
Blockchain Is Not Going to Change the World - jackgavigan
http://www.forbes.com/sites/francescoppola/2016/06/13/blockchain-meh/
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rstuart4133
> Anyone who has worked on payment systems – as I have – knows that a payment
> system consists of two essential components: a ledger, and a means of
> sending and receiving messages.

She missed the most important this a payments thing depends on: you trust the
person to pay you. Without that you have nothing. The blockchain is about
staking your reputation on previous work done. It's a way of saving and
transferring trust.

We can and have automate ledgers and sending and receiving messages.
Automating the transfer of trust: this is new. But that's difficult to
recognise if you don't realise trust is involved.

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anotheryou
"Blockchain is a stripped-down payments system" no, it's more and can be used
besides payments.

And nobody believes it does solve the trust issues about actual exchange for
goods or service.

Biggest thing I see (but I'm not too literate on bitcoin): once it works right
it can't be stopped or taxed and still fly across the world through the
internet.

The blockchain is really interesting in itself, but I know little about what
is possible with it. One example I love though is the "proof of prior
existence". You can weave a hash in to the blockchain and than have proof you
already possessed the hashed information at that time.

