When I started my IT career back in the late 80's and early 90's, I had a number of great mentors to help me traverse the complexities of the industry.  End User performance and comfort was paramount, especially in the multi-national corporations that I was working for.  

One of the metrics that we used was to ensure that screen refresh rates were as fast as possible, ensuring that the data entry folks were not waiting each time they wanted to get to the next screen.  This was in an era where mainframe was king, the personal computer was just starting to make its entry into the business world and the internet's world wide web interface was in its infancy.  

During this era, data, processing and user interface was centralized.  We used cluster controllers with dumb terminals to access data on the mainframe and mini computers.  My job was to introduce the personal computer, setup the local area network and work on decentralizing the processing, user interface and secure the data.  

Oh how the world has changed since then, but a few key principles continue to be just as valid today as it was back then.  Specifically, the experience of the user and how data is being managed.  Lets face it, if it was not for the user, none of this would exist.  So when the folks at steemit.com decided to send all the user interface traffic through a gateway in order to check the users browser before they can access the steemit.com interface to the blockchain, they violated these time honoured principles.

![Steemit.com DDoS gateway](https://i.imgsafe.org/b1/b1f18b3bae.png)

These security checks should always be invisible, quick and seamless for the user.  However, this browser check fails all those principles and drives me crazy.  I open multiple windows and my browser goes through this check multiple times each day.  I recall just a few days ago when there was a problem between the gateway and the website.  There I sat, unable to access the blockchain.  Shameful.  Steemit.com folks, while I can appreciate the reason why you need to do this as DDOS can have a significant impact on user experience through your site, the solution is completely unacceptable.  

As a result, I refuse to use steemit.com any longer.  So I went searching for a new interface to the blockchain and found steempeak.com.  I'm writing my first blog using that interface and I like it much better already.  I will continue to use this interface and see how it goes.  Steemit.com, I disagree with your support of the end user.  The adds, gateways, separating the wallet, etc have been moves that put a sour taste in my mouth and demonstrated to me that your focus is else where. The user should always have a priority in any app development.  Always!!!

I hope one day the community takes away the development of the blockchain and decides to do it for themselves!  I'm not happy with your performance or ethics.  I forgive you.  May Creator help you along your journey.