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Turning Down a Blockchain Job Offer

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Re: Turning Down a Blockchain Job Offer

#171
post #163
post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Don't like "proof of work"? Go hack on various other implementations. If this strikes you as reasonable advice or as a reasonable way to think about cryptosystems, it is probably best if you don’t attempt to work on blockchain tech.

I'm genuinely curious about why you say that. Isn't proof of work proving itself to be a bad way to guarantee trust? Aren't the alternatives worth working on? Does that statement belie a fundamental misunderstanding of blockchain somehow (if so, I'd really like to understand why)?

AFAIK it has not been formally proven yet, but the general consensus I see among crypto fans is that you can't achieve the goals of decentralized, trustless currency without involving some kind of huge energy waste somewhere.

(It's saddening me that people think this is a feature.)

Re: Turning Down a Blockchain Job Offer

#174
post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Go figure out ways to remove custodial risk, so that we may not need as onerous financial regulations that stifle innovation. Demonstrating the value of, and rationale for, those "onerous financial regulations" has been the one actual good result of this blockchain nonsense. The endless tsunami of scams and fraud that has been the blockchain space has been useful in wiping away the original idiot libertarian impulse…

The idiot libertarians are the only people actually using cryptocurrencies for anything other than speculation.

Not everyone who buys drugs or launders money are libertarians.

Re: Turning Down a Blockchain Job Offer

#175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So did the blockchain Edit: not trying to defend bitcoin here, just pointing that the blockchain brought a new solution to a trust issue

No, it didn't. Blockchain technology is perhaps the biggest recent example of a solution in search of a problem. It's interesting but still not clear at all what it would be useful for over what already exists: >"Ten years in, nobody has come up with a use for blockchain" https://hackernoon.com/ten-years-in-nobody-has-come-up-with-...

People asked the same about PC's, iPads, and general relativity.

But yeah let's continue using OUR view of the world TODAY as the gauge for judging the use of new discoveries and invention.

Just because you haven't come up with a reason, or interest enough to just dig in, doesn't mean others haven't.

Subjective experience is still a thing, last I checked.

Re: Turning Down a Blockchain Job Offer

#176

> It seems like people already know that they want to use a blockchain even before they understand what the problem is, basically a solution in search of problems. This is the story with basically any startup in a hot space. This could be just as easily about AI / Machine Learning.

Reminds me of that story with Microsoft and XML 20 years ago. The story goes that Bill Gates said in an interview that XML is an interesting technology, and that caused all kinds of people at Microsoft to go out of their way to use XML in their projects in some way, in a decentralized effort to please Bill.

Re: Turning Down a Blockchain Job Offer

#177
post #150
post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see what this has to do with cryptography.

Crypto = cryptocurrency. Cryptography = cryptography. We may not like it but the public has decided and there's nothing we can do to prevent it.

Crypto still just means hidden or secret though. Both sides here probably ought to increase their specificity by one level.

Interestingly, r/crypto is the cryptography subreddit and has https://www.reddit.com/r/crypto/comments/7jrba2/crypto_is_no... stickied.

Re: Turning Down a Blockchain Job Offer

#178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's also often possible to set up low balance alerts including text and email. It's one of the first things I look for when setting up a new bank account (at any bank) - right after turning on 2FA of course.

I got a overdraft about 6 years ago and when I went into the bank to sort it out they said if I want they can just turn off overdrafts so the card will be simply declined. I use a credit union.

[deleted]

Re: Turning Down a Blockchain Job Offer

#179

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, it didn't. Blockchain technology is perhaps the biggest recent example of a solution in search of a problem. It's interesting but still not clear at all what it would be useful for over what already exists: >"Ten years in, nobody has come up with a use for blockchain" https://hackernoon.com/ten-years-in-nobody-has-come-up-with-...

I agree that it is a solution in search of a problem, but it was able to find a problem, namely, facilitating darkmarket transactions; that's a real use-case that wasn't practical before blockchain tokens. Unfortunately, that use-case does not satisfy the enthusiasts and they have been determined to find some other use-case that has yet to materialize. The closest they've come up with are smart-contracts but those ar…

> [Facilitating darkmarket transactions] that wasn't practical before blockchain tokens.

Which is why, as we all remember, the darkmarket suddenly sprung into existence out of nowhere once Bitcoin was invented.

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