Only crypto-anarchists and privacy activists give a shit about smart mining and decentralization. None of that appeals to a wider audience, who just want an easy way to spend their money (not hosting a full node). Do you really think regular people are concerned with those features?
20 years ago, only "crypto-anarchists and privacy activists" actually gave a shit about securing personal data with encryption.
Then some celeb i-pads got hacked, Snowden won an Oscar, and the .gov demanded Apple destroy their own products' utility.
Yet the overwhelming majority continue to use gmail and facebook. Privacy to the average person is only important as long as it's equally convenient. Unfortunately, a core GUI is not a compelling enough reason for regular people to start using a currency.
Using command line for many people - such as anyone non tech-savvy or, say on a Mac - is a totally foreign and too-much-to-ask chore. Some people (including me) don't like holding a lot on an exchange or in an online wallet either. For someone who cant get their head around using command line to make a wallet etc. (and dont say its so easy it isnt) it makes the project look under-developed, which is not a good reflection on how Monero is.
I agree. However, you and the few other enthusiasts who want to run their own node will not mark a significant increase in adoption.
Yes, a killer payment app or a next generation improvement on a node /QT type wallet would be better to have, but I think not having a GUI is ammo for detractors and an excuse to leave Monero alone for many people.
I agree, and I stated that the only real benefit at this point of a core GUI is to eliminate any last remaining "troll ammo."
Why no wallet? is a fair ask.
No, it's not. We have several wallets. I don't think one more will make a difference. I hope I'm wrong.