Yes @costanza ...
"... I'm still hoping it's all still just very early on and the code that allows for Steem to become a true success will be cracked some day."
... that is certainly the hope of a lot of our fellow Steemians.
It is certainly "early days," even after 3 years, so I am mostly at peace with that part.
Getting the coding "right?" Given my perception of the extraordinary difficulty factor, I am less confident of that ...
Overall, I have enjoyed having exchanges with others all over the world, so like you "hanging in" ... 👍