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> sort of the same way DNS happened. Actually, almost everything happened that way in the history of mankind, right? xD > the people who start that infrastruc

> sort of the same way DNS happened. Actually, almost everything happened that way in the history of mankind, right? xD > the people who start that infrastructure do it with a traded coin All the names could be registered by one monopolistic player on the public blockchain. That's why a cost function is required. > that they've premined, allocated huge chunks of to themselves A huge chunk was not allocated to anyone other than FOSS developers. Please review the paper [1] for specific allocations. > "airdropped" to a set of developers they collected in 2018. To be clear, this set consists of any developer on github who had 15 or more followers in 2019, the PGP web of trust strong set, and anyone on HN who had a keybase account in their profile. > Why would anybody sign up for this? I genuinely have a hard time understanding why anybody would take this seriously. I don't think there is anything to sign up for? Secondly, you absolutely don't need to use the new internet if you don't want to - just like nobody forces you to use anything else in this world. You have a choice. That said, we'll miss you. :( > It's a plan to replace the DNS roots with... some company? That just decided they should be the ones to own it? So actually, the DNS root is owned by some company [2] that is under the jurisdiction of California law. It used to be, and still basically is, owned by the US Department of Commerce. Internet users are replacing it with a public blockchain owned by the commons. Historically, revolutions happen all the time. Now it's the time for democratization of naming. Is there any good reason why we shouldn't own our own names? I think that the name might even be more valuable than money. What is anything without a name? [1] https://handshake.org/files/handshake.txt https://handshake.org/files/handshake.txt [2] https://www.icann.org/ https://www.icann.org/

tptacek 6y ago
This is probably the one time on the history of this whole website that I'll just refer you to what 'tialaramex said.
freedomben 6y ago
> To be clear, this set consists of any developer on github who had 15 or more followers in 2019, the PGP web of trust strong set, and anyone on HN who had a keybase account in their profile. Could you clarify a bit for me? I checked both of those boxes. Does that mean I have some of this premined crypto somewhere? How would I get to it? The paper you linked to is very long, but I am intrigued so will likely check it out. I love the idea here. Decentralized web is sorely needed. If we can make it usable, that would be amazing.
- rasengan 6y ago
  Absolutely! There is a page that describes the airdrop and includes a script to claim it [1]. If you have checked those boxes, it very well does mean you may have some premined somewhere. You could also try Bob [2] as well. I agree with you! Recent times have shown how much we need the decentralized web than ever before. [1] https://github.com/handshake-org/hs-airdrop https://github.com/handshake-org/hs-airdrop [2] https://github.com/kyokan/bob-wallet https://github.com/kyokan/bob-wallet
tialaramex 6y ago
> you absolutely don't need to use the new internet if you don't want to Yeah, no, that's not how this works. People don't want your "new internet". People want the Network, and in our era it so happens that's the Internet (previously it was the Public Switched Telephone Network, and before that the Universal Postal Union). But it isn't your "new internet" of a few enthusiasts who are sure it'll work this time even though it hasn't worked the previous times it was tried. > Is there any good reason why we shouldn't own our own names? A name is what something is called. In London there is a famous river crossing which was officially named after an equally famous politician. William Pitt (the Elder). But people didn't call it "William Pitt Bridge" or even "Pitt Bridge". People called it "Blackfriars" because that's the district of London it is in. Nobody you ask in London will know where "Pitt Bridge" is. There is no "Pitt Bridge" you want "Blackfriars". Perhaps you've never visited London. Lots of HN folks are from Silicon Valley. San Francisco has a bridge that joins the city to Oakland, I happen to believe it should be named after the Emperor, "Norton Bridge" seems like a good name. But is that what it's named? No, because even if a few agree with me, on the whole people call it the "Bay bridge" and a name is what something is called. This seems to be a hard concept for some people to manage, but it's mandatory, so there isn't anything I can do about that. > Historically, revolutions happen all the time. Historically most attempted revolutions fail. In hindsight it is often clear they could never have succeeded. I think Americans have a fairly recent memory of what failed revolution looks like. > So actually, the DNS root is owned by some company that is under the jurisdiction of California law. In practice (and perhaps this will annoy tptacek but too bad) this isn't usefully true. ICANN's control of the DNS root is by consent, the same way that say, the English Parliament is sovereign by consent, so just because California law says they can do something does not in fact mean it will have the effect envisioned in California law.
- rasengan 6y ago
  > People want the Network, and in our era it so happens that's the Internet (previously it was the Public Switched Telephone Network, and before that the Universal Postal Union). You're absolutely right in that it changes. > Historically most attempted revolutions fail. Yet, my statement still stands: Historically, revolutions happen all the time. Risk of failure is not a reason not to proceed. As they say, "give me liberty or give me death!" > ICANN's control of the DNS root is by consent I agree with you completely. Let's see for how much longer the people will consent to their rule vs a democratic rule by the commons!

