Nov 1, 2022E2ED: End-to-end Decentralization, Part VThe Technology Stack from First Principles — This is the next post in a series. Please see part I, part II, part III, part IV for further background. The reason why web3 in it’s current form fails to achieve or even support end-to-end decentralization is, in part, a consequence of the fact that blockchain places the consensus…Blockchain3 min readBlockchain3 min read
Aug 15, 2022E2ED: end-to-end decentralization (Part IV)Introducing the ADAPT Framework — This is Part 4 of the series of posts (Post I, Post II, Post III) that introduce end-to-end decentralization. In prior posts we have examined the concept of E2ED and described the need for secure workflows (smart contracts) in the context of non-blockchain components of the software stack. …Cryptocurrency4 min readCryptocurrency4 min read
Aug 15, 2022E2ED: End-to-end decentralization (Part III)Secure workflows (a.k.a. Smart Contracts) — (This is the third post of a series. First Post. Second Post.) In the prior two posts of this series we have explained the concept of end-to-end decentralization and have provided a framework for reasoning about decentralization as a property of the computer system’s architecture rather than its social contract…Cryptocurrency5 min readCryptocurrency5 min read
Aug 15, 2022E2ED: End-to-end decentralization (Part II)Defining decentralization — In my previous post I have discussed the need for end-to-end decentralization and the problems that it solves: first, decentralizing the non-blockchain layers of the development stack, and second, creating a suitable mechanism for regulation and enforcement without negating the main benefits of decentralization, such as privacy, interoperability, and open…Decentralization5 min readDecentralization5 min read
Aug 15, 2022E2ED: End-to-end decentralization (Part I)Motivation and background — All signs are pointing in two directions: 1) Web3 is the future; and 2) Web3 has failed completely. I am not entirely joking. On one hand, traditional financial and governance structures are crumbling, hence we look towards decentralized engineering for at least some semblance of a potential solution. On the…Web 34 min readWeb 34 min read
Published in The Startup·Aug 15, 2020Member-onlyDigital House on FireThe Dire Insufficiency of Modern Data Security Tools and What to Do Next — On July 15, 2020, Twitter Inc. suffered a cyberattack during which three Florida teenagers took control of several high-profile Twitter accounts, including those of Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Elon Musk and Bill Gates. …Cybersecurity8 min readCybersecurity8 min read
Published in The CoinFund Blog·Sep 6, 2019The Architecture of the Data-Fair InternetTL;DR In order to enable fair use of data on the internet, the architecture of how data is stored and used online has to change dramatically This post introduces the algorithm-visits-data paradigm that prevents data from traveling around the network unencrypted This new architecture is enabled via broad use of secure…Security6 min readSecurity6 min read
Published in The CoinFund Blog·Jun 14, 2019Member-onlyWhy (TF) Blockchain? Exploring the Nature and Purpose of Single Source of Truth SystemsSince the inception of bitcoin in 2008, blockchain technology has been described as anything from “snake oil” to “the solution to humanity’s biggest problems”. This post attempts to summarize and condense my answer to the question of “why blockchain?”, and explain it in a way that is both clear, practical…Blockchain10 min readBlockchain10 min read
Published in The CoinFund Blog·Apr 15, 2019Skynet 2.0: The Case for Secure HardwareHow end-to-end device-level security will transform the world of software and computing — TL;DR Secure hardware protects data and software from tampering by the owner or operator of the device where it resides. This includes CPUs, GPUs, embedded chips (such as in cameras, keyboards, and computer screens), and IoT devices. In the future, much of the IT infrastructure will run on secure hardware. Humans…Blockchain12 min readBlockchain12 min read
Published in The CoinFund Blog·Feb 20, 2019Member-onlyThe Mutualized RevolutionThanks to Alex Felix and Oleg Golubov for challenging me in the process of writing this post and providing comments both useful and difficult. Picture this: you are having a romantic evening with your lover, but there is one extra person present, and he is in charge of you being…17 min read17 min read
