About Decentralized Project Management and Bitcoin Disputes
Podcast Text - An Interview with Dash Cryptocurrency Developer
CCN
In this episode, we will take an extended interview with Evan Duffield, the creator of Darkcoin and lead developer DASH (the same project under a new name, if you missed the moment of rebranding).
We will also talk about the controversy surrounding the increase in the size of the Bitcoin block, what distinguishes DASH cryptocurrency from other projects, and how the future cryptocurrency can become.
')
CCN
So, Evan Duffield is in touch with us. Hi Evan - nice to have found the time to give us an interview.
Evan
Hi, I am very pleased with this opportunity.
CCN
Our listeners may know that you are the creator of Darkcoin, who later changed the name to DASH and became one of the leading projects in the cryptocurrency world. I would like to know: what did you do before the creation of Darkcoin?
Evan
I worked as a software developer for almost my entire adult life. I started programming when I was 15 years old and I always liked this activity. Later, I began working with social marketing companies. I wrote service software for them - I programmed search robots that worked on the same principles as search engines robots for projects such as Google - when they scan the Internet and then rank the results of search results. We used these technologies to support the work of the largest Fortune-500 and even Fortune-100 corporations in the world. In that work, I widely applied machine learning techniques.
I became interested in cryptocurrency in the middle of 2010, began to sort things out and soon discovered the privacy problems of the solutions available at that time. This inspired me to create Darkcoin.
CCN
Well, Darkcoin (“Dark Coin”), which, as I understand it, did not aim to become “cryptocurrency for dark business” suffered a self-identification crisis, and you guys said “we can no longer exist under the name of Darkcoin and need a rebranding” . I was watching the market at that time and it seems that the market agreed with your position. There were no desperate sales and significant price drops. Probably, you can be congratulated on such a successful outcome ... but how is the development of the renamed DASH project going now?
Evan
The development is great! We really successfully completed the rebranding, which was a significant relief. Darkcoin never really intended to be a “criminal coin.” My idea with the name "Dark Coin" was that the blockchain was hidden from outside observation - in this sense, the old name was appropriate. But for most people, the name "Darkcoin" caused criminal associations, which became noticeably slow down our project. We needed to do something about it - and we solved this problem quickly and efficiently, having the opportunity to move on without obstacles.
The next important stage of development is associated with the imminent release of version 12, in which decentralized budgeting will work and the reference node will be removed from the architecture, which remained a significant drawback of Dash and Darkcoin - so we are very excited about this.
CCN
Well, tell me more about this “reference node” ...
Evan
DASH uses additional features that are not in the Bitcoin project. One of these features is anonymization of user funds, and anonymity is implemented using the so-called Masternode network. These Masternods are started by those who want to support the Dash network - basic, they contain the traditional full network node to which any users can connect - for example, to perform anonymization of funds. And as a reward for providing this and other services aimed at ensuring full-featured operation of the network (for example, synchronizing wallets, etc.), Masternodas receive a portion of the reward for new units, along with the miners. In order to coordinate the payment processes of masternos, since it is not easy to implement decentralized, we initially used a specialized node that coordinated the sequence of these payments - the so-called reference node. Finally, we came up with a way to perform coordination decentralized without losing reliability, which gives us the opportunity to remove the reference node from the Dash architecture.
CCN
I imagine that the reference node was probably a reason for doubt, in the sense that people feared sole control over it and other possible vulnerabilities.
Evan
Yes, the philosophy of cryptocurrency requires maximum decentralization of all aspects of functioning, and the removal of the reference node has always been only a matter of time. This was originally a temporary solution, and finally we came to the work of the system without her participation - this is just wonderful.
CCN
The main reason we invited you today is the desire to find out about the decentralized management system that appeared in the Dash project. Your implemented voting system that allows Masternodes operators (as you said - many can become such operators) vote on all important issues of the further development of the project ... Well, I think you don’t need to hide what we are all thinking about now - the problem is with the size of the Bitcoin block, which divided and paralyzed the community with the question “can we increase the size of the Bitcoin block?” - and it turns out that there are reasonable arguments for both “For” and “For” such a decision ... It turns out that DASH now has a mechanism for solving such problems ...
Evan
There are two aspects of decentralized management of development options, and you mentioned one of them - Masternods can really vote “For” - “Against” on any issue. So we can arrange a vote on “how to distribute the emitted new coins,” or “whether to change the size of the block” ... In fact, you can put any important question to the vote and get an accurate picture of how the community relates to a specific proposal. reliably and without the possibility of fraud.
