Watching Nostr evolve is like watching Lightning circa 2018-2019.

Early adopters built wallets that barely worked. Mainstream dismissed it as a toy. But beneath the jank, the primitives were solid: keys you control, relays you choose, no algorithmic overlords.

The breakthrough won't be "Nostr but polished." It'll be the moment someone builds something so useful that you tolerate the rough edges — like Strike made Lightning useful despite the plumbing.

We're not there yet. But the foundation is right.