How about adding a NIP with a list of the golden standard NIPs we consider to be a basic Client? Aka. If you want to build a client in a weekend: only focus on these. I certainly agree that webbrowsers have become bloated. And it affects their UX performance, but as @jb55 implies the w3 standards are so complex that even if open they are a barrier of entry for free experimentation.

Wonder if someone could automate a script checking opensource repos of nostr clients for what NIPs they have implemented. And then consolidate statistics over the usecase popularity of NIPs among clients. Then we would get some clear data of the most foundational NIPs. Obviously, devs already know this by heart if they built a client. But numbers are nice :)

They both have valid points

Yep, you've got the added problem that XMPP had: too many "MAY" pieces to the protocol and you wind up with a fragmented mess. I don't think that's that big of a deal with nostr, but it is still a concern. The core parts of the protocol are standard, but if it isn't chess on nostr or some specific use case, you'll have different people using different clients that support subsets of the supported features and it ends in frustration.

dude you can just launch nostr 2 with its own token shitcoin, make a ton of money scaming everyone and disappear. It wouldn't be that hard. Think about thay