Using the same principle, we also included the so-called decentralized budgeting in the project management system. The problem we are striving to solve is the task of effectively financing the further development of cryptocurrency, which until now has been badly solved. A typical way is to create a Foundation (a non-profit foundation), but usually this results in insufficient funding and, in my opinion, solves the tasks that are set ineffectively.
In the alternative solution we are implementing, Masternoda can vote on any proposals that require funding. This can be thought of as a decentralized Kickstarter, or a vote of deputies. Thus, they receive all the proposals on which they can vote “For” - “Against”. The voting results are calculated and the proposals that received the most support from the community (those who gained the majority of votes “For”) will be financed first, then less popular development projects will be financed, etc. - until the current allocated total budget ends. Payments for approved projects will be made directly from the blockchain.
CCN
Well, suppose I do not have Masternoda, but there is a great idea for the development of the Dash project. Can I broadcast it through some Masternoda owner or maybe even directly?
Evan
The whole system is completely decentralized - which means full implementation at the network protocol level. So if you have access to the Masternode, you can place a proposal, it is broadcast to the network and after that all other Masters can vote for it (or against). We are going to make an additional application available to everyone (or websites) that will work like a decentralized Kickstarter so that everyone (even those without access to Masternod) can create an account and post their offers. After that, the Dash community will be able to express its attitude to a specific proposal and you will see how many support votes you have. After that, you can adjust your proposal in order to increase its attractiveness and eventually get the level of support that will provide it with real funding.
CCN
Earlier, you stated that Dash is going to become a direct competitor to Bitcoin. Did I understand correctly that the proposed system would be one of the elements of this, ensuring the transfer of part of the authority from you personally and from some other “leadership” to people interested in the success of DASH and able to offer effective ways of further development, as well as those long-term investors who can set the direction for further development of DASH?
Evan
I see it this way: now Bitcoin has an almost complete monopoly in the world of cryptocurrency, while I do not think that the strategy and the way in which the “leadership” leads Bitcoin is the only possible and only correct one. The world needs a lot of new ideas in the field of cryptocurrency, and I believe that there should be a healthy “market of ideas” - so I created DASH and I want to show that there are alternative development paths that can work. And work very well. One of these ways is to use the entire hidden potential of the blockchain technology, using the network as a decentralized Kickstarter, when the further development of the system is determined by the system itself. And this is a better solution than obtaining grants to support developers, or receiving money to the Non-Commercial Fund with a further redistribution among developers, etc. solutions.
CCN
I would say that one of the things that the Bitcoin Foundation has done well with is successfully gathering in one place all the people who can be angry with. I mean, in terms of regulation, the Fund was useless, well, you know ... he didn’t do anything to counteract BitLicence.
Evan
One of the biggest problems of cryptocurrency projects is that people are extremely motivated to take part in projects in their initial stages (“the first generation of enthusiasts”), when coins are very cheap and at the cost of relatively modest efforts you can increase the value of your investments quite significantly. We saw this with both Bitcoin and all other cryptocurrencies. The next generation of enthusiasts - the second, third, fourth, ... are at a disadvantage - all these people can only hope that they will be able to sell more than they bought - but they personally do not get any tangible benefits from the process of long-term support for the development of the project. .
CCN
So how does DASH solve this problem? You think you can offer some kind of solution?
Evan
The truth of life is that if you spend significant efforts on the support and development of any cryptocurrency, even Bitcoin, you do not get any benefits from this compared to other members of the community who do not provide any such support. For example, if I devote all my strength to full-time Bitcoin to the project, no one pays me anything until someone gives me a grant or the Foundation deems it necessary to encourage me, which is almost impossible in modern conditions . And DASH is going to solve this problem just by using its decentralized budgeting system. Anyone can connect to the development of the Dash project at any time and in any area - and earn real guaranteed money. So if you are strong in marketing and you have a plan for the development of our project - just make the appropriate proposal, justify it, enlist the support of the community and get paid for the work done. Thus, this mechanism allows anyone to join the team at any stage of the project’s life and receive a fair reward, regardless of whether you were at its source or just decided to join and apply your competence.
CNN
In the Bitcoin community, heated debates are now flaming up, which threaten to go far beyond purely technical issues - there are serious differences on the ideological level. As a person with rich experience in the field of cryptocurrency, and as a programmer - share, please, your vision of the situation and assumptions about how it will all end.
