that the vast vast majority of people don’t care- Not even a little bit- about security, privacy, safecoin being instant and fee free. “Google backs up my documents for free” “apple cloud keeps my stuff safe for me” “who cares if visa charges 3%, it doesn’t affect me” (even though it absolutely does).
Sadly, the key to getting the network to take off is going to be the apps. If we don’t make things better, cheaper, more attractive, fun and easy, we’re not going to get anywhere with the public.
Bitcoin is better than most currencies (my opinion) but it’s still hard to use and has a public image problem from the start. (and some scaling issues and other fixable things) the public mass has no reason to use it because “the existing option is just fine, it’s easy”
I totally agree @wes, making the technology as seamless as possible is one of the keys to wide scale adoption. This is an iterative process though, so adoption will inevitably be gradual and the rate will be determined by how fast the eco system as a whole can iterate and improve.
This true, but not absolutely. There are a lot of people in the world (perhaps most, even) who DO care about privacy and security, but don’t have the means of accessing it while still maintaining functionality. Trying to be secure on a system which is inherently insecure is much more than most can think with or deal with, but that doesn’t mean that they see no value in it.
The key is to have both: (1) a system that is easy to use and intuitive and (2) is inherently private, secure and free by default. That’s where the SAFE network is headed and that’s what we need to promote.
One obvious route to getting people on board, would be to put data up that they want access to. You might count that among apps but it might be possible to appeal directly to Mega users and others, looking for a simple and easier than Dropbox options to download what they want.
If there is an out of the box forum hosting app, that might act as a big catalyst.
The other pull will be detail to hosts of how they can switch their data across… I think there was some technical allusion to that that dirvine made suggesting it would be trivial.
I don’t know, if it’s possible that users would start using content provided by MaidSafe without even being aware of it.
I didn’t mean to imply that it would be an overnight thing. It was merely an observation of what I’ve noticed myself and others doing. We’ve, to date, been pushing protocols instead of what they can really do. Both the safe network and Bitcoin are marvelous inventions, but are things to be predominantly built upon rather than used at face value. I guess that’s the point I was trying to get to. Let people know about products, not the back end.
I think there is a niche of us who prefer privacy, but in my discussions with people at work and the less savvy, I can say security is a “surface” concern for them. If its more secure but harder to use, they’re going to pick the one easier to use.
Was just watching some you tube videos at lunchtime today, my friend said “today is the first day that I’m really starting to understand all this, the vision, magnitude” and he’s very excited now about “what can be”… this is after 2 weeks of learning a bit every day . Just point people to the content.
Helping even one person become excited and hopeful about the future is a great thing, a win, and a privilege really.
“You’re data, is your data, it doesn’t belong to anyone else” - David
That’s why it has to (a) be as easy to use and/or (b) have some other feature that wasn’t available elsewhere. For instance, if all wikileaks files were available on SAFE, or any other website that was blacklisted or filtered, and all you had to do was install a browser plug-in to access them, that would be a pretty notable crossover, right there. I’m sure many other things are possible. But, again, that goes back to the “freedom” aspect of Privacy, Security and Freedom.
We should keep pushing those buttons, regardless. A lot of people have been dulled to those issues, but they are core to their very being and a lot of them will wake up to it if we keep pushing the possibility of being able to access them without too much confusion.
Besides, how does someone assail those concepts head-on: “No, you MUST NOT have privacy, security or freedom. That’s the only way we can keep you safe and free!” Yeah, some will say it, but is wears thin pretty quick. And on the other side of that is a realization that they can be responsible for themselves to a higher degree.
David that’s right, my presumption is more savory follow on enterants. I think monetizing psychpaths to undermines systems set up to serve psychopathy is a starting point but once the mechanism is established we will get a Wikileakes 2 that does more than ask sponsored censorship media like Sony and Calos Slim owned NYT to vette stuff. To me the goal is total up to the second transparence for states, organizations and DAOs/DACs as the best way to protect privacy and the good life. Paradoxical.
Most folks don’t wear Tin Foil hats. If you use Warren’s Pitch, everyone without a tin foil hat will think you are wearing one. Most people don’t want to bring strip power out of governments (Which is what the Crytpo revolution will do). Most people hate Snowden. (64%) in the US. Most people don’t support blackmail. If you use insider presuppositions, you are going to look like a loon when you talk to the general public.
