Well, I must to agree with you, regarding unique namespaces, that eliminates some part of scamming, but scamming with projects behind the namespaces remains. This is decentralized environment and it's impossible to eliminate scammers completely. Due diligence remains for all users, who plan to use decentralized mosaics (assets) exchange. I just do not agree with Rockethead, that AE have too much scam and should be avoided:) If you don't due diligence and are lazy, you are scammed (fu..cked) everywhere (banks, mobile phone providers, etc.)
It's true that scamming can never be eliminated, but it takes a lot less effort if there is an AE.
Without AE , there are two scnearios:
- You convince an existing exchange to start trading your asset (mosaic).
- You build your own system that makes use of the assets.
To give an example of the second scenario. Imagine paypal would issue their own mosaic and dealt with everything on the back end for the user. Paypal could decide on how decentralised the application would be. It could be fully decentralised and they only act as an exchange or they could say they're in full control similar to what they do now. Even if they still have control over everything, it would be transparent because everyone can use a block explorer and see what's happening.
Since NEM is targeting legitimate businesses there is just not much need for an AE at this time. That's why it's not a priority for the devs at this time I suppose. But this doesn't mean it will never come.
Although I understand that for some people it seems that mosaics are useless if you don't have an asset exchange, they are not for players that wouldn't use an AE in the first place. I don't think that established companies would be interested in trading their mosaics on an asset exchange because it would be of no benefit to them.
This is how I see it, and it is my personal opinion. Having an AE is a crypto playground. More likely it is a small play. NEM is positioned for both the mainstream and the crypto world. There is enough ecosystem support in the crypto world, example, exchanges, wallet creation, etc. On its own, it may not be able to compare with the features of Nxt, but I must say, NXT is also a development mess, having features that are at times, not connected.
In short, NEM is adopting the blue ocean approach. Do something for the crypto world and have enough features that will appeal to the mainstream to grow that side of the user base. Then at the same time, develop an improved version of NEM by porting the utilities of mainstream features into NEM. Hence it is more a mainstream driven project.
The approach is very different from many other projects. So, what others have, may not be a priority of NEM. What is more important now is what other mainstream players are developing using Bitcoin, ethereum, or something else, which NEM needs to compete and upstage against. And the strategy appears to be working fine, at least for now.
For example, NEM does not need an XCP as it is one itself to a certain extent. It does not need a coinbase as it has all the goodness in itself. It has other features that Bitcoin is far behind in, like the multisig. As people are developing over and above a typical crypto, we are incorporating features into the crypto, which gives it much more power and performance. That will eventually set us apart in the mainstream. The spill over will be into NEM itself as a crypto initiative within the crypto world.