Google Cloud Launches Blockchain Toolkit for App Developers • Hacker News Board

Re: Google Cloud Launches Blockchain Toolkit for App Developers

#11

Post by hanniabu » Mon, Jul 23, 2018, 11:28 PM UTC

Xakdra wrote: post #8

NizaAfrica wrote: post #2

What's the point of having a centralised blockchain? As far as I understand the thing that sets blockchain apart from the traditional data systems is that each participant maintains, calculates and updates new entries into the data system. All nodes work together to ensure they are all coming to the same conclusions. But in this case Google cloud will serve as the master whilst everyone else is a client which is just…

Another question that seems to be avoided whenever I ask professionals is the usage of the blockchain. I personally do not see it's practical application beyond its use in crypto currency or other financial related use cases such as validation of user purchase histories. But what else is there for the tech? Looking for some insight.

It can be used anywhere there's a middleman/ intermediary or where trust is required.

Re: Google Cloud Launches Blockchain Toolkit for App Developers

#12

Post by EGreg » Tue, Jul 24, 2018, 12:29 AM UTC

akerl_ wrote: post #9

EGreg wrote: post #6

Google Cloud Amazon Cloud Didn’t those sound like they’re nebulous like “the internet”? No one owns the internet! But those clouds were proprietary. A real cloud would be made up of thousands of computers all joining together to store info. Same here. What good is a blockchain that Google owns? About as good as file storage by Amazon or email by google.

I can't tell if you're being intentionally facetious, but I'd say the market indicates file storage by Amazon and email by Google are quite valuable.

I would say, like Dijkstra, they are recording the value on the wrong side of the ledger!

Re: Google Cloud Launches Blockchain Toolkit for App Developers

#13

Post by jonny_eh » Tue, Jul 24, 2018, 4:11 AM UTC

hanniabu wrote: post #11

Xakdra wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another question that seems to be avoided whenever I ask professionals is the usage of the blockchain. I personally do not see it's practical application beyond its use in crypto currency or other financial related use cases such as validation of user purchase histories. But what else is there for the tech? Looking for some insight.

It can be used anywhere there's a middleman/ intermediary or where trust is required.

I guess I'm just not creative enough to think of what that might be, if not money.

Re: Google Cloud Launches Blockchain Toolkit for App Developers

#14

Post by dev_dull » Tue, Jul 24, 2018, 5:09 AM UTC

hanniabu wrote: post #11

Xakdra wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another question that seems to be avoided whenever I ask professionals is the usage of the blockchain. I personally do not see it's practical application beyond its use in crypto currency or other financial related use cases such as validation of user purchase histories. But what else is there for the tech? Looking for some insight.

It can be used anywhere there's a middleman/ intermediary or where trust is required.

There are plenty of solutions to middlemen. Usually they exist not because of technical limitations but because of other reasons (see car dealerships).

Re: Google Cloud Launches Blockchain Toolkit for App Developers

#15

Post by babaeth » Tue, Jul 24, 2018, 10:39 AM UTC

Xakdra wrote: post #8

NizaAfrica wrote: post #2

What's the point of having a centralised blockchain? As far as I understand the thing that sets blockchain apart from the traditional data systems is that each participant maintains, calculates and updates new entries into the data system. All nodes work together to ensure they are all coming to the same conclusions. But in this case Google cloud will serve as the master whilst everyone else is a client which is just…

Another question that seems to be avoided whenever I ask professionals is the usage of the blockchain. I personally do not see it's practical application beyond its use in crypto currency or other financial related use cases such as validation of user purchase histories. But what else is there for the tech? Looking for some insight.

Look into Golem and Brave/BAT, they are great examples of other use cases than crypto currencies.

Re: Google Cloud Launches Blockchain Toolkit for App Developers

#16

Post by JustFinishedBSG » Tue, Jul 24, 2018, 11:23 AM UTC

NizaAfrica wrote: post #2

What's the point of having a centralised blockchain? As far as I understand the thing that sets blockchain apart from the traditional data systems is that each participant maintains, calculates and updates new entries into the data system. All nodes work together to ensure they are all coming to the same conclusions. But in this case Google cloud will serve as the master whilst everyone else is a client which is just…

> What's the point of having a centralised blockchain?

Extracting money from VCs

Re: Google Cloud Launches Blockchain Toolkit for App Developers

#17

Post by JustFinishedBSG » Tue, Jul 24, 2018, 11:25 AM UTC

hanniabu wrote: post #11

Xakdra wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another question that seems to be avoided whenever I ask professionals is the usage of the blockchain. I personally do not see it's practical application beyond its use in crypto currency or other financial related use cases such as validation of user purchase histories. But what else is there for the tech? Looking for some insight.

It can be used anywhere there's a middleman/ intermediary or where trust is required.

> where trust is required.

Blockchains don't solve the trust problem at all. Except if none of the trust problems you have interact somehow with the material world

Re: Google Cloud Launches Blockchain Toolkit for App Developers

#18

Post by gibsons77 » Tue, Jul 24, 2018, 1:50 PM UTC

JustFinishedBSG wrote: post #17

hanniabu wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It can be used anywhere there's a middleman/ intermediary or where trust is required.

> where trust is required. Blockchains don't solve the trust problem at all. Except if none of the trust problems you have interact somehow with the material world

That's the only thing blockchains solve is the decentralization of trust. Oracles provide a bridge, and it is possible to make trusted decentralized oracles.