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Some UX/thinking around Links as content types by jesta

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· @jesta · (edited)
$63.32
Some UX/thinking around Links as content types
There's one specific quote I really want to dive into from [steemitblog's latest post, "Proposed Upgrade for Blockchain Incentives"](https://steemit.com/steem/@steemitblog/proposed-upgrade-for-blockchain-incentives).

Specifically this line, towards the bottom under "Different Curation Rewards for Different Content Types":

> **Links should not have extremely high author rewards because they are almost entirely requests for curation**.

Links as a content type (like posts) - it's something I've been thinking about for a while now, but don't see much chatter about. So I figured I'd write a little bit and potentially stir up some excitement for what this could be.

## Preface

Throughout this post I am going to be using a mockup I did for a steemit blog (using reprint), which can be found here: 

http://steem.reprint.io

I will be referring to this site as "blog.steemit.com" in screenshots and code samples, as that's what this site could potentially be someday.

I also may be biased towards the awesomeness of this idea simply because I am building reprint, and am willing to admit it :)

## What would a content type of "Link" be?

Think about how reddit uses in links to external content on other websites, as content on reddit itself. That's the one line pitch for this new type of content.

Reddit has two forms of user generated content: links and selfposts (what a terrible name). They are pretty similar in terms of data, with the one major difference. As you browse reddit, clicking the title of a piece of content does one of two things:

- You're taken to a reddit page, with a post someone wrote in a subreddit, it's comments, and other related information.
- You're taken off reddit to an external website.

Posts here on steemit are what we have now and are just like the first type above. The "link" content type that could be added to steem/steemit would be like the second type above, and act as a way to share content that is off steemit.com. The content could be on any website, even a website powered by steem, or a website powered by a different blockchain.

## How would a user submit a link?

Instead of "Submit a Story", you would "Submit a Link". When submitting a Link, it would be similar to submitting a story, except the post of the body would be replaced by a field for you to enter the link. The remaining fields (tags, title, maybe payout options) would remain the same.

Any link could be submitted by this method, but one of the cool things about how this could be implemented is that any content created on steem (as a post) could automatically act a link as well. Before diving into that concept, we need to understand what makes a "link" on the blockchain.

## How would it work (technically)?

Right now, links could be implemented as a content type simply by creating a comment and specifying a link within the json_metadata.

```
json_metadata: {
  origin: 'https://blog.steemit.com/steem/@steemitblog/proposed-upgrade-for-blockchain-incentives'
}
```

Links could be a `comment` in the blockchain, just one where a `body` field isn't required. They are tagged and indexed, mixed in and ranked right alongside all other content. They just act a bit differently, and may even have different reward structures (as the steemitblog article discussed).

## What would the experience on steemit.com be like?

How would this change steemit? This is where the steemitblog/reprint example site comes into play. Imagine if that steemitblog post was submitted with the `json_metadata` shown above (perhaps automatically through a custom CMS). 

Here's a series of screenshots showing how the UX would work for that post.

### Stumbling upon the post in a feed...

![img](http://i.imgur.com/dLWJ74G.png)

---

![img](http://i.imgur.com/1PxVDw5.png)

### Found on blog.steemit.com ([demo](http://steem.reprint.io/steem/@steemitblog/proposed-upgrade-for-blockchain-incentives))

![img](http://i.imgur.com/3RwZcMT.png)

### Back on steemit.com...

![img](http://i.imgur.com/fhC4vB5.png)

### Direct links to comments, might make for better community building...

![img](http://i.imgur.com/3FAaQyJ.png)

### Example of a "stub" page...

![img](http://i.imgur.com/OksHsSr.png)

---

These aren't incredibly confusing or difficult changes (I don't think), and would offer users a new way to share content outside of the blockchain, while still creating a reference to them on-chain. 

There are some technical considerations yet to make about rewards, posting limits, uniqueness requirements, and UX - but I think the idea has an incredible amount of potential.

## Automatically linking Steem content

Earlier I mentioned that the `body` field of a post wasn't required, but that also doesn't mean it has to be empty. I also mentioned that content submitted to steem (the blockchain) could automatically become a link. To end this entire train of thought off, here's how that could all work.

Let's say I create this post (the one you're reading), and on this post, I add the `json_metadata` that a `link` type comment would have (the `origin` parameter). The link I use is to my blog, jesta.us, and is specifically to this article (like [this example](http://jesta.us/steem/@jesta/some-ux-thinking-around-links-as-content-types). The attaching of this json data would happen automatically through a CMS on my Reprint blog running on jesta.us, or any other authoring tool, as to not make it difficult.

What I've created now on the blockchain is the hybrid of a comment and a link.

On my website, I now have a post displaying like any other post. But on steemit.com, it now is automatically displayed as a link, which people can upvote, comment on or click on to visit my website. This one blockchain entry, as read by two different website engines, acting completely different based on the site it's presented on. 

## Closing up

Just to wrap this up, I believe content types could offer huge opportunities for development around steem. Not steemit.com, but steem, the blockchain. Steem itself has an incredible potential to become a shared foundation, for an unlimited number of websites, all interconnected by people in a way we've never seen before in history.

