Hive community spotlight-Edition 29: Interview with @c0ff33a

Welcome dear friends to the 29th edition of the hive community spotlight. In this edition we're thrilled to feature another remarkable user and a dedicated hive witness, @c0ff33a.

Who is @c0ff33a?

@c0ff33a is a seasoned member of the Hive community who has been active since March 2017. Known for his role as a Hive Witness, he plays a crucial part in maintaining the blockchain’s stability and durability by running multiple servers and nodes. His journey on Hive began with creating posts and gradually evolved into a deep involvement in the technical aspects of the platform. Beyond his technical contributions, @c0ff33a is also an entrepreneur in the coffee business, a field reflected in his creatively crafted username. His dedication to decentralization, community engagement, and continuous learning makes him a respected figure within the Hive ecosystem.

Stay tuned to learn more about his experiences and the valuable role he plays in our hive community.

Key Highlights

You've been a part of the Hive community since March 2017. Can you share your journey and experiences on the platform?

I suppose like most I just started out creating posts which generated very little interest, it is was not immediately obvious back at the start what would bring people to your blog or take interest in your post. After some time I realised there were tags for specific post types you could join in with, and if you took the time to look and comment on other people’s post they would often return the favour on yours. That progressed to discord groups popping up, where you had a greater chance of getting noticed. I joined in with a number, although mainly TheAlliance and that grew even more interest in my blog - and also started my journey into becoming a Witness. After that just regular posting and a good level on interaction on others posts continued to group my account.

What inspired your username "@c0ff33a", and what does it represent?

I believe it started around 2015, just before I travelled to Boston, Massachusetts, USA for a school friend’s wedding. I was looking for something to use as a social media handle - and what seemed to fit was my business which is coffee - converted with leetspeak which was particualrly prevalent at the time to c0ff33. But somehow c0ff33 was more often taken, so I went for c0ff33a which is just a play on coffee - because coffea arabica is the name of the flowering plant that grows the coffee beans in cherries (reference https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_coffee_varieties)

As a witness, can you explain your role and responsibilities in maintaining the Hive network?

I have run Witness nodes since as far back as 2018, and currently have active Witnesses @c0ff33a and @whiterosecoffee . To maintain these I have three servers running the current version of hived - the blockchain processing software. Each Witness has its own server running hived to process hive blocks when they are called at the frequency dictated by their respective rank in the Witness table. I also have a backup server so if either main server fails I can switch over to that - mainly because replay times are many hours if a server restarts unexpectedly. I also have a full API node providing access to the blockchain for apps and front ends https://api.c0ff33a.uk plus I run five Hive Engine Witness nodes. Personally I do this to support the blockchain, the greater the number of Witnesses it has displays both stability and durability.

What draws you to decentralization and blockchain technology in social media?

I have always found this particular blockchains social aspect very interesting, it obviously stands out from the crowd with the ability to - quoting hive.io“Built for people and communities, Hive technology has enjoyed 3 second transactions and zero gas fees for years. For the technically inclined, we’re a Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) chain, allowing those who invest the most time and resources into Hive to realize the most value.”And of course because it is decentralised I find it very rewarding that I can contribute to the continued existence of the blockchain.

Can you share a memorable experience or story from your time on Hive?

There are far too many to just narrow down to one, but it has been immensely enjoyable to virtually meet and interact with people from all over the world. I feel Hive is unique in that it brings people together from every sort of demographic, and how it can encourage people to work and learn together towards a common goal.

How do you stay engaged with the community, and what do you think is essential for building a strong and supportive network?

To be fair I am on a sort of sabbatical from Hive at the moment due to real life work and home pressures - so my posting and community involvement is quite limited at present. But for building a strong and supportive network - it is simply keeping up with the people posting content you like and enjoy - taking the time to support their work with both comments and upvotes - and over time they will reciprocate. This will quickly expand as their followers will often look at where they are commenting at, and likewise will your own.

As a witness, how do you handle the technical aspects of maintaining the network, and what skills have you developed?

It is a little strong to say I “maintain the network”, rather I am providing backup stability and visual durability to the blockchain. The skills I have learned are quite extensive though, with no previous experience of running Ubuntu Server there has been a very long slow process of learning how to maintain what is a powerful computer you only interact with by typed commands. It is hard to explain this, especially as most people now only experience a graphical user interface on devices that allows them to touch or click icons to bring up an app or settings menu. When you can only type in commands, to either navigate the base file system, install required program libraries for the software you want to run - and then have to compile that software before using it - that is both complicated, time consuming but also the longer you do the more you understand and it does become easier. I am sure it is not for everyone, but I think being able to look beyond the pretty icons on a screen and interact with a device from a command prompt is something everyone should at least try.

Are there any upcoming projects or developments you're excited about, either as a witness or in your other pursuits?

I am particularly excited to see how the Hive Blockchain and it’s Ecosystem will continue to evolve - alongside the continued development of the blockchain itself there are so many new projects being developed - I keep a eye on https://hiveprojects.io/ for the latest new ones.

What advice would you give to new users joining the Hive platform, and how can they get involved in the community?

I think the simplest is for them to work out what they are going to post, and start developing their blog. Once a few posts are on there, take the time to look out content you enjoy from others, and leave a vote and comment on it. If you spend all your time just making posts, it is very unlikely anyone will find them. On the flip side nobody will follow post links just dumped all over the place in the vain hope it will direct people to your blog. Generally you will find if you leave a good comment on others post, they will take an interest in your own work - and if they like it return the favour. From there you can look to expand with various communities and groups that will help you develop your content and audience.

Is there anything else you want to share with the hive community?

I think that everything I have covered above is more than enough for now!

Project Highlight

@c0ff33a is deeply involved in the technical backbone of the Hive blockchain as a Witness, running multiple servers to ensure the smooth operation and stability of the network. In addition to his Witness duties, he also manages an API node at https://api.c0ff33a.uk and operates five Hive Engine Witness nodes. His efforts contribute significantly to the resilience and efficiency of the Hive ecosystem, allowing users and developers alike to benefit from a reliable and decentralized platform.

Thank you so much @c0ff33a for your unwavering dedication to Hive and the community. Your hard work behind the scenes helps keep the network strong and secure, and your contributions do not go unnoticed. We appreciate everything you do to support and sustain the Hive ecosystem. Your journey and insights are an inspiration to us all!

Stay tuned for more interviews and highlights from our amazing Hivers, and don’t forget to check out @c0ff33a’s latest posts to see what he’s been up to!

Special thanks to:

@thekittygirl
@wesphilbin
@snook

For their valuable support. See you all in the next edition 🤗

View Previous interviews here 👇