"About to be launched" is much different from actually launching. They COULD hypothetically compete but dont look for it anytime soon if at all. Dont hold your breath is my point. Just because someone has great marketing and tells you they are going to build a blockchain based social media platform, does not mean their blockchain will support the kind of volume steem does and can today.
For instance, Ethereum has a team of highly intelligent people telling everyone at the final quarter of 2017 (next year) they expect to have Casper completed, which should enable ethereum to scale to be able to reach the kinds of transaction volumes you see on things like bitshares and steem. Meanwhile back at the bat cave....
BitShares and Steem are doing it TODAY--Steem long ago surpassing the transaction volume of both Ethereums combined... It is imperative that when you speak, you know what you are talking about. Otherwise you're misinforming.
Now that I feel like I have had a beatdown session on you, I will say I hope you realize it is not with ill intent that I speak. Rather, it is with a sense of hope that you will recognize that the 73 beside your name does not mean you know everything there is to know about blockchains. Wielding that reputation to spread wrong information as fact will not last forever.
I don't think that even matters. If Steem/it does not move ahead with a successful and effective development process that rolls out compelling improvements to the platform at an accelerated pace, it will not be successful in capturing the attention and interest of users (and therefore not successful at all) regardless of what others do.
I'm beta testing next week.
Why would you make the assumption that I "know everything there is to know about blockchains?"
I have never claimed that. You are guilty of assumption based on opinions not facts when you claim "wrong information". You don't have any idea about this information, but instead choose to use opinions.
I've never criticized the technology, and in fact I am quite impressed with it. I am not impressed with the leadership and communication so far. I know that you are very passionate about this place but it would do you some good not to suffer from tunnel vision. Have a look around and see what others are doing. More importantly, see how leaders operate by asking questions, creating surveys and building their network around what users want. If this was supposed to be a blogger's destination, why have most of them left? By avoiding the elephant in the room, not listening to those who provide the content, it's showing some serious vulnerabilities in the leadership.