If you are new and don’t get the hype about nostr, here is a quick recap of why it’s a big deal:
1. Network effects - when everyone builds into the same protocol without permission, you get all sorts of interesting interactions. All of them are then easily discoverable by your followers. Example: start streaming > access the entire nostr network without lifting a finger. Without the walled gardens, information travels further and faster to reach more people. This is probably the most powerful aspect of nostr.
2. No need to keep re-building your audience. They follow you no matter where you are, which app/client you are building or using. The moment a new app comes online, you have access to those new features plus your entire audience and their broader sphere of influence. This is massive for startups because one of the biggest challenges of startups is reach. Nostr makes reach much easier not only through the follow functions, but also due to the nature of the broadcasted note.
3. Cheaper infrastructure - the cost to host things is spread across relays. Instead of paying for massive server infrastructure, you can spread your costs to relays. They are still paying for it, and you can even pay for it yourself with a private / hosted relay, but you always have the cheaper option.
4. Ability to add nostr functionality to existing apps. Want exclusivity on your customers and data but the ability to tap into nostr? You can do that. A good example is Fountain podcast app - a hybrid model that works. Now, most apps that benefit from social interactions can also benefit from Nostr.
5. Zaps - yeah, not even first on the list! Frictionless, one tap payments (or no tap payments? - stream on budget), to anyone, anywhere, across client, across OS, across everything. 🤯
6. No need to identify yourself. No emails required, just sign an event with your private key and nobody has to know who you are. Relays will have your IP unless you mask it, but otherwise you limit your exposure to hacks. As long as you don’t share anything you’re not willing to be seen out there, you’re fine. Can’t have identity theft without identities 😂
7. No deplatforming. A client can ban you from using their services, but you can just use another client. There’s literally no way to stop anyone from accessing nostr short of taking down all relays and all clients. This will slowly become an impossibility over time as the number of clients for each use case explodes in numbers. The only thing they CAN do is limit you from their audiences - like Apple wanted to do with Damus because of zaps.
8. Entirely new use cases never before seen - with this level of flexibility, you can create services that have never existed before because they were literally not possible. The sky is the limit, go wild with your imagination!
There are probably so many other reasons, but these are my top 8.