Evan
I understand both sides of emerging disagreements, and I believe that the arguments of both sides are quite rational. On the one hand, if you increase the block size, people who support the work of full nodes suffer, since no one compensates them (as implemented in the Dash network) for additional traffic, the synchronization time will significantly increase and a number of other technical difficulties. If you do not increase the block size, but introduce relief mechanisms - then it turns out that you can conduct most transactions outside the blockchain and then add final operations to it - this is an alternative way to solve the problem ... And I would rather prefer this second method, since leaves operators full nodes happy and allows you to keep the blockchain size smaller.
CCN
In the DASH protocol, Masternods (full nodes) really get a part of the reward for new blocks along with the miners, right?
Evan
Yes, so if we need to increase the size of the blocks in the DASH network, full nodes will not suffer, as they receive proper remuneration for maintaining the network and for consumed traffic. Therefore, this will not lead to a reduction in the number of full nodes, as it would have happened with the Bitcoin project.
CNN
Suppose someone decides to join the project DASH, what would you advise - how exactly should they act at the current stage?
Evan
Anyone can take an active part in our project - just visit our forum dashtalk.org or the official website dashpay.io. You can join our friendly community - help with development and with other initiatives. Already, more than 50 volunteers are working on the project and the further, the more fun it becomes.
CCN
What next to expect from DASH? You guys are not tired of surprising their initiatives. Then you have connected instant payments [instantX], now you have a system in place that eliminates the need for a “control center” and performs the function of self-financing ... I mean the question: with what will you continue to capture this world? :)
Evan
Our next goal is to use the budgeting system to promote our project - everyone needs to know about the solution we are creating. We want to present a real alternative to Bitcoin and add a competitive spirit to the cryptocurrency world.
The last thing I would like to see is how Bitcoin developers would make some kind of tragic mistake and the whole cryptocurrency technology sector would lose the trust of users for the next 15 years, say. But if there are at least two strong projects and one of them will develop successfully, and the second will fail, we will not all fall into such a tragic situation.
CCN
Thank you and have a nice day!
Evan
And thank you, thank you for the invitation.
Original podcast: www.cryptocoinsnews.com/podcast-episode-10-evan-duffield-dash-decentralized-governance-bitcoin-block-size-debate
General information about what Dash is:
CCN
In this episode, we will take an extended interview with Evan Duffield, the creator of Darkcoin and lead developer DASH (the same project under a new name, if you missed the moment of rebranding).
We will also talk about the controversy surrounding the increase in the size of the Bitcoin block, what distinguishes DASH cryptocurrency from other projects, and how the future cryptocurrency can become.
')
CCN
So, Evan Duffield is in touch with us. Hi Evan - nice to have found the time to give us an interview.
Evan
Hi, I am very pleased with this opportunity.
CCN
Our listeners may know that you are the creator of Darkcoin, who later changed the name to DASH and became one of the leading projects in the cryptocurrency world. I would like to know: what did you do before the creation of Darkcoin?
Evan
I worked as a software developer for almost my entire adult life. I started programming when I was 15 years old and I always liked this activity. Later, I began working with social marketing companies. I wrote service software for them - I programmed search robots that worked on the same principles as search engines robots for projects such as Google - when they scan the Internet and then rank the results of search results. We used these technologies to support the work of the largest Fortune-500 and even Fortune-100 corporations in the world. In that work, I widely applied machine learning techniques.
I became interested in cryptocurrency in the middle of 2010, began to sort things out and soon discovered the privacy problems of the solutions available at that time. This inspired me to create Darkcoin.
CCN
Well, Darkcoin (“Dark Coin”), which, as I understand it, did not aim to become “cryptocurrency for dark business” suffered a self-identification crisis, and you guys said “we can no longer exist under the name of Darkcoin and need a rebranding” . I was watching the market at that time and it seems that the market agreed with your position. There were no desperate sales and significant price drops. Probably, you can be congratulated on such a successful outcome ... but how is the development of the renamed DASH project going now?
Evan
The development is great! We really successfully completed the rebranding, which was a significant relief. Darkcoin never really intended to be a “criminal coin.” My idea with the name "Dark Coin" was that the blockchain was hidden from outside observation - in this sense, the old name was appropriate. But for most people, the name "Darkcoin" caused criminal associations, which became noticeably slow down our project. We needed to do something about it - and we solved this problem quickly and efficiently, having the opportunity to move on without obstacles.