Most people hate computer insecurity. That is the selling point that sells. MaidSAFE demolishes Hacking as we know it. It makes it nearly impossible for your files to be hacked or stolen in bulk. It makes it so that individual users must be targeted rather than a server at a time… MaidSAFE makes your files safe.
MaidSAFE also tears down the Great Firewall of China. That is something most folks would approve of without controversy.
I suggested those apps will be the draw for people that know tech and they do have influence. As for the public mainly per John Oliver they want to limit unintended circulation on “dick pics.” But that is a start, they will notice pop corn time on a better format. They dont hate Snowden, they have been systematically mislead and sponsored media stats tend to be intentional lies. As for blackmail and bribery, stuff like Slur reverses its normal use. Besides only the early adopter tech community will be able to de-spin it. If its effective it will branded a tool of terrorism and a terrorist network. There is no tin foil hat anywhere, its all practical stuff.
I am not in disagreement on that. Its the more aware interested person that will get transparency and understand how its vital to privacy. It will be counterintuitive for many, but that’s a cultural thing too that can change. Look at those High School kids in Australia. Perceptions can be changed.
I wonder the better approach is to keep it simple (KISS) and suggest simply and accurately what SAFE can do. Let those others project their interests onto that. You will attract more people that way and not just those who agree with your perception.
Because what SAFE provides, is base and fundamentally about individual “Privacy. Security. Freedom.”, there will be many reasons that it appeals… and not equally, some reasons that will see people fear it.
It’s inevitable that people will want to promote their interest in seeing SAFE max out its opportunity but important that we avoid limiting what others might value it and even use it for.
My interest stems from that “Communication is inherently Good”… coupled with that progress follows only from individual freedom and for that you need privacy and security.
Under KISS, people get the privacy and security part readily. Its the freedom part that takes a second to sink in. I am hoping in using the more fluid but also stable, private and secure environment of SAFE that people will see differences in what went before and start to make the connection to freedom and the larger context.
Based on my experience from talking with friends about SAFE, some who have solid technical background, the simplest explanation worked best when I tried to explain what SAFE is and what it can do for the Internet and individual privacy.
Main points attacked by me in discussions are:
1)decentralized-server replacement architecture-unbelievable but very easy understood by all
2) as a consequence of 1) I explain about no more DDoS , man in the middle attack and single point of failures but briefly and if they ask me more about these I continue or show them the forum
3) personal file storage completely decentralized and secured
They tend to compare SAFE with GDrive and Dropbox now so I insist how they are the product there and safe here and continue with spare hard drive resources and safecoin economy: tipping, pay per frame, storing at a fraction of the cost, even free.
I’d say this explanation made about 75% of them more aware of the things that are going on in the background and also anxious to see the final “product”. As soon as we have the network and basic apps running I’ll remind them to give it a try
I’d say an essential feature that will help a lot is the browser plug in that allows people to surf the web no matter if the files come from safe or more traditional servers.
One hurdle is going to be moving away from the static web page that is easy on safe, to the more dynamic seen today on the web.
Database engines (of some sort) are essential and until then the uptake will be for private/secure storage of information and retrieval of such (by browser or other app), and the uptake will be slow in compassion to current uptake of web apps today.
Excellent points. It’s an interesting exercise to wonder what the public’s perception of bitcoin would be if it was rolled out by the likes of PayPal or VISA/MC/AMEX, Amazon, Google? Could a strategic, well funded marketing/PR plan have brought us to a different place? I think so.
Through no fault of its own, bitcoin has an image problem and a terrible reputation.
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression”.
What we learn from bitcoin is that no matter how great the product, no matter how many problems the product solves, if the public introduction is not managed, and managed properly, that product may not enjoy the success it deserves.
Bitcoin is still not a suitable product for the masses, like computers back in the 1980’s. Bitcoin is a technology, or rather one manifestation of technology, that has yet to be turned into products for the general population. There isn’t a “Commodore PET” of bitcoin yet, let alone an IBM PC. No one has tried to launch it yet, few people have even heard of it.
SAFENetwork and the apps it enables could be that first usable mass market “product.” The IBM PC of decentralised computing!
