Tezos Part 3 out of 5: Implementation Strategy
Creating a roadmap on how Tezos should further its technological development.
Based on our previous findings in part 1 and part 2, Tezos has a formidable journey ahead if it aspires to rival the leading blockchain firms. The giants of the industry, like Amazon or IBM, have already ventured into or established services in blockchain-based supply chain management.
The challenge lies in the fact that Tezos doesn’t possess the rich industry expertise spanning decades, as these behemoths do. Competing against their robust infrastructures is no small feat. Furthermore, the financial prowess to rope in top-tier blockchain developers is another hurdle for Tezos, especially in the backdrop of the ongoing crypto winter.
However, every challenge brings opportunities. Instead of swimming against the tide, Tezos might find it beneficial to seek out untapped markets and sectors where their technological prowess can shine. A few emerging sectors beckon Tezos with potential promise.
Emerging Sectors for Tezos to Consider: Hint: Some players have already made a splash in these waters.
- Exploration of User Interface and User Experience:
- Objective: To assess the user-friendliness and intuitiveness of Tezos.
- Findings: According to several reddit posts within the last year, this is the summary (From Reddit, summarized with Chatgpt):
Documentation: Many users feel that OCaml is lacking in comprehensive, real-world application documentation. Current documentation often appears too academic, not always relevant to practical usage, and sometimes even outdated. This makes it challenging for newcomers to learn and apply the language.
Tooling and Libraries: There is a general consensus that the tooling around OCaml could be much improved. This includes everything from the package management system to the build system. Some users specifically compare OCaml’s tools unfavorably to those of newer languages like Rust and Elixir. Libraries are another concern, with some users feeling the need to write their libraries because existing ones are outdated or incomplete.
Windows Support: Some users have pointed out that OCaml seems to be lagging in its support for Windows, making it harder for developers on that platform to adopt the language.
Web Development: Several users expressed the desire for more streamlined tools and libraries for web development in OCaml, comparing its ecosystem unfavorably with more established web development languages.
Ergonomics and Syntax: Some users find OCaml’s syntax to be cumbersome, especially when coming from other languages.
Community and Ecosystem: Some sentiments indicate that while the language itself is powerful, the surrounding ecosystem might not be as vibrant or as supportive as those around other languages. There’s also a mention of the fragmentation in the standard library ecosystem.
Positive Feedback: Despite the critiques, there were also positive sentiments. Some users praised OCaml’s speed, type system, and certain features of its ecosystem like the support in VSCode.
2. Visual Representation and Accessibility Analysis:
- Objective: To evaluate the visual appeal, design, and accessibility of Tez.
- Findings:
Visual Appeal & Design:
- The official Tezos website, as of my last update, was sleek, with a modern design. It provided a clear overview of the platform’s features, objectives, and resources for developers and users. It utilized a palette of colors consistent with its branding.
- The infographics and visuals on the Tezos platform, used to explain complex ideas, were generally found to be effective by community members.
- The Tezos platform has various wallets, explorers, and dApps developed on it. The design and visual appeal of these tools may vary as they are designed by different entities.
Accessibility:
- Tezos has made efforts to be accessible to a wide range of users and developers. They provide documentation, tutorials, and resources to encourage dApp development.
- Tezos’ on-chain governance and self-amendment features are designed to promote inclusivity, letting stakeholders have a say in the direction of the platform.
- However, like many blockchain projects, the underlying concepts and mechanisms can be complex for users unfamiliar with blockchain technology.
Community Reception:
- The design and accessibility of Tezos have generally been received positively by its community. The platform’s commitment to avoiding hard forks and promoting stakeholder inclusivity has been particularly appreciated.
- However, as with any project, some criticisms exist, and they often revolve around the complexity of the platform and the challenges of mass adoption
3. Community Engagement and Support Structure:
- Objective: To investigate the Tezos community’s activity, support, and learning resources.
- Findings (Brandwatch, Reddit):
Tezos boasts a dynamic community engagement and support structure, even if it’s not as prominently recognized for supply chain management as other blockchains. The community often discusses potential and existing supply chain solutions on platforms like the Tezos Stack Exchange, Reddit, and the Tezos Community Forum. Moreover, Tezos provides a wealth of resources for developers, fosters community growth through the Tezos Commons Foundation, and has an active presence on various social media channels. The platform engages its community further with features like “baking” (staking) and offers grants to spur innovation, as well as supporting educational initiatives to deepen understanding of its technology.
