He did, but he's now gone, and just because "one path" as you interpreted was how Satoshi wanted the way things to work, doesn't mean it's what's best for the longevity and the sustainability of the network. As I posted, he's not a "god" and with all due respect, he can also be wrong.
Well , segwit and LN was the path according to core , do you consider it the right path if satoshi was wrong ? How many more years for the btc community to understand that both models were failed ?
LN devs admit that LN has many problems and can't work . Segwit din't provide any meaningful solution ( see mempool and fees ) .
If core goes to a hardfork and increase blocksize would you consider them the authority you should follow or you should reconsider if following core was a bad choice ? Because the way i see it a hardfork is imminent .
I once tried syncing with the BSV network. I stopped the moment I realized I would run out of space before it reaches the chain tip. I have had more than a terabyte of free space. Yeah, I consider it an anathema.
(I am not endorsing BSV in any way, I was just testing their software. Later, even block explorers stopped supporting it, so I guess it really is too much of a trouble)
Things are not the same as with btc . To run a node you have to invest , so , that node has to have something to offer and provide a return for that service . Or run a node as an expensive hobby . Of course it's a hustle compared to running a node on a rapspi .
Block explorers will be compensated in the future . With fees of a thousandth of a cent per tx , it will be nothing for a user that wants to check his tx to pay 0.01 $ per check .
The difference in projects is that there will be created a new economy not just by speculating on price but on building apps and services . Will it work ? Time will tell .
But for sure ( to me ) that's what electronic cash is .
And a suggestion , try it as a user ( SPV ) and let me know if it doesn't work .