The document discusses the evolution and implications of decentralized computing on blockchain technology, primarily focusing on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Eris Industries. It highlights the transition from centralized systems to decentralized applications (dApps), emphasizing the potential for more trustworthy and traceable solutions. The document also outlines the current state of these technologies, their cultural and business implications, and future considerations regarding economic actors and governance.

1. Eris and Ethereum
Decentralized computing on a blockchain
Aron van Ammers
Blockstars.io

2. A bit about me
● Aron van Ammers
● Active in fintech (more "TECH" than "fin")
● Background: Model Driven Software engineering,
University of Twente

3. A bit about me
● Background: CTO of I&DT, building Curasoft, SaaS
for health care

4. Down the rabbit hole
● 2014: time for a change
● What's happening?
– Bitcoin
– Cryptocurrency
– Smart contracts
– Decentralization
● May 2014: Certinio, independent consultant

5. Down the rabbit hole
● Nov 2014: Blockstars.io
● A full-service agency dedicated to designing,
developing, launching and managing Blockchain
businesses
● Projects
– MoneyCircles.com
– AssetCha.in
– Several other projects in stealth

6. A bit of history
● The road to Bitcoin

7. A bit of history
● The road to Bitcoin

8. Bitcoin: the first blockchain
● Solution to the "byzantine generals problem"
– A minority of bad actors can't game the system
● Digital scarcity
● Trustworthy ledger without the need to trust a
single party

9. Bitcoin: the first blockchain
● How does it work?
– Peer-to-peer technology
– A shared public "database"
– "Wasting" energy as a proof of work
– Easy to check, extremely hard to break
● More or less detailed explanations of the "how"
available on demand

10. So what is a blockchain?
● Wikipedia:
– "...a distributed database that serves as a public
ledger.."

11. So what is a blockchain?
● Vitalik Buterin (Ethereum founder):
– "A blockchain is a magic computer that anyone can upload
programs to and leave the programs to self-execute, where
the current and all previous states of every program are
always publicly visible, and which carries a very strong
cryptoeconomically secured guarantee that programs
running on the chain will continue to execute in exactly the
way that the blockchain protocol specifies."
https://blog.ethereum.org/2015/04/13/visions-part-1-the-value

12. So what is a blockchain?
● Preston Byrne (Eris Industries):
– http://pt.slideshare.net/PrestonJByrne/dgw-birch-erispresen

13. "Bitcoin 2.0"
● After the success of Bitcoin and its limits, a lot of initiatives to build "Bitcoin
2.0":
– Alternative coins or "altcoins"
– Sidechains
– Smart contracts
– Smart assets
– Crypto-equity
– ...
● Our take:
– Distributed, decentralized, verifiable information systems that possibly have an
economic aspect to them.

14. Decentralized applications
● Both Ethereum and Eris are platforms for building
decentralized applications or "DApps"
● Away from the client-server model
● Freedom?

15. Decentralized applications
● Like Bitcoin is "decentralized money" (or money of the people),
DApps allow "decentralized computing" or (apps of the people)
● Decentralized development leads to fundamental questions:
– What is money?
– What is identity?
– What is reputation?
– What is a business?
– What is a government?

16. Decentralized applications: why?
● Trust
● Traceability
● Verifiability
● Preventing concentration of power

17. Ethereum

18. Ethereum
● Building a new blockchain from scratch
● "Computer on a blockchain" (very slow, but very
trustworthy)
● Single, public blockchain like Bitcoin
● Many implementations
● Infinite possibilities
– which may or may not be practical and useful

19. Ethereum: culture
● Crowd funded
● Open source
● No commercial motives
● "hackers and hippies"
● Politically motivated

20. Ethereum: culture

21. Ethereum: business
● But: "big corp" is watching and taking part
● IBM/Samsung ADEPT
– Ethereum fork
– Connected washing
machine that is a
financial actor

22. Ethereum: how does it work?
● The blockchain contains "contracts", which are
compact computer programs
● Every node in the network verifies the execution
● Every user can create a contract
● All transactions cost a small amount of
cryptocurrency

23. Ethereum: how does it work?
● Contract development: compact programs

24. Ethereum: how does it work?
● Contract development: compact programs

25. Ethereum: for the end user
● Separate browser

26. Ethereum for the end user
● Or in every browser?
● Problem: security

27. Ethereum for the end user
● Access by end users is an unsolved problem for all
"crypto 2.0" platforms
– Low barrier to entry
– Usable security

28. Ethereum: state of the platform
● Testnet operational

29. Ethereum: state of the platform
● Early days
● Development environment is stabilizing
● Many applications / businesses are being built
● No projects in production yet

30. Ethereum: state of the platform
● Whisper: secure direct communication
● Swarm: secure file storage

31. Ethereum: tech impression
● Augur: prediction markets
http://www.augur.net/

32. Ethereum: tech impression
● Development node (AlethZero)

33. Eris Industries
● "Fork" (clone) of Ethereum
● Building a platform for
the enterprise
● Strong legal background
● A playful bunch of people

34. Eris Industries vs Ethereum
● Not "one true blockchain", but millions of them
● Blockchains are useful for closed and open purposes
● Applications may or may not have a financial aspect
● Blockchains have permissions (and hence
controllers)

35. Eris Industries
● File storage: builds on IPFS (independent)
● No parallel for Whisper yet

36. Eris Industries: state of the platform
● More stable
● Well-documented toolset
● Commercial support
● But also early days. Ready for development, not
ready for apps in production.

37. Eris Industries: tech demo
● 2gather: decentralized "YouTube"
●

38. Case studies
● What are your challenges?

39. Tracking the blockchain ecosystem
● 200+ blockchain startups
● Financial and non-financial
● Big, small, non-profit, corporate
https://www.blockstars.io/ecosystem

43. Impact for future development
● Software and devices as economic actors
● The question of "What is money" will be further
debated
● As will revenue models, business structures,
government, …
● Much more secure software altogether
● From "client-server" to "participatory architecture"

44. Contact
@aronvanammers
@blockstarsio
Slides will be on:
http://www.slideshare.net/Blockstarsio