I don't write many posts on Steem(it) or crypto, yet feel myself pulled to address your recent revelations to the community. I am under no illusion that you will read this, understanding that I am one of many who fall beneath your radar. Which is what I believe has contributed to some of the issues the community now faces. I apologize if the tone may seem a bit harsh, yet it is not personal. Perhaps a bit of frustration and ignorance on how things were allowed to get to the point they are. So I am hopeful while realistic that maybe you will come across this as you maybe wonder what some of the small fish might think of your recent revelations.
I can't claim to be knowledgeable about blockchain, nor costs associated with the venture you put forth. Nor can I claim to understand what exactly your team at Steemit.inc has actually been doing these last few years as the front end here has languished in beta mode. Until recently, there wasn't much in the way of communication from you.
My views, despite my ignorance, are ones that you should consider. Mine is one that is typical here in the community, one of the distinctions that can be made between Steem and the other chains.
Before I came across your site, I was not only ignorant of crypto. I was skeptical. I still am on many of the chains for what it is worth. What made yours appealing was several factors.
I could sign up without going through the hassle of exchanges.
It has this social component attached where depending on my ability to interact, I can build relationships with others.
These relationships that can be built has the added feature of allowing us to thank one another by enriching through votes from an inflation pool.
Unlike having to remember complicated addresses, our user name is our address.
A carrot is offered to those of us who will vest our owned Steem. Not only rewarding the power of our vote to others, but making the owned stake safe from a wallet compromise. This here is huge.
Because of this, many like myself who did not want the normal hassles found in other chains and wallet security came here. CAME HERE, to this thing you built. People who normally would never have got involved in crypto. Many like myself not only got involved, shortly after joining I took it upon myself the hassle of joining exchanges so I could do another thing I never would have done.
I bought Steem at the exchange.
I don't think you understand how important this interface is for the chain, or this conversation you had with us recently would have come much sooner. And this conversation would be looking harder at how to restructure in a way that allows this interface to continue on. I would suggest for a couple reasons that you reconsider this. The first being people like myself. A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
Many companies have come and quickly gone trying to compete in the social online market. You have a group of users in hand. Granted, many have tried to come and given up. Many came and gave up based in part on some of the liars who made videos promising easy riches. Many came and just didn't know how to be social. Or see what was possible here in a gifting system. But that was their loss, not ours.
The other major reason I see that Steemit.inc needs to keep this going is one of perception. I ask myself after listening to your words a few things, and I can't be the only one asking.
If you can't afford to run an app on this chain, how can others do it?
If you have been subsidizing the nodes making this possible, what exactly are the top 20 witnesses doing to be top witnesses? How is it not their responsibility to be running nodes along with Steemit.inc? It seems to me that should be a requirement that overrides any stake based voting for a top 20 spot. That right there would create 20 full nodes.
I also have seen this thread by 
https://steemit.com/steem/@apshamilton/decentralisation-of-full-nodes-essential-for-steem-s-success
I hope that this will be looked at by many with the know how along with Steemit.inc as a way to salvage this demo that has come to mean so much to many birds in hand.
Out of my own selfishness, I disagree with those who say you should move on. I appreciate what you have created here, appreciate the ability you have given me to grow my own wallet as I create more wealth that I can give to others as I see fit. I hope that you will strongly reconsider how important even us small birds are to this chain. Given more time to grow, many of us small birds will one day be big birds. I hope you 