> It took years to get overall blockchain going. Then, to understand the need of programmability (smart contracts) When was this need "understood"? When was it

> It took years to get overall blockchain going. Then, to understand the need of programmability (smart contracts) When was this need "understood"? When was it realized? How exactly? I find it a bit paradoxical to say that "we understood the need for smart contracts right after the blockchain was invented". What problem did smart contracts solve when they were invented?