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If the block chain is not the source of truth, and an external body can enforce changes on it, how is it in any way better than a database under control of the

by yojo 5y ago

If the block chain is not the source of truth, and an external body can enforce changes on it, how is it in any way better than a database under control of the state?

tshaddox 5y ago
Sufficiently powerful external bodies can always use force to do things regardless of what any particular database says. This isn't a problem with any particular type of database.
- Analemma_ 5y ago
  Exactly, so what is gained by switching to blockchain if it can't solve this issue?
  - tshaddox 5y ago
    It's absurd to expect any software change to somehow physically prevent people from taking your things. This "vulnerability" isn't worth talking about when evaluating software.
    - mdoms 5y ago
      So the eternal question remains, what problem is blockchain solving here?
      - yongjik 5y ago
        ...Lack of blockchain adoption?
    - yojo 5y ago
      It is almost impossible for someone to physically steal my house. Certainly improbable. And it would be easy to recover with the help of the police. It is by comparison easy for someone to steal crypto keys, or for them to be lost. If we add a solution that allows us to fix the stolen or lost keys issue, then we eliminate the primary values of the block chain, decentralized trust and immutability. So now we’re using a really complex database (potentially with POW energy use) for something that seems equally well solved by simpler tech. So why would we want to use the block chain for this?
    - anyfoo 5y ago
      Right, so just use a normal database then. Shard and/or replicate it if you must. It's orders of magnitude more energy efficient, easier to mutate, maintain, and upgrade, and seems to solve the problem at least as adequately.
  - a1369209993 5y ago
    The point of blockchain isn't that the government can't steal your house; the (well, a) point of blockchain is that the government can't pretend you never owned your house in the first place. It establishes reliable records; that doesn't magically give it the ability to enforce those records.
arberx 5y ago
Enforcement and source of truth are separate entities/problems. The blockchain can be the source of truth, but that truth might not be enforced. The difference between it, and a centrally controlled entity is the truth cannot be altered (at least in an easy way) on a blockchain.
- hannasanarion 5y ago
  First of all, blockchain isn't the only technology that prevents alteration. any regular database can be run in append-only mode and can be published. The only difference between blockchain and any other database in append-only mode is that there is no access controls or identity verification on the blockchain, so fraud is way easier (and that's why over $1 billion in crypto is stolen every year)
  - arberx 5y ago
    "no access controls" -- trustless. Pretty big difference.

by yojo 5y ago

If the block chain is not the source of truth, and an external body can enforce changes on it, how is it in any way better than a database under control of the state?

tshaddox 5y ago

Sufficiently powerful external bodies can always use force to do things regardless of what any particular database says. This isn't a problem with any particular type of database.

Analemma_ 5y ago
Exactly, so what is gained by switching to blockchain if it can't solve this issue?
- tshaddox 5y ago
  It's absurd to expect any software change to somehow physically prevent people from taking your things. This "vulnerability" isn't worth talking about when evaluating software.
  - mdoms 5y ago
    So the eternal question remains, what problem is blockchain solving here?
    - yongjik 5y ago
      ...Lack of blockchain adoption?
  - yojo 5y ago
    It is almost impossible for someone to physically steal my house. Certainly improbable. And it would be easy to recover with the help of the police. It is by comparison easy for someone to steal crypto keys, or for them to be lost. If we add a solution that allows us to fix the stolen or lost keys issue, then we eliminate the primary values of the block chain, decentralized trust and immutability. So now we’re using a really complex database (potentially with POW energy use) for something that seems equally well solved by simpler tech. So why would we want to use the block chain for this?
  - anyfoo 5y ago
    Right, so just use a normal database then. Shard and/or replicate it if you must. It's orders of magnitude more energy efficient, easier to mutate, maintain, and upgrade, and seems to solve the problem at least as adequately.
- a1369209993 5y ago
  The point of blockchain isn't that the government can't steal your house; the (well, a) point of blockchain is that the government can't pretend you never owned your house in the first place. It establishes reliable records; that doesn't magically give it the ability to enforce those records.

arberx 5y ago

Enforcement and source of truth are separate entities/problems. The blockchain can be the source of truth, but that truth might not be enforced. The difference between it, and a centrally controlled entity is the truth cannot be altered (at least in an easy way) on a blockchain.

hannasanarion 5y ago
First of all, blockchain isn't the only technology that prevents alteration. any regular database can be run in append-only mode and can be published. The only difference between blockchain and any other database in append-only mode is that there is no access controls or identity verification on the blockchain, so fraud is way easier (and that's why over $1 billion in crypto is stolen every year)
- arberx 5y ago
  "no access controls" -- trustless. Pretty big difference.