Summary

A tool that I use from time to time is Steemit Pond; a GREAT and FUN Steemit tool.

Steemit Pond shows an aquarium in your web-browser and graphically visualises the ongoing activities and events on Steemit in realtime using various symbols. It even allows to configure followers, represented by special symbols for easy discovery of their events. Clicking on one of the symbols brings you directly to the place at Steemit where the events happened.

If you like you can open Steemit Pond in a second browser, set that browser to cover your entire screen and at the back of all your other windows. In that way you have an active desktop; It will allow you to always follow Steemit in realtime and react to the latest events in realtime (if you wish to do so).

You can use Steemit Pond as the alternative to your screen saver as well.

Steemit Pond

Steemit Pond is very easy to use; No skills required! Just type in the website address (URL) in your browser and the aquarium comes alive.

Each symbol (moving through your screen) represents and specific event. Clicking a symbol brings you directly to the place of the event in the Steemit User Interface.

Just try it!

But before trying, you may like to read the remainder of this post.

The symbols are all explained in a help screen that can be pulled in front of you by clicking the "I" symbol at the top-right corner of the screen.

Symbols are implemented for the following events:

New Top Level Post
Comment on Existing Post
Up-vote
Down-vote
New Account Created
Existing Account Updated
Miner Proof of Work (not sure what this represents to be honest)
Transfers (for Wallet event)
Limit Order (for the internal Steem/SBD market event)

It Gets Even Better!

Steemit Pond allows you to follow selected users. These are easily configured in the screen that can be pulled up in front of you by clicking the 'EYE' symbol at the top-right corner of the screen. Type in the Steem/Steemit username of the user you like to follow, without the '@' symbol in front of it. The '@' symbol is added automatically.

In the image below you can see that I created a follow-list with @mammasitta and myself @edje.

Special symbols are available to show the activities of those you have in your follow-list. These are:

New Top Level Post
Comment on Existing Post
Account updated
Up-vote
Down-vote

In the image below you can see the guy with the snorkel that represents an up-vote and in this case it is an up-vote done by myself showing the up-vote that I casted on a Steemit post just a moment ago.

Steemit Pond Website Address

Steemit Pond Website Address (URL) = http://steemitpond.com/

Test Results

I really love the graphical visualisation of all the events happening at Steemit.

New posts coming into the screen shows the title of the post therefore it is a fun way to see the new posts coming in and when you like the title: click, read, comment and curate it. It represents the NEW channel in Steemit with the differences with Steemit Pond:

the selection of the post is solely on the title since the first image in the posts is not made visible; I find this not an issue at all, since the title tells more about the post than the image, in most of the cases;
the posts coming in all automatic, while at Steemit the browser update button needs to be clicked whenever you want to load the latest incoming posts in the NEW channel; Steemit Pond is therefore more user friendly.

It looks like the tool takes batches of Steemit events, meaning once every time period it loads the latest events. The reason I think it works like this is that I see the screen getting a little empty with symbols periodically, and then the symbols are starting coming in with higher volumes again.

I've noticed a delay of the event at Steemit and when it is made visible in the aquarium. It is only something like a minute or so, hence not even something to mentioned, really. This may also explain the time period with which Steemit Pond is updating itself with the latest events at Steemit (see also above).

The tool used to have sound with it as well, but I was not able to enable it anymore. A little bit of a shame though, since the sounds where giving not only a nice finish to the tool, but it provided very relaxing and chill sounds; It sounded something like water and fish movements in a real aquarium or garden pond.

Roadmap

It seems this tool does not have an active roadmap. However, this tool is complete in what it offers, ie no features that does not work.

Creator/Credits

Steemit Pond is a tool created by @mynameisbrian. All the credits to @mynameisbrian for creation of this tool and making it available to us.

Conclusion

I would for sure recommend to try out the tool! Super easy to use, and certainly a fun way of following whats happening on Steemit in realtime with the possibility to react immediately. How Cool Is That?!

Steemit Pond - View and React to Steemit Events/Activities in Realtime (a Qreview)