Why I Started A SmartNode before Snapshot

Writing about #SmartNodes in my article yesterday, I mentioned how sunny and freezing cold it was. It occured to me I had not shared my passion for landscape photography with you. Here is one taken today at West Spring School Calgary, at risk of frostbitten finger just for you with love from sunny and cold Calgary.
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As an early adopter of SmartCash, I could see the need for #SmartNodes immediately. Here was #SmartCash a project only a few months old (six months yesterday) already with a strong community of people who actually used #Smarts in real life not just online. The development team had taken pains to create so many types of wallet. The smartcash core wallet is both wallet and node. Due to the many alternatives to the smartcash core qt wallet, it became clear to me that, with every user who moved to the web, paper, or brain wallet, the smartcash network likely loose node on its network. At this point I decided I would always run a node.

The SmartNodes eventually came on the 11th of January 2018. I was caught between the waiting to collect my #SmartRewards on the 25th January and not getting them because I had to do withdrawal which would reset my eligibility to get it.So I compared both options and decide. Here is what went on in my head

Pros of setting up my Smartnode after the 25th of January

January 2018 #smartewards would be collected
SmartNode can still be setup on the 26th.
NodeRewards are expected to start about the 29th January 2018
The possibility to learn from the issues others had during setup
Higher probability of a better documented process or even automated process

Cons of setting up my Smartnode after the 25th of January

May miss out on the advantages early adopters get
SmartNode address would not qualify for SmartRewards until March 2018 (snapshot in feb 2018)

Pros of setting up my Smartnode before the 25th of January

Early adopters advantage, the cycle one SmartRewards was 400% compared to current cycle's 7%
SmartNodes would get a better ranking
SmartNode address would qualify for next SmartRewards in 25th of feb 2018 (snapshot in jan 2018)
Bragging rights: I got in on day 1 (we all like to show sometimes)

Cons of setting up my Smartnode before the 25th of January

Miss out on Smart Rewards for January 2018
Process may be tedious and difficult to setup
Initial versions of software tend to be unstable.

THE FIRST STEP

The first requirement was to update the wallet to version 1.1. I had done that the previous day and found the documentation and process on my MacBook to be very simple and quick at this point I was 100% sold. I decide to read the setup document for the SmartNodes.It was an easy read so I found myself following the steps to configure the wallet and it was smooth sailing I could not stop myself. I went on to pay for a vps service with vultr a know vps service provider. That did not go well as after the payment my account was in pending state! what an anti climax. I was on a roll and not planning to wait another 48 hours for them to figure out whatever it was they needed to check. I went on Discord and someone had just recommend another provider Linode.com it was easy to use and a few hours later my SmartNode was up and running. I am still in awe

CONCLUSION

To everyone sitting on the fence on when to start their SmartNode. The deciding argument for me was the answer to the question: what happens in feb 2018?

SmartNodes started before the 25th Jan 2018 would earn SmartRewards and NodeRewards
SmartNodes started after the 25th Jan 2018 earn only NodeRewards

To get things in the right flow, starting before the 25th of Jan 2018 would be the best option.

Learn more about SmartNodes please visit:
https://www.SmartCash.cc

Join us:

I truly hope you take this opportunity to reward yourself, and make history with the #SmartNodes
Happy earning!