Oddbean new post about login | logout Cashu mints are a nice idea, but yes there's room for improvements when it comes to usability. Maybe it will get there eventually. Currently I think the best solution for non-technical users, which is the average human you're going to onboard to Nostr, is a reliable custodial wallet like #Strike. Easy to set up, easy to use, and custody by a trustworthy, US-based company.
I love Strike. I use it. I see two small issues. 1) Strike is not available everywhere. 2) It's odd to tell people to use Nostr because it requires no KYC or registration, but then we tell them to use this cool Nostr feature that requires KYC and registration. I get it. It's just a hard explanation that contradicts ourselves.
I was speaking specifically for users in the USA who don't have access to other wallets like WoS. Although I wouldn't score WoS very high on the trust scale, it's probably the easiest to setup and use. Explain the KYC step to Americans as "this is what your government makes them do to you." It will start to open their eyes maybe, although the average person probably won't care. They're more likely to care about the no-censorship aspect of Nostr, as there's a high likelihood that they've been in FB jail before for saying the wrong thing. Bottom line: low-friction custodial options are going to be the right way for most people. Let them see the magic of sending and receiving zaps without going through a bunch of unnecessary steps. Strike is best for this for Americans because of the easy bank integration. If they're not yet sold on Bitcoin they can turn the received zaps into dollars in their bank account with just a couple taps.
Telling new users to hold and never sell is the wrong approach to convince most people. You get them on Nostr, set them up with a lightning wallet, and now they're pumping out 🔥 content and receiving zaps ⚡ But, they're holding this intangible thing that to them is just numbers in an app. They can't go spend it on something tangible at the mall or supermarket. All they can do is send it to people on Nostr or maybe pay for some web services with it. So they have this persistent doubt in their mind as to whether or not it actually has real world value. But, is they can, with just a couple taps, turn it into dollars in their bank account and go buy something, that's when they have the solid realization that it does have tangible value. Then, when they see the price go relentlessly higher, that's when they realize that there's also value in saving some for later. Now they are a believer. This is the way you convince the average fiat-brained normie to hold Bitcoin. nostr:nevent1qqsdrs8w0qlm6adk2rrjsxg57jtzn5rjc795akllyuk37d63cqezxegpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduhsygqdqeyqkrrw803ungdxt4lxhssfzgna2kl5calwkcphhfmhdscqaspsgqqqqqqs5g7mwu
You tell them there are two options. A privacy-preserving one, and an easy one. Seems reasonable. And in most cases, you probably already know who you're dealing with and you just tell them about one of the options.
I have family in the UK, and I keep begging them to set up Strike and Primal so we can stop going through the existing financial middle men. Eventually, they will.