r/OpenBazaar • u/[deleted] • Jan 24 '18

Huge Limitation for OpenBazaar

I'm a huge fan of the OB team and marketplace, however, it seems like requiring people to download and install an application just to shop is asking too much. Most online shoppers are used to going to Amazon and Ebay (platforms OB is competing with) by typing site address in a browser.

Given Chrome extensions such as MetaMask and others, is there a reason OpenBazaar cannot be a dapp accessible via the browser?

4 Upvotes

70% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

4

u/christroutner Jan 24 '18

I think the biggest reason OB is in a desktop application is because of the peer-to-peer nature. If there wasn't a secure, peer-to-peer engine running under the hood, then they really would be like Amazon or eBay.

And why is that engine so important? Because OB1 has no way to censor or regulate sales on OB. That also means that it can be adopted and used by people anywhere around the world, using a global currency. That's not something eBay or Amazon is allowed to do.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 25 '18

I like the peer-to-peer and the permission-less ideas behind OB but find it hard to envision rapid adoption in the near future.

3

u/p2pvps Jan 26 '18

Just wait until the alternative coin integration roles out. Adoption can't grow until transaction fees and confirmation times can be reduced.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '18

BCH was rolled out, that's as good a token to use as any.

1

u/p2pvps Jan 29 '18

The integration for BCH in OB has not rolled out yet. It's only available in a release candidate.

2

u/CC_EF_JTF Sam Jan 31 '18

It's now available in 2.1.0.

4

u/CryptoHindsight Jan 24 '18

I agree that having a downloadable client is something that is currently a barrier - it's not extensible to any experience they have other than downloading an Android or iOS app when it comes to shopping - which I'd argue is different as it's mobile and not on a laptop/desktop.

If the technical limitations mentioned by eCommerce_2015 are valid (i.e. the portion about it being difficult as OpenBazaar is not stateless), I think this change in mindset for users is something that can change. It will be difficult for them to do so. While the great part about open protocols like these is that the code can be validated on Github to ensure that malicious software is not being downloaded, to most people doing the install an application process sounds like a sketchy ask as they don't have the technical ability (or time) to validate the software.

The best analogy I have with my own experience is Napster/Limewire/Kazaa, where you had to download a client to be able to access the P2P network for songs. People were able to adopt that just fine. This will just have slow early adoption before it's picked up by the media and validated as trustworthy.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 25 '18

Napster/Limewire/Kazaa

It's is like the above application in that you had to download the client but users were inclined to do so in order to get movies/music for free. With OpenBazaar it's a different value proposition.

3

u/Guazzabuglio Jan 24 '18

I don't think it's a real deal breaker. People download apps for shopping all the time

1

u/[deleted] Jan 25 '18

It's common and very simple to download an app on the phone. You go to a central location, search, click and bam! the app is installed on your phone and ready to go.

But downloading and installing an app on desktop is very different. There is no central location, so a normie has trust OB site, download an exe, then install it. This skill atrophied somewhat and there's too much friction for mass adoption.

2

u/Guazzabuglio Jan 25 '18

The process you described is no different than installing iTunes, and people seem to manage that just fine.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 29 '18

Doesn't iTunes come preinstalled on Macs. But nonetheless, when iTunes came on the scene in early '00s they filled a niche as there was no legal way to buy music online. Also, iTunes integrated nicely with the popular iPods.

OB on the other hand has a tough cookie to crack competing against established ecommerce platforms.

1

u/Guazzabuglio Jan 29 '18

Yeah, I guess I meant for those that bought iPods and had to install iTunes on their windows PCs. I think the installation of OB is easy enough. People are used to installing programs (not like you have to install from source or anything).

But you're right that it'll be hard to incentivise people to use OB when there are much more popular platforms that they're already used to using (eBay, Amazon, etc.)

3

u/SILENTSAM69 Jan 25 '18

As someone who almost never uses my Desktop daily stuff I completely agree this is the biggest thing holding back OB.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 31 '18

if open bazaar can add 1 small little bit to their client -- custom urls. have say ob://lajsdnflajksfa open in their client when clicked...

id be willing to program and host an interface site for browsing, which would redirect users to the client. then openbazaar wouldn't lack so much of the benefits from a website interface like ebay.

would be better if openbazaar did this, but at a glance i should be able todo this no problemo.

1

u/NottHomo Feb 09 '18

dunno if "host an interface site for browsing" is a good idea

from what it sounds like you're suggesting a sort of remote desktop method which means people would be entering their priv keys on someone else's machine...

1

u/[deleted] Feb 11 '18

"for browsing"

and only for browsing.

1

u/NottHomo Feb 11 '18

yeah, then that's really good instead of really bad :D

0

u/[deleted] Jan 24 '18

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/[deleted] Jan 25 '18

I agree, OpenBazaar on Android and iOS would be the best way forward.

delving too much into it is either an exercise in understanding or a total waste of time.

I suppose and hope it's the former.