Hmm... Blockchain Ducks

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This is a podcast episode titled, Hmm... Blockchain Ducks. The summary for this episode is: <p>This is the first of a set of short and unique bonus episodes. Given the title of the podcast, and associated book is Think Blockchain… Jerry and his digital-twin DJ and I have teed up some key takeaways from the book that make you <strong>think</strong> and go... <strong><em>Hmm.</em></strong></p><p><br></p><p>In this bonus episode a few thoughts are shared regarding how to define blockchain. In Chapter 1 of <a href="thinkblockchain.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Think Blockchain </a>book, Jerry starts his definition of blockchain with <strong>"if databases were birds, then blockchain would be a duck."</strong> This silly comparison starts by using a generic Database as a reference point. (i.e, a database-bird), then extending it with the unique DNA that Blockchain-ducks possess… including shared ledgers, consensus, and generous amounts of cryptography.</p><p><br></p><p>Get your copy of Think Blockchain today <a href="thinkblockchain.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>! Royalties from the book are donated to the American Cancer Society. So, buying is donating! </p>
If databases were birds, blockchain would be a duck
01:05 MIN

DJ: You're listening to Think blockchain.

Jerry Cuomo: Hey everyone, Jerry Cuomo here, and welcome to this bonus episode. Given the title of the podcast and associated book is Think Blockchain, DJ and I have teed up some key takeaways from the book that make you think and go," Hmm." All right, DJ. Over to you.

DJ: Okay, sure thing. This one really got me thinking. It reads, if databases were birds, blockchain would be a duck.

Jerry Cuomo: Blockchain's truly brilliant architecture is built on decades old fundamental research in cryptography, distributed transaction processing, game theory, and yes, database technology too. You wouldn't be completely wrong to think about blockchain as a database of sorts, but then again, you wouldn't be right either, because blockchain, while part of the database universe, is quite the unique duck. Well, this is the silly comparison that I make at the start of chapter one of the book, where we define blockchain by highlighting features of a generic database as a baseline, i. e. a database bird. We then examine the unique DNA that blockchain ducks possess, including shared ledgers, consensus, and generous amounts of cryptography. We also point out that there are even several species of blockchain ducks. For example, the permissionless blockchains that power cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are just one style of blockchain technology. The book also covers the permission blockchain species, which has extended blockchain applications to all industries. Got you thinking," Hmm"? Well, we'll cover more in the next bonus episode. Thanks for listening, and see you then.

DESCRIPTION

This is the first of a set of short and unique bonus episodes. Given the title of the podcast, and associated book is Think Blockchain… Jerry and his digital-twin DJ and I have teed up some key takeaways from the book that make you think and go... Hmm.


In this bonus episode a few thoughts are shared regarding how to define blockchain. In Chapter 1 of Think Blockchain book, Jerry starts his definition of blockchain with "if databases were birds, then blockchain would be a duck." This silly comparison starts by using a generic Database as a reference point. (i.e, a database-bird), then extending it with the unique DNA that Blockchain-ducks possess… including shared ledgers, consensus, and generous amounts of cryptography.


Get your copy of Think Blockchain today here! Royalties from the book are donated to the American Cancer Society. So, buying is donating!

Today's Host

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Jerry Cuomo

|IBM Fellow, VP Technology

Today's Guests

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Digital Jerry

|