That is the "problem" with bitcoin and even nostr. It is complicated and not worth the hassle for the normal person. With Stike (while not as pure as the virgin mary) made it "easy" (reduced the friction) enough to use bitcoin & lightning and receive a payment in an instant. Just download the app and I'll send it to you versus self-hosting your own node. Most people do not and will NEVER want that (even though it is the best way to maximize the technology) Both ways are needed to maximize adoption.

Why is "maximizing adoption" the goal? Good ux without sacrificing privacy and sovereignty should be the goal. If 80% of normies are never gonna use it correctly anyway, why are we chasing them down and making sacrifices to get them to use it poorly? When the goal is popularity you will get this kind of product. There are bitcoin apps you can download and "just use" without sacrificing sovereignty if you use onchain, even without your own node (though it's better with). Fees are low. There's little need for lightning. I don't outright hate lightning, but it has yet to deliver what it was advertised as and it's almost 10 years old. Also Mary had other kids, she didn't stay a virgin.

To @Lyn Alden ‘s original point, have you tried a large payment like that on your own Lightning infrastructure? “Strong doubts” sound like you have not. That dude that claimed the bounty has not worked on figuring it out and trying it. He’s just fortunate that Strike exists and made it easy. FYI I routinely send and receive payments larger than that over lightning in a non-custodial way. It works well and gives me quite a few unique benefits. Not saying that as a flex, but trying to offer a data point rather than an assumption. 😃

Yes and there are several merchants in the comments here (even more important for them) who run into payments failing to go through. When you're a merchant, a failed payment will lose you customers. I'm not just blowing smoke. I wish it worked better. If you want proof that I made the effort and have been there since ye olden days: