As most of you are aware, STEEM won the Netcoins contest, finishing first. This means that STEEM will be listed on their platform.
So what does this mean?
Overall, not much.
Don't get me wrong. It is great that we won this and all who voted are to be commended. We are better off finishing first and getting listed as opposed to second. More eyeballs should see STEEM as a result of this which is wonderful.
However, we need to keep things in perspective and point to a larger picture.
I feel too many on here are looking for a "white swan" event. It is not going to happen, at least any time soon.
The Netcoin success is another feather in STEEM's cap. However, it is just a piece like this clip of 
https://app.frame.io/presentations/c93e4fa6-bccd-4fb3-8f29-553f329e5b06
Steem's success is going to be the result of millions of actions taken by hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. It is not only going to be the activities on Steem but within the cryptocurrency industry in general. A lot of advancement is required before we can even begin to think about the mainstream.
We are looking at more lines of code being pounded out by our developers. Application need to be updated to eliminate bugs and add more features. New accounts must be set up. We need to find those who are truly interested in becoming addicted to this blockchain. More posts need to be made to improve search rankings. Integration across the industry is required. Ease of use has to be sought.
In short, we painstakingly are creating a new world. It might take us 5 years to become an overnight success. Each action someone takes to move any part of this ecosystem forward is a chip out of the establishment. We are in the process of laying, in my view, a fine foundation. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts to success.
It is not difficult to see the resistance that is placed before us. The masses really do not have a chance at this point to embrace any of this because of all the FUD out there. We know the establishment is going to do all it can to maintain control. The challenge there is that each activity that reflects negatively on the centralized system, i.e. hacks and data breaches, is something else to our advantage..
Yet, as we know, it is going to take a lot for the masses to wake up.
Hence we just keep doing what we know to do. Developers keep banging out code creating a variety of applications which move us forward. Content creators put up posts along with comments to keep the activity going on here. Both earn coins which end up in wallets and, hopefully, powered up. This helps to make the ecosystem more stable while adding wealth to each individual. At present, each SP added to an account is worth $.81 (USD). This is currency that is outside the control of the establishment (read banking system).
At some point, that single SP could be worth $5; or $15; or $50; or $500. Nobody knows how things will go in the future but I am one who sincerely believes it will be a lot higher than present prices (this is not financial advice, just an opinion; do you own research and seek the proper professional advice).
We are in a race yet it is a marathon not a sprint. Applications take a long time to create and work out the bugs. Coding is a challenge which cannot be sped up. We all know the publicity on here that 
Steem is the ultimate compounding machine. Not only is this true individually but also collectively. Each activity that moves the blockchain forward helps the entire ecosystem. Every application has a positive impact upon the others. Some are on the backend providing resources and data for Steemians to use. Others are front end applications that grab people's attention by providing different ways to access the blockchain. All are needed and have to grow over time.
Sometimes it feels like Chinese water torture, drip after drip after drip. However, keep in mind that convergence means that an explosion will happen at some point. There is simply too much taking place on a daily basis for that not to happen. When you have hundreds of developers creating different things, they eventually kick things in motion. This is how technology operates.
Perhaps the world is not ready for cryptocurrency, blockchain, or Steem. Part of the challenge with technology is not only getting it right, but having the proper timing. Often it is just a matter of waiting for the rest of the world to catch up. Look at the path of Amazon and how long it took them to become a verb.
The end of 2017 saw a pump which ended up in a 2018 dump. Throughout this year, if one looks at the market action, it was an awful year. However, realistically, Steem had a fabulous year. We only need to focus upon what is here right now compared to at the start of the year. The entire ecosystem moved forward a great deal. Of course, most of that is attributed to the developers who are putting together the foundation that we need with their applications.
Patience is still the key. So many leave Steem frustrated because they cannot wait for things to unfold. Sadly, in my view, they are only hurting themselves. This blockchain is not going to be held down forever. We see some of the things being discussed that will become a central part of people's experience in the future. A lot of the applications' road maps are very exciting. Of course, it takes some vision to see what they are proposing.
Inch by inch, we creep forward. Those among us who were around for the early days of the Internet know exactly what I am referring to. From what I understand, the parallels are crystal clear. It took years of development before there was a working model that penetrate the mainstream enough to start getting attacked. In the early days, the accusations were that only drug dealers, prostitutes, and pornographers used the Internet. Today, we see the same accusations levied against cryptocurrency.
Oh the absurdity of it all.
The bottom line is blockchain and cryptocurrency are going to take off. There is simply too much activity in the space for it not to. When that will happen is anyone's guess. However, those who remain true to it while amassing the coins that one can are going to be richly rewarded. Early adopters can always count on that.
Winning a listing on Netcoins means we are one step closer to the ultimate outcome. Nevertheless, there are millions of steps still to be taken.
In the meantime, for us non-developers, just keep posting, commenting, and upvoting.
Some things never change.
If you found this article informative, please give an upvote and resteem.
