Since becoming a witness myself, I have been paying more attention to others running nodes on the platform and have found many new people to engage with and to support. But with only 30 votes, I am limited to who I can cast my vote upon for a witness.
It feels really good to go to vote for a smaller witness and bring them up a rank or two sometimes. I know they will notice an increase in blocks their way, and it really helps them out on the chain.
But early on Hive and before that, 5+ years ago. I used up all 30 of my votes. At the time I really did not know much about any of the witnesses below the top 20. Many in the top 20 I had no idea about as well. But I voted for who I recognized. And just filled in the rest, and many of those I learned later on about their great achievements.. so I left my vote with them.
Later on during of the time of the Steem / Hive split, I voted for all of the top 20 plus 10 outside of consensus to attempt to help with voting power to fend off those attacking the chain. I left many votes after that and did not change them, as those were some of the biggest innovators that came over to the new chain and helped make Hive what it is now.
Now, many years later there are so many interesting witnesses I want to support. But I have to unvote some witnesses I have supported for a very long time.
As I need to free up votes I am removing consensus witnesses.. the top 20. The way I see it is they all around earn the same amount, and my vote really does not affect their ranking much at all. With so many whale votes already going to many of the top 20, my vote is not going to move them up or down in rank. Unless someone is right on the edge of the top 20 and needs support.
So if you see me remove a vote from you, its not that I hate you, or think you did something wrong. Honestly I still speak greatly of almost all of the consensus witnesses, pointing out what each one has done to help Hive. And for many there on the top 20, there would be no Hive without them.
Besides removing my witness vote.. nothing else will change. I still plan on voting for proposals by many of the top 20 and supporting the authors in their posts. Many of them have great communities and I will keep curating them and looking for great content there. I use many of the dapps the top 20 run, and will keep using them and telling others how great they are.
But there are smaller witnesses that need votes, and I would really like to help out many of them. And as Hive grows I know even more will come online, so I will once again have to choose who I am picking with my 30 votes.
