removing the cost for real users to join and contribute to the network is an existential problem farcaster needs to solve

most people don't pay for social media - doesn't matter if it's $1 or $10 - it's not something they're used to

this is also an existential problem for apps building on farcaster

If you remove cost, you have infinite spam.

If you gate sign ups, it's not permissionless.

Warpcast has tried a couple of large, reasonably scaled experiments with free sign ups and the long term retention rate is basically 0.

You can have both via fee waiving programs

cypherpunk wannabe, engineer working on @frames /open-frames /opencast
https://stephancill.co.za create stories at https://stories.steer.fun

1. Who gets into the program?

2. What happens when someone is onboarding spam defined by Client A but they don't think it's spam?

3. If onboarding fee was the most important thing, I would expect a read-only client would have done well. The existential issue is increasing the supply of quality content. Content comes for 1% of users, so for every 99 sign ups, you get one potential person.

Thinking thousands are already on board that need to be worked into the flow of conversations. Noticing tons of localized tech influencers with less than 10, 100, 500 followers with high quality cast not really noticed. I think quickcast that default to the casters archives in 2, 4, 8, 12 hrs would be really helpful to reduce traffic passing thru channels. So user could have the choice of making a cast that stays on the page as it works now, or select quickcast for timely questions, breaking news, brief opportunities, nice photos. I would think this would be popular and clear up everyone feeds to allow others to be noticed and heard.