Meet Our Steem Witness With @b0y2k. Episode 16

dhavey (62)in #witness-category • 6 years ago (edited)

As a steemian who want to see this platform continue to grow and flourish, we all have 30 votes to cast for any steemit witness of our choice and I will say this is the most important 30 votes you will ever cast on this platform.

Meet our steemwitness is a program put in place to know more about our steem witness, there roles and obligations. We need them as much as they needs us. Our witness are the leaders on the platform and thus it is our paramount importance that we due our due diligence before casting our votes.

Today I would like to introduce you to @b0y2k founder of #factorysteemit project a massive motocross fan and a witness that is always promoting steem.

What you need to know about @b0y2k

I welcome you to another episode of meet our steem witness @b0y2k and thanks for the honor.

How did you first hear about steemit and what made you decide to join?

"I first heard about steem in the mining phase before steemit was even a thing. I managed to learn the ropes and get a few miners up and running in the last few days before the block reward dropped but it was a fun time. I kinda wish i knew about the vesting part as there was a big bonus early on but i was still picking up things and working my way through it all. I was a designer and front end guy so navigating a completely new kind of blockchain, DPOS, was both exciting and frustrating in equal measure haha."

For steemians who don't know much about witnesses, can you give a layman explanation of what it is that witnesses do?

"The role of a witness is primarily to produce, sign and process the blockchain for the steem network. Each block contains all the content, votes and follows etc which are translated into the content we all know and love on the front end. The steem dollar and steem token prices are also updated as well and the top 20 recieve very generous rewards which are meant to fund developments for the steem community. I am a way off that goal right now but i always have hope that i can get there eventually. I have big plans for my #factorysteemit project i have been running since the start of steemit and being top 20 would enable me to do some really ground breaking things! 😊"

What is the biggest challenge you have ever faced since you joined steemit?

"I think the hardest part with steem is getting noticed, even more so with the rise of bid bots. Sure you can get noticed by dumping a ton of money to get your post trending but i prefer to be noticed by merit. Also i feel that the whole draw of steem is that anyone can do it, no matter how rich, poor or social status."

As one of the top witness what is your duty?

"That's actually the best and most important thing about a decentralised group of people running the witness nodes. There should not be one way of doing things or one set of rules to follow. I mean sure, the main tasks are as i said above which is to maintain the blockchain, that is where the similarities do and should end. I focus my time and energy into promoting steemit and i do that with my steem funded motocross team #factorysteemit. We have done some great things so far and i hope to be able to fund much more in the future, just need to get some more votes behind me to move up the rankings 😊"

I know that you are always busy with your computer trying to help the community, apart from that, what are the other things you enjoy doing?

"This won't be hard to guess haha. Riding my dirt bike! 😊"

What is the biggest challenge the steemit community must overcome before it goes widespread?

"The main steemit site needs a lot of interface and navigation improvements before it hits the bigtime. I think it's currently too hard to find new content and also find your old posts. Things like this will put off a lot of people so this needs to be addressed before mainstream adoption in my view."

Apart from the steemit community, there are still other sites created for steem user, I don't want to mention them but which one will you prefer and which one will you advice others to use?

"I use busy and steemit in equal mesure to be honest. I love @jesta's steemdb for getting down to the small details but that is a bit more detail than most people need/want."

Can you tell the community one unique thing we probably don't know about you?

"Hmm... my index finger is slightly smaller than adverage haha."

What makes you from different witnesses in the steemit community?

"I think most people who know of me kinda know I'm a massive motocross fan haha! but i think what makes me stand out is my controbutions to the promotional side of steemit. I have designed and printed steemit race kits and bike graphics. I sponsor another rider on the #factorysteemit team. I have sponsored my local clubs kids team event a few times which was over 35 kits! I have also given away a lot of SBD and shirts in competitions to steemit users. I'm doing my part for promotion as i have always felt steemit is a great platform and by working together and rewarding people shows the true power behind it."

It is a good thing to be a witness and another thing is that being a witness takes a lot of time, how do you manage your time and keep balance with other things?

"Not very well to be honest haha, I'm always busy and this is something i hope to address in 2018. I have never been good at relaxing and pretty sure it's something i would be rubbish at if i was forced into it... I like being active and I'm always thinking about how to improve or fix things lol."

Where do you see the value of steem in the next 4-5 years along with the platform?

"If we can sort out user interfaces and steer away from the negativity that always seems to creep in from time to time here i think we have a very bright future in steem. I see now reason we can't attain $10 or even beyond as the site and userbase grows."

Steemit has continued to grow more user day by day and am sure it will still continue to grow, now what is the biggest obstacle before steemit rivals some of the online social media giants?

"As i have said already the interface is key, currently it's not ready for mainstream."

What can you say on the recent scam and phishing war going on on steem?

"Everyone has a vote here and this is what flags should be used for, if you spot any posts that you feel are scammy then flag away. Other than that @anyx's @cheetah and @themarkymark's hardwork do a lot of work behind the scenes, great witnesses and deserve peoples votes. Vote for them and me please haha 😊"

If there was a worldwide internet and cellular blackout for a week, what would you do for those 7 days?

"Easy question, go ride! 😊"

If you could give advise to new users just starting out on steemit, what would it be?

"Be yourself, look at your skills and find something unique you can offer. Focus on that and focus on yourself, don't copy other people and don't get frustrated at thier success. If you focus on negatives that is all you will see."

Do you have any new project u are walking on??

"Well... yes i do but it's not complete so my hands are kinda tied... BUT what i can say is that i am very close to completing something which joins steem with gaming haha that's pretty much all i can say without killing the surprise and all the hard work that has gone into it so far. I will still be supporting my race team #factorysteemit so this will be a new avenue for me to promote steem though smiley very excited to announce it... Watch this space!"

In five sentences or more can you tell the community why you deserve their vote?

"Well, i think deserve is kinda the wrong way round... I think why would they want to vote for @b0y2k. I have always put promoting steem as the forefront of my game plan, it's a great platform and could be something very special but we are not there yet. Voting for me would enable me to continue to spread the word of steem to people who would not necessarily find out. People at the track are fathers, sons, mechanics, bus drivers all and everything (yes some are geeks like me haha). So what better way to bring them in but to show them how having a voice can not only earn you money but also run a race team! Also i try and give back to the steem community as much as possible with my competitions and giveaways and voting for me gives me more ways to do this."

Once again I would like to give a huge thanks to @b0y2k for having this conversation with me.

PROMOTING AND INTERVIEWING STEEM WITNESS IS ALL I DO

As steemit users we need to do everything in our power to choose witnesses that will represent the community well. Before voting make sure you do some research on the people you are voting for and be informed. Head over to https://steemit.com/~witnesses and click on some of the witnesses names, get to know them a bit better and do your part to make sure this community thrives.