tptacek 6y ago

This is probably the one time on the history of this whole website that I'll just refer you to what 'tialaramex said.

freedomben 6y ago

> To be clear, this set consists of any developer on github who had 15 or more followers in 2019, the PGP web of trust strong set, and anyone on HN who had a keybase account in their profile. Could you clarify a bit for me? I checked both of those boxes. Does that mean I have some of this premined crypto somewhere? How would I get to it? The paper you linked to is very long, but I am intrigued so will likely check it out. I love the idea here. Decentralized web is sorely needed. If we can make it usable, that would be amazing.

rasengan 6y ago
Absolutely! There is a page that describes the airdrop and includes a script to claim it [1]. If you have checked those boxes, it very well does mean you may have some premined somewhere. You could also try Bob [2] as well. I agree with you! Recent times have shown how much we need the decentralized web than ever before. [1] https://github.com/handshake-org/hs-airdrop https://github.com/handshake-org/hs-airdrop [2] https://github.com/kyokan/bob-wallet https://github.com/kyokan/bob-wallet

tialaramex 6y ago

> you absolutely don't need to use the new internet if you don't want to Yeah, no, that's not how this works. People don't want your "new internet". People want the Network, and in our era it so happens that's the Internet (previously it was the Public Switched Telephone Network, and before that the Universal Postal Union). But it isn't your "new internet" of a few enthusiasts who are sure it'll work this time even though it hasn't worked the previous times it was tried. > Is there any good reason why we shouldn't own our own names? A name is what something is called. In London there is a famous river crossing which was officially named after an equally famous politician. William Pitt (the Elder). But people didn't call it "William Pitt Bridge" or even "Pitt Bridge". People called it "Blackfriars" because that's the district of London it is in. Nobody you ask in London will know where "Pitt Bridge" is. There is no "Pitt Bridge" you want "Blackfriars". Perhaps you've never visited London. Lots of HN folks are from Silicon Valley. San Francisco has a bridge that joins the city to Oakland, I happen to believe it should be named after the Emperor, "Norton Bridge" seems like a good name. But is that what it's named? No, because even if a few agree with me, on the whole people call it the "Bay bridge" and a name is what something is called. This seems to be a hard concept for some people to manage, but it's mandatory, so there isn't anything I can do about that. > Historically, revolutions happen all the time. Historically most attempted revolutions fail. In hindsight it is often clear they could never have succeeded. I think Americans have a fairly recent memory of what failed revolution looks like. > So actually, the DNS root is owned by some company that is under the jurisdiction of California law. In practice (and perhaps this will annoy tptacek but too bad) this isn't usefully true. ICANN's control of the DNS root is by consent, the same way that say, the English Parliament is sovereign by consent, so just because California law says they can do something does not in fact mean it will have the effect envisioned in California law.

rasengan 6y ago
> People want the Network, and in our era it so happens that's the Internet (previously it was the Public Switched Telephone Network, and before that the Universal Postal Union). You're absolutely right in that it changes. > Historically most attempted revolutions fail. Yet, my statement still stands: Historically, revolutions happen all the time. Risk of failure is not a reason not to proceed. As they say, "give me liberty or give me death!" > ICANN's control of the DNS root is by consent I agree with you completely. Let's see for how much longer the people will consent to their rule vs a democratic rule by the commons!