I see a lot of talk about the economics of the platform, and regardless of how heated that side of this experiment gets, just remember how revolutionary it is over here on the web side of things :)
šŸ‘  , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and 521 others
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vote details (585)
@anotherjoe ·
Bingo!!
IMO, this is the long-term power of Steemit/Steem.
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@everittdmickey ·
Pardon the off topic comment.
I dunno how else to make contact.
I use your _steemstats_ all the time.  I'm constantly finding new applications.
I really like it.  In fact I almost use it as a GUI for steemit.  I'd like to request a feature.
I'd like to be able to _color-code_ .  You already do that under _incoming votes_ for example the stakeholders that I am following are purple, those that I am not are blue. I'd like to do something similar in general. Perhaps tag 'bots' for example.  Or tag those whom I want to avoid for some reason...

Only visible to me of course...purely as a reminder to myself.

Thank you...
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@jesta · (edited)
No worries about off topic! I'm also on steemit.chat as @jesta if you're looking in the future to reach out.

I like the idea - it could turn out to be somewhat useful, like a reddit accounts ability to tag other users for personal reference. I don't have a great solution to implement it and it might be a bit complex to build, but I'll mark it down as a potential feature in the future. 

Steemstats hasn't gotten a lot of love lately, but I've been thinking for months about how I could potentially rebuild it and make it better. Reprint right now has my focus for the next couple months :)
šŸ‘  
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vote details (1)
@everittdmickey ·
It hasn't?
I certainly love it.  
I use it constantly.  It's the perfect supplement to the GUI.
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@good-karma · (edited)
$0.06
I think different content types are great. 
It require extra coding on Steem to properly balance the rewards as you mention.
Having Photo or Video, Text types bring somewhat more value than links imo, also links can get messy easily, there is an issue of spam/dead links/potential attack links, etc. etc. 
UI changes looks great btw to represent these type of data.

Is there any stats maybe from reddit about content types?

Also I would like to see more comments about this, because links are valuable to some extend (if user interested in particular #tag they find it very interesting to see where else they can get more information about topic) and I might be wrong about some potential risks.
šŸ‘  , ,
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vote details (3)
@jesta ·
> Having Photo or Video, Text types bring somewhat more value than links imo, also links can get messy easily, there is an issue of spam/dead links/potential attack links, etc. etc.

Yeah, there are risks of that. Then again, all those same risks exist right now from people putting those types of links in their posts. So at least it wouldn't be any new threats or problems, just more of the same.

As for the different content types you mentioned, photo and video, those could be wrapped into this new link type as well. If someone links to an image, there could be an option to expand it, and if someone links to a video (youtube/vimeo/etc), that could also be embedded/expanded to be displayed. Reddit does some of this as well, and what reddit doesn't do, the reddit enhancement suite adds so it works.

Intelligent handling of links of all types could have these features :)

> Is there any stats maybe from reddit about content types?

I don't know that I've ever seen stats on posts vs links on reddit, but that's a good question. Might have to do some searching.
šŸ‘  
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vote details (1)
@good-karma · (edited)
You are right about that issues are already there, though it is somewhat discouraged. Right now user has to have some original content beside referencing to some external link. But if we have different reward system for links, do you think it would still incentivize them to post just link or make a post with some original content around that link?! 

Reddit stats about which content type is more engaging and what keeps user on Reddit even though it redirects user to external source, would be great... I think comments are very valuable and we should also concentrate on that, remove depth limit or find way to blend in private messaging
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@joanaltres ·
Excellent idea and I hope you can make it happen. Steem has to expand and become adopted outside of Steemit for it to prosper ahead of the usual humdrum alt coin, and this linking strategy would help a lot.
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@kenny-crane ·
Really good ideas here!  I think Steemit is already going to overtake FB one day, and now it can replace Twitter as well, if we handle short content and links here.  Thanks for your thoughts and work!
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@linkback-bot-v0 ·
This post has been linked to from another place on Steem.


  - [good-karma witness update - 20 November, 2016](https://steemit.com/witness-category/@good-karma/good-karma-witness-update-20-november-2016) by @good-karma




Learn more about and upvote to support [**linkback bot v0.5**](https://steemit.com/steemit/@ontofractal/steem-linkback-bot-v0-5-the-reddit-awareness-release). Flag this comment if you don't want the bot to continue posting linkbacks for your posts.

Built by @ontofractal
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@liquidsolomon ·
Excellent work! Extremely thorough and innovative!
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@penguinpablo ·
You nailed it!
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@pery ·
@jesta - Have you recognized that steemstats.com has fallen back to version v0.3.4 - Was that planned or was it by mistake? thx - we love steemstats so much, please adapt it to the next hardfork release also - THX ;-)
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@jesta ·
Huh, nope I didn't realize that got rolled back. I recent upgraded to a new laptop, I'm going to have to go and check if maybe I left some uncommitted changes on that machine. From the looks of it, most of 0.3.5 is still live, but the link in the upper right definitely says 0.3.4 now.
šŸ‘  
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@virtualgrowth ·
Shared on [twitter](https://twitter.com/Steem_Land/status/800183630811238400)
šŸ‘  
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@twitterbot ·
### ![Steem_Land](https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/796481381366804481/GZiD2MS0_normal.jpg) **[Steemland.com](https://twitter.com/@Steem_Land/status/800183630811238400)** tweeted @ 20 Nov 2016 - 03:46 UTC

> Some UX/thinking around Links as content types — Steemit [steemit.com/steem/@jesta/s…](https://t.co/Y7Ad7vlp5E)
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