BitShares - Just the Facts Thread

This thread has been created to try to provide a no-hype summary of critical information you might just want to know about.

We are just weeks away from finalizing the release of BitShares 2.0.  Read about its features at bitshares.org.

There will be a 30 day test phase before the switchover occurs from current BitShares chain.

This is your chance to try the new wallet and decide if we have gotten any better at building interfaces and ease of use.

It's also a good chance to try the features with no risk.  Any BitShares you own when the test net launches give you matching shares in the test net to play around with - without risking them in the real network.  But the only way to have shares in the test network during those 30 days is to have BitShares at the time the testnet launches.  

At the real launch, the big gold-rush excitement will be about signing up new users since those who do will receive up to 80% of the lifetime fees generated by every user they sign up.  (So you can get a share of the blockchain's profits without owning any of the BitShares yourself.)

Lots of entrepreneurs will want you to route users to their user sign-up and training funnels (and pay you to do so), so be paying attention to which of them offers you the best deals for the referrals.

During that 30 day period we will also be integrating with all the partners who have or will soon announce here.
These partners are all highly motivated about bringing their existing users to the BitShares Exchange Network, so we expect to see a rapid increase in new user accounts after launch.  These partners increase the value proposition of BitShares by providing new on/off ramps and ways to use BitShares.

Meanwhile, holders of BitShares will be eligible to receive free shares in two new blockchains that will go live this fall.  
One of them is described at Identabit.com.  The other will be announced here when its developers are ready.

Other than that, not much going on...