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> lets you explore a new edge technology A little bit off-topic, I find very interesting how blockchain is regarded as a new technology. All the underlying tec
by RutZap 9y ago
> lets you explore a new edge technology
A little bit off-topic, I find very interesting how blockchain is regarded as a new technology. All the underlying technology has been available for ages: cryptographic hashes, Merkle trees (patented in 1979!!), peer to peer protocols. It's crazy how putting together some already established technologies/techniques/mathematical instruments can generate such a big movement. A lot of people refer to it as a cutting edge technology that will.. disrupt (I hate this buzzword) the current status quo. In my opinion it's just a very elegant solution to a problem (decentralised trust) that's been put together with already existing simple blocks.
It would be good if we could cut down on the uninformed hype and just appreciate the elegance in it.
- cocktailpeanuts 9y agoIt's a new technology because it enables a new human behavior. With your logic, everything is an old technology.
- MBCook 9y ago> It’s a new technology because it enables a new human behavior. And what is that? Most of what it’s credited with seems shakey at best. E.g. it’s not really decentralized is the vast majority of the mining is done by two or three large groups.
- nrhk 9y agoAnonymous trustless peer to peer exchange of value.
- MBCook 9y agoBitcoin (which as far as I know is the largest blockchain project) has been de-anonymized. You have to trust the other peers aren’t secretly working together to use a 51% attack.
- cocktailpeanuts 9y agoTake out the “anonymous” part and it’s pretty much correct. Trustless value transfer is very powerful. Bitcoin hasn’t been “deanonymized”. It’s never been anonymous. Some of its value actually comes from its extreme transparency. That said, privacy is important when it comes to money and there are various ways people implement privacy. Both on top of bitcoin and outside of bitcoin. I don’t know what 51% attack has to do with anonymity though.
- MBCook 9y agoThe 51% bit had to do with ‘not needing trust’, not the anonymity.