Many of you may think you can just do a Google image search and use whatever image pops up. Actually, this is not advised and could also get you into legal trouble.

Most images in a Google search are copyrighted and not allowed to be used in your Steemit post. The Cheetah bot will find you eventually, and you'll be blacklisted. It is not even worth doing, because your precious social real estate in here will be transformed into a seething, sweaty, vile pile of crap posts if you do decide to steal images from others.

The Good News

There are a few excellent websites that allow you to use their images for FREE, even without attributing the photographer. In fact, without Unsplash or Pixabay, I'd be forced to create all my images myself.

Please download and use the images on these sites. They are creative commons, which means there are no copyrights. There are so many images in both these sites, you really won't have any more excuses to use crappy photos.

I picked out a few from Unsplash.com so you can see the quality (feel free to use these if you want):

WHAT IS DPOS?

Ok, now that you have some new ideas floating around for future posts, you should know what Steemit is and what you're inside of. Steem is a delegated proof of stake model. Dan Larimer invented the proof of stake model (DPOS), and I bet most of you have no idea what I'm talking about.

Please read the wikipedia definition:

Steemit runs on top of a decentralized network named Steem. Like Bitcoin, Steem is a blockchain with transferable tokens. In addition to moving tokens from one place to another, Steem is also a text content and metadata database that applications or websites can connect to. Through these apps, Steem users can transact and interact with the Steem database. Instead of using cryptographic hashes as addresses like many blockchains do, user-chosen alphanumeric account names are used. With human readable account names, transactions can be made directly from an identity to an identity, making them easier to understand than hexadecimal hashes.

Steem also reaches decentralized consensus differently than Bitcoin. It uses a method called delegated proof of stake where block-creating accounts, called witnesses, are elected by Steem users. Instead of relying on proof of work to find blocks, the Steem network actively schedules blockchain transactions to be processed in blocks every 3 seconds. Block producers are given a small part of the rewards created in each block; the rest is paid to authors and curators.

Unlike Bitcoin, Steem has no transaction fees for rate-limiting or to pay its block producers. Instead, accounts use bandwidth, which replenishes fast enough that a typical user is not affected or limited. -Steem blockchain entry from Wikipedia

Here's an advantage of DPOS:

"Proof of Work relies on energy use. According to a bitcoin mining-farm operator, energy consumption totaled 240kWh per bitcoin in 2014 (the equivalent of 16 gallons of gasoline).[10] Moreover, these energy costs are almost always paid in non-cryptocurrency, introducing constant downward pressure on the price. Proof of Stake currencies can be several thousand times more cost effective.[11]

The incentives of the block-generator are also different. Under Proof-of-Work, the generator may potentially own none of the currency they are mining. The incentive of the miner is only to maximize their own profits. It is unclear whether this disparity lowers or raises security risks.[12] In Proof-of-Stake, those "guarding" the coins are always those who own the coins (although several cryptocurrencies do allow or enforce lending the staking power to other nodes). -Wikipedia

Yes, you heard that right. You are interacting and participating in a delegated proof of stake system! You are part of the future. In order to start participating more, it's important to get to know the Steem Witnesses. There's a lot to learn, and your journey has just begun. As @aggroed has clearly illustrated, there are two different kinds of Witnesses in here: technical and social. Witnesses who create real change and work on behalf of improving the Steem ecosystem rise up, while the less active Witnesses fall out of favor.

If you feel overwhelmed, it's ok. You have plenty of time to learn. Most of us early adopters have been in here for over a year, so we had time to learn. The more you learn, the less likely you'll find yourself begging for upvotes. Steemit is a magical onion.

If you cry at the first layer, you'll never find the honey inside the core.

Have you never voted for a Witness, and don't know where to begin? There's a little 3-lines tab in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. Click on that and find the "Vote For Witnesses". I'll probably be writing a tutorial soon about this to remind you to vote. Becoming active and realizing that you do indeed have a voice in here is the first step. You must first believe you are worthy of all this. You are. That is why you're here.

Gratitude Bingo

Thanks to all my readers, upvoters and supporters. I just reached 5000 followers and I feel very happy about this (only 1429 are dead followers).

Thanks to whoever wrote the Wikipedia entry for Steem/Steemit. I know how hard the Wiki editor is, and I am so glad to finally see Steem in the official Wikipedia.

I have yet to read my own entry in the Steem Center due to a recent self-loathing episode. Thank you for doing this and I will read it as soon as all other details have been taken care of.

Cheers,
Stellabelle