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4. Training and Support:
- Objective: To consider the availability of training sessions, webinars, and 24/7 support to clients of Tezos.
4. Identify Niche Segments and Feedback Loop:
Tezos Agora Forum: The Tezos Agora Forum is a community-driven forum where users can ask questions, share resources, and discuss all things Tezos. The forum has a dedicated section for training and support, where users can find information on upcoming training sessions, webinars, and tutorials. https://forum.tezosagora.org/
Tezos Foundation: The Tezos Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports the growth and development of the Tezos ecosystem. The Foundation offers a variety of training resources, including:
Tezos Grants: The Tezos Foundation provides grants to projects that support the development and adoption of the Tezos ecosystem. This includes grants for training and educational programs. https://tezos.foundation/
Tezos Academy: Tezos Academy is an online learning platform that offers a variety of courses on Tezos development, including courses on smart contracts, baking, and wallets. https://tezosacademy.io/
Blockmatics: Blockmatics is a company that provides training and consulting services for blockchain developers. Blockmatics offers a self-paced online developer course on Tezos smart contracts. https://blockmatics.teachable.com/
BUIDL Labs: BUIDL Labs is a company that provides training and support for Tezos developers. BUIDL Labs offers a variety of resources, including games and developer bootcamps.
Tezos Kitchen: Tezos Kitchen is a comprehensive and up-to-date curriculum of content where developers can learn how Tezos can be utilized for a variety of use-cases. Users will be able to learn new and existing concepts via workshops, interact with a community of experienced developers, and get hands-on experience with Tezos. https://www.tezzafoods.com/
5. Identify Niche Segments and Feedback Loop:
Conclusion: The blockchain arena is vast and continually evolving. While Tezos might face challenges in directly competing against industry giants in supply chain management, exploring niche markets and prioritizing user experience can pave a path of growth and distinction. By positioning itself smartly and leveraging its unique strengths, Tezos can carve out its niche in the blockchain ecosystem. A focus on community engagement, training, and fostering a strong feedback loop will be essential as Tezos ventures into these new domains.
- Findings:
Decentralized Finance (DeFi): With its self-amending ledger and on-chain governance, Tezos can offer a reliable platform for DeFi projects.
Why: Tezos’ unique ability to amend its protocol ensures that it can adapt to the ever-evolving needs of the DeFi sector, reducing the chances of contentious forks and ensuring stability.] Feedback Mechanism: Develop Tezos-specific DeFi forums and hold monthly roundtables with DeFi project founders to gather direct insights.
Digital Art and NFTs: Tezos has low transaction fees, making it attractive for artists looking to mint NFTs without incurring high costs.
Why: As the NFT space grows, artists and collectors are becoming more sensitive to transaction fees. Tezos offers a cost-effective alternative to other chains that may have higher minting costs.] Feedback Mechanism: Collaborate with digital art platforms that utilize Tezos for NFT minting, gathering artists’ experiences and improvement suggestions.
Gaming and Virtual Realities: Tezos can be employed for creating decentralized gaming platforms or in-game economies.
Why? Gamers and developers are continuously looking for platforms that offer seamless integration, lower fees, and more autonomy. Tezos’ adaptive nature and lower fees can appeal to this segment.] Feedback Mechanism: Launch pilot gaming projects on Tezos, collecting user data and feedback on the gaming experience.
Voting Systems: Tezos’ on-chain governance could be extrapolated to decentralized voting systems, ensuring transparency and immutability of votes.
Why? The same principles that make on-chain governance appealing — transparency, tamper-proof records, and decentralized verification — can be applied to broader voting systems, ensuring a more transparent and reliable process.] Feedback Mechanism: Partner with municipalities or organizations willing to pilot blockchain-based voting, analyzing the results and refining accordingly.
Decentralized Identity Systems: With increasing concerns about privacy, Tezos can be a platform for secure, decentralized identity verification.
Why: In an era of data breaches and growing concerns over personal data privacy, a decentralized identity system on a secure and adaptive blockchain like Tezos can offer users more control and security over their personal information.] Feedback Mechanism: Pilot identity projects and conduct regular surveys with users regarding their experience and areas of improvement.
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This is Part 3 of 5.
