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What defines a blockchain for you? I agree that a token based currency is not required, I'm just interested in what people define a blockchain as for intellect

• tomc1985 8y ago
  > What defines a blockchain for you? A (potentially distributed) datastructure of some kind, which resembles a linked-list, and ensures its integrity using some sort of cryptographic hash of the previous link such that changing any link but the most recent invalidates the whole chain. Literally -- a chain of (data) blocks. A non-engineering description of a "blockchain" should be considered to be misleading. edit - also, I'd take cryptocurrencies more seriously if they could stay out of the headlines for a while
  • diegocerdan 8y ago
    Is utterly funny to read people's opinions bashing against blockchain technology and when asked about a simple definition they fail to mention the use of consensus protocols which was, already 10 years ago, the huge innovation that lead to this revolution.
    • jon_richards 8y ago
      I prefer the "proof of work != blockchain" comments when people include the most common consensus protocol in their simple description of blockchain.
    • tomc1985 8y ago
      Consensus protocols are nothing new. The novel part of blockchains is the actual blockchain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paxos_(computer_science) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paxos_(computer_science) You're thinking of a distributed ledger, which combine blockchains with consensus protocols