Do you think that the interests of active participants in Farcaster (from MM and Neynar, to miniapp devs, to plain users) are aligned?

I think that it is very possible in one or two years, some of us may think that we have succeeded and others that we have failed, all at the same time.

Top right is success case.

Bottom right is OK, too.

Top left is unlikely.

We're currently in bottom left. Need to dramatically increase the number of users to make it a success. Nothing else matters.

Dad, geek, conversation liquidity provider. vrypan.net (home), @l--o--l (fun). devcoin:$lemon3

1. A protocol allows for a bunch of apps to reasonably interoperate in a way that's more useful than rolling your own, i.e. you benefit from the liquidity or network effect

2. Crypto protocols are able to successfully capture value at the protocol layer as a result of apps / users using the protocol. Successful capture at the protocol level means the protocol has a independent funding source to decide what the protocol should optimize for.

HTTP and SMTP do not have value capture. All value accrues to the companies building on it. The biggest companies de facto control the protocols.

"crypto protocol" is so widely defined that means nothing to me. Pls define.

We have different success criteria. Thus, the misalignment on a bunch of priorities.

https://farcaster.xyz/dwr.eth/0x17697fbf

building farcaster infra @ /neynar 🪐 | casting @ /rish

That's the question. 

For me, decentralization and censorship resistance. If not, I'll consider it a failure, and I'll regret the time and energy I've spent.

sorta, but not "sufficiently" imo

we have to trust Merkle for now, which seems a ~reasonable bet

however, this community is more than skilled enough to mutiny if needed

maybe naive of me, but i don't think it actually matters whether the actors building on top of a protocol are aligned. protocols shouldn't depend on this type of benevolence

in farcaster's case i think the most relevant question is whether MM is building the protocol in a way that is fair and doesn't unfairly privilege their client over others and doesn't abuse their position as the developers of the protocol

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in @buidlguidl 🏰

mm is merkle manufactory, the company that owns farcaster (the protocol, the infra, and the leading client).

MM = MetaMask? Probably here to grow wallet users + devrel with devs to use their sdks / stack, build snaps etc.

Neynar = to sell APIs for Farcaster infra to builders, talk to new builders, get feedback and iterate on offerings 

Mini app devs = get users however they can (ideally not by paying for them)

Users = probably want to find ways where the financial rails built in here can provide them with some benefit / airdrop farm / ?

Yes you make good point but if a person thinks he has succeed and others think he’s failed the persons perspective probably trumps the outside view

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Mini App devs need their content to go viral with sharing and many use mass tagging and automated share messages and incentivize new users to share. Some even give you “points” to do so. 

And then the spam algo comes for all the new people who fall into this trap. Vicious cycle.