Holds have a very different mechanic in Stepmania, which makes their traditional uses different. In Stepmania, you are not forced to hold until the end of the note perfectly. You are allowed to lift a bit early, or hold it late and still get the normal score for hitting it. You can even lift off the hold for a short time with no penalty. Also, with arrow skins holds have a strong impact on pattern readability. Sometimes miniholds are used in stepmania (for example, 1/4 or 1/8 length holds) which have no real effect on playability, but add a visual emphasis on certain notes.