https://steemian.info/witnesses

So in other words whoever is running the software is storing parts of the information that makes up the service.

precicely yes

it works similar to bitcoin

But this is proof of stake

and bitcoin is proof of work

although steem is mined. not Staked. techinically

@Grenade123 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrY3i85W5tU

Am I required to run this software that acts as a node to use any part of steem, or only if I wish to get paid?

@Dunk Massive
I'm a Green Party member, and have been called Alt-Right for being opposed to the intolerance and violence of Antifa.

@Grenade123 only if you want to be paid for being witness. you can be paid by just writing content that is good with your brain

all you need to post is a web browser or desktop light wallet

Vessel busy.org steemit.com dlive.io d.tube etc..

i like to think of it as mining crypto with my brain

for example, someone is running competition

https://steemit.com/deepdives/@deepdives/deep-dives-research-challenge-or-first-edition-or-the-wikileaks-archive

for the best article about wikileaks.

prize is the guy will up for you 50-100usd on a post 😉

so people up-voting your content is sort of like giving you a few bucks (that is a very simplified view of it)

yes exactly

they can gift you crypto or upvote with their Delegated stake weight (aka steem power )

but an up-vote costs them nothing?

yea cost them nothing. But they bought steem or earned it

ANd powered it up into steem power.

they acn power down it all and sell it all

takes 90 days

ill show u my account

https://steemd.com/@gray00

see you can see my voting banwidth, you can see voting power. you can see every action ive ever done

transparent and on chain forever

hold on, i'm trying to wrap my head around where the money, or more accurately value, comes from with up votes.

from inflation with the creation of new steem

new steem is created portion goes to witnesses

other portion goes to content creator

just like crypto is mined with ASIC miner, inflates the number of say DOGECOINs

so kind of like new stock being issued

@Grenade123 one of my friends is a developer she would probably talk to you

she builds all kinds of stuff for steem

from canada

I can only explain it to a basic level she can explain it from the development level you see

i don't really need a developer's perspective, i'm just trying to figure out where the value comes from. Since up-votes are free, the value doesn't come from the people paying you.