The next important stage of development is associated with the imminent release of version 12, in which decentralized budgeting will work and the reference node will be removed from the architecture, which remained a significant drawback of Dash and Darkcoin - so we are very excited about this.
CCN
Well, tell me more about this “reference node” ...
Evan
DASH uses additional features that are not in the Bitcoin project. One of these features is anonymization of user funds, and anonymity is implemented using the so-called Masternode network. These Masternods are started by those who want to support the Dash network - basic, they contain the traditional full network node to which any users can connect - for example, to perform anonymization of funds. And as a reward for providing this and other services aimed at ensuring full-featured operation of the network (for example, synchronizing wallets, etc.), Masternodas receive a portion of the reward for new units, along with the miners. In order to coordinate the payment processes of masternos, since it is not easy to implement decentralized, we initially used a specialized node that coordinated the sequence of these payments - the so-called reference node. Finally, we came up with a way to perform coordination decentralized without losing reliability, which gives us the opportunity to remove the reference node from the Dash architecture.
CCN
I imagine that the reference node was probably a reason for doubt, in the sense that people feared sole control over it and other possible vulnerabilities.
Evan
Yes, the philosophy of cryptocurrency requires maximum decentralization of all aspects of functioning, and the removal of the reference node has always been only a matter of time. This was originally a temporary solution, and finally we came to the work of the system without her participation - this is just wonderful.
CCN
The main reason we invited you today is the desire to find out about the decentralized management system that appeared in the Dash project. Your implemented voting system that allows Masternodes operators (as you said - many can become such operators) vote on all important issues of the further development of the project ... Well, I think you don’t need to hide what we are all thinking about now - the problem is with the size of the Bitcoin block, which divided and paralyzed the community with the question “can we increase the size of the Bitcoin block?” - and it turns out that there are reasonable arguments for both “For” and “For” such a decision ... It turns out that DASH now has a mechanism for solving such problems ...
Evan
There are two aspects of decentralized management of development options, and you mentioned one of them - Masternods can really vote “For” - “Against” on any issue. So we can arrange a vote on “how to distribute the emitted new coins,” or “whether to change the size of the block” ... In fact, you can put any important question to the vote and get an accurate picture of how the community relates to a specific proposal. reliably and without the possibility of fraud.
Using the same principle, we also included the so-called decentralized budgeting in the project management system. The problem we are striving to solve is the task of effectively financing the further development of cryptocurrency, which until now has been badly solved. A typical way is to create a Foundation (a non-profit foundation), but usually this results in insufficient funding and, in my opinion, solves the tasks that are set ineffectively.
In the alternative solution we are implementing, Masternoda can vote on any proposals that require funding. This can be thought of as a decentralized Kickstarter, or a vote of deputies. Thus, they receive all the proposals on which they can vote “For” - “Against”. The voting results are calculated and the proposals that received the most support from the community (those who gained the majority of votes “For”) will be financed first, then less popular development projects will be financed, etc. - until the current allocated total budget ends. Payments for approved projects will be made directly from the blockchain.
CCN
Well, suppose I do not have Masternoda, but there is a great idea for the development of the Dash project. Can I broadcast it through some Masternoda owner or maybe even directly?
Evan
The whole system is completely decentralized - which means full implementation at the network protocol level. So if you have access to the Masternode, you can place a proposal, it is broadcast to the network and after that all other Masters can vote for it (or against). We are going to make an additional application available to everyone (or websites) that will work like a decentralized Kickstarter so that everyone (even those without access to Masternod) can create an account and post their offers. After that, the Dash community will be able to express its attitude to a specific proposal and you will see how many support votes you have. After that, you can adjust your proposal in order to increase its attractiveness and eventually get the level of support that will provide it with real funding.
CCN
Earlier, you stated that Dash is going to become a direct competitor to Bitcoin. Did I understand correctly that the proposed system would be one of the elements of this, ensuring the transfer of part of the authority from you personally and from some other “leadership” to people interested in the success of DASH and able to offer effective ways of further development, as well as those long-term investors who can set the direction for further development of DASH?
Evan
I see it this way: now Bitcoin has an almost complete monopoly in the world of cryptocurrency, while I do not think that the strategy and the way in which the “leadership” leads Bitcoin is the only possible and only correct one. The world needs a lot of new ideas in the field of cryptocurrency, and I believe that there should be a healthy “market of ideas” - so I created DASH and I want to show that there are alternative development paths that can work. And work very well. One of these ways is to use the entire hidden potential of the blockchain technology, using the network as a decentralized Kickstarter, when the further development of the system is determined by the system itself. And this is a better solution than obtaining grants to support developers, or receiving money to the Non-Commercial Fund with a further redistribution among developers, etc. solutions.
