Communicating Lightning Payments for Content
1586 sats \ 21 comments \ @kr 17 Feb 2023 bitcoin
All of the terms below are used by various apps and protocols to denote Lightning payments for content.
At this point I don’t really care which word wins, I just hope we can agree on one or two rather than five to make communication easier for newcomers.
Which do you like best?
Boosts16.7%
Donations0.0%
Streams4.2%
Tips22.9%
Zaps56.3%
48 votes \ poll ended
write
preview
related posts
469 sats \ 2 replies \ @k00b 17 Feb 2023
I like zaps. 50% overlaps with tips letters. Lightning suggestive. Slant rhymes with sats. Seems like the obvious choice to me if we don't want to call it tips.
reply
1822 sats \ 1 reply \ @BlokchainB 17 Feb 2023
And it’s your signature sign off ZAP!
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @k00b 17 Feb 2023
Only true SNL stackers know that!
reply
374 sats \ 1 reply \ @mallardshead 17 Feb 2023
ZAPS, because it's fun bruh, with psychology working in its favor. Tips is a dirty word. Brings to mind an obligation or cadge. In some cultures it's disrespectful. A Reddit sounding thing, too much work, boring too. In the memetic world of the web, ZAPS dear @kr is perfect meme fodder, fun, instant, degenerate and new.
⚡️ZAPs muddafukas⚡️
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @btcphoto 17 Feb 2023
yes
reply
299 sats \ 3 replies \ @bshell 17 Feb 2023
tips is universal. Let's not create terms or esoteric confusion that can't be adopted within 1 second.
either way, it is fun to see this all unfold.
reply
25 sats \ 2 replies \ @mallardshead 17 Feb 2023
Tips is a dirty word. Bad psychology: fiat, obligation, cadge, poor, antisocial, taxes.
ZAPS is new, meme-like, fun, fast, social, easy.
If you're building a modern app, ZAPS is a better market fit. It's redefining lightning, in a way that keeps bitcoin almost hidden, and I expect the LN to do that more and more. We're on the verge of a monstrous breakthrough later this year with the LN imo.
reply
10 sats \ 1 reply \ @TheL0wner 17 Feb 2023
tip isn't a dirty word, the stain is from employers that refuse to pay their workers and instead pass that on to their customers. the word and act of tipping is fine, the expectation is dirty.
reply
20 sats \ 0 replies \ @gandlaf21 17 Feb 2023
what he meant was that it is already associated with something, and some people might have a negative reaction to that word. Zaps on the other hand is new and we can ruin it ourselves ⚡ zap zap zap
reply
298 sats \ 1 reply \ @cecil 17 Feb 2023
nothing wrong with tips all the custom wording strikes as corporate culture branding.
reply
1 sat \ 0 replies \ @mallardshead 17 Feb 2023
see above reply
reply
277 sats \ 0 replies \ @grayruby 17 Feb 2023
I think the terminology streaming sats needs to be maintained as one of the terms used as it is different than tipping, zapping, boosting. Zaps are new and it seems like the term that could have the best network effect as people like the idea of zapping each other but tips is the best descriptor of the bunch. I voted zaps because I think that term has the most potential to become a trend but I like streams and tips as well.
reply
277 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 17 Feb 2023
Tips is most common but I like the value for value mindset. Boost is good, zaps are fun. Not donations
reply
529 sats \ 0 replies \ @TheBTCManual 17 Feb 2023
Zaps are the standard, and if anyone disagrees I have no problem getting physical with them
reply
121 sats \ 0 replies \ @uco 17 Feb 2023
100% Zaps.
  • associates with lightning
  • quick burst of energy universally understood
  • readily adopted term on nostr seems to signal popularity
reply
10 sats \ 0 replies \ @kr OP 17 Feb 2023
I probably should have removed streams from the poll as it is unique as an automated, recurring payment where all others are one-time payments.
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @jeff 18 Feb 2023
  • Boost = a zap that influences an algorithm to increase the visibility of that content
  • Tip = a zap sent to thank someone for doing something specifically for you
  • Zap = a zap (note the case), that is standardized data flow ratified by protocols like Nostr
  • Stream = a set of more than one zap delivered as part of a protocol
  • Donations = a zap that is part of a crowd funding campaign or charitable cause
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Fezzy 18 Feb 2023
I preffer zaps. We bitcoiners are crazy (in a good way) so lets zaps some sats.
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @dustin 17 Feb 2023
I'm voting for "tips". I think that I'm learning that "zap" might be a specific type of nostr post. On nostr, Twitter or anywhere else you can send/receive lightning transactions. Using the same word would be nice, as you mentioned. BUT there is also the nostr NIP-57 which defines how zaps should work.. and not all clients support "zaps" yet. It seems like it's own thing: https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/57.md
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @cryotosensei 17 Feb 2023
Zaps have such a zesty energy to it!
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @luciendada20 17 Feb 2023
I prefer streams
reply