RE: To fork or not to fork? Is that even a question?

I would hope that what ends up being good for the STEEM blockchain, ie, hard fork or updates of any kind, would not be impeded by exchanges, but that it would be considered a good thing by them too. I don't know. There should be a happy medium between massive hard forks and tiny ones where all are fine with the replaying. If appbase is the answer there, wonderful. There just seems to be one thing that prevents something from happening. Is that one thing that stoic or important, or can it adapt, modify behavior, whatever? I don't know. Honestly looking for solutions and answers that don't end up with ill will and most people locked out of the system, or so limited that they might as well be.