CCN
I would say that one of the things that the Bitcoin Foundation has done well with is successfully gathering in one place all the people who can be angry with. I mean, in terms of regulation, the Fund was useless, well, you know ... he didn’t do anything to counteract BitLicence.
Evan
One of the biggest problems of cryptocurrency projects is that people are extremely motivated to take part in projects in their initial stages (“the first generation of enthusiasts”), when coins are very cheap and at the cost of relatively modest efforts you can increase the value of your investments quite significantly. We saw this with both Bitcoin and all other cryptocurrencies. The next generation of enthusiasts - the second, third, fourth, ... are at a disadvantage - all these people can only hope that they will be able to sell more than they bought - but they personally do not get any tangible benefits from the process of long-term support for the development of the project. .
CCN
So how does DASH solve this problem? You think you can offer some kind of solution?
Evan
The truth of life is that if you spend significant efforts on the support and development of any cryptocurrency, even Bitcoin, you do not get any benefits from this compared to other members of the community who do not provide any such support. For example, if I devote all my strength to full-time Bitcoin to the project, no one pays me anything until someone gives me a grant or the Foundation deems it necessary to encourage me, which is almost impossible in modern conditions . And DASH is going to solve this problem just by using its decentralized budgeting system. Anyone can connect to the development of the Dash project at any time and in any area - and earn real guaranteed money. So if you are strong in marketing and you have a plan for the development of our project - just make the appropriate proposal, justify it, enlist the support of the community and get paid for the work done. Thus, this mechanism allows anyone to join the team at any stage of the project’s life and receive a fair reward, regardless of whether you were at its source or just decided to join and apply your competence.
CNN
In the Bitcoin community, heated debates are now flaming up, which threaten to go far beyond purely technical issues - there are serious differences on the ideological level. As a person with rich experience in the field of cryptocurrency, and as a programmer - share, please, your vision of the situation and assumptions about how it will all end.
Evan
I understand both sides of emerging disagreements, and I believe that the arguments of both sides are quite rational. On the one hand, if you increase the block size, people who support the work of full nodes suffer, since no one compensates them (as implemented in the Dash network) for additional traffic, the synchronization time will significantly increase and a number of other technical difficulties. If you do not increase the block size, but introduce relief mechanisms - then it turns out that you can conduct most transactions outside the blockchain and then add final operations to it - this is an alternative way to solve the problem ... And I would rather prefer this second method, since leaves operators full nodes happy and allows you to keep the blockchain size smaller.
CCN
In the DASH protocol, Masternods (full nodes) really get a part of the reward for new blocks along with the miners, right?
Evan
Yes, so if we need to increase the size of the blocks in the DASH network, full nodes will not suffer, as they receive proper remuneration for maintaining the network and for consumed traffic. Therefore, this will not lead to a reduction in the number of full nodes, as it would have happened with the Bitcoin project.
CNN
Suppose someone decides to join the project DASH, what would you advise - how exactly should they act at the current stage?
Evan
Anyone can take an active part in our project - just visit our forum dashtalk.org or the official website dashpay.io. You can join our friendly community - help with development and with other initiatives. Already, more than 50 volunteers are working on the project and the further, the more fun it becomes.
CCN
What next to expect from DASH? You guys are not tired of surprising their initiatives. Then you have connected instant payments [instantX], now you have a system in place that eliminates the need for a “control center” and performs the function of self-financing ... I mean the question: with what will you continue to capture this world? :)
Evan
Our next goal is to use the budgeting system to promote our project - everyone needs to know about the solution we are creating. We want to present a real alternative to Bitcoin and add a competitive spirit to the cryptocurrency world.
The last thing I would like to see is how Bitcoin developers would make some kind of tragic mistake and the whole cryptocurrency technology sector would lose the trust of users for the next 15 years, say. But if there are at least two strong projects and one of them will develop successfully, and the second will fail, we will not all fall into such a tragic situation.
CCN
Thank you and have a nice day!
Evan
And thank you, thank you for the invitation.
Original podcast: www.cryptocoinsnews.com/podcast-episode-10-evan-duffield-dash-decentralized-governance-bitcoin-block-size-debate
General information about what Dash is:
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/292376/
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