Crypto
Why decentralization matters
- Web 3 is the internet owned by the builders and users, orchestrated with tokens.
- Ethereum is a decentralized global computer that is owned and operated by its users. It is a decentralized platform and programmable blockchain that runs smart contracts: applications that run exactly as transparently programmed.
- If the internet is a global network of computers, Ethereum is a global network of computers that can agree on things in a trustless way through a decentralized database.
- NFTs give users the ability to own objects, which can be art, photos, code, music, text, game objects, credentials, governance rights, access passes, and whatever else people dream up next.
- Tokens align network participants to work together toward a common goal — the growth of the network and the appreciation of the token. Decentralization is the key to unlocking the value of the internet for everyone.
- Ethereum can be used to build Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). A DAO is an organization that is owned by its members and run by code.
Key Reads
- Bitcoin Whitepaper
- Ethereum Whitepaper
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Ethereum
- DAOs are not corporations: where decentralization in autonomous organizations matters by Vitalik Buterin
- Hyperstructures by Jacob Horne
- Credible Neutrality As A Guiding Principle by Vitalik Buterin
- Ethereum Learn Material
- Why Decentralization Matters
- Computer Science Course (CS50 by Harvard)
- Coursera Algorithms Course
- Solidity Course: Crypto Zombies
- The rules to make the rules
Valuable news platforms and deep dives
- TheBlockResearch: one of the best sources to learn about crypto, themes and projects
- DelphiDigital: great reports and deep dives on crypto topics, many paywalled though
- Messari Research: great articles on crypto, many paywalled though
On valuation and thesis
- Fat Protocols
- The Fundamental Value Proposition for Ether
- How much will EIP 1559 burn?
- Into The Void: Where Crypto Meets The Metaverse
Ethereum Roadmap
Happy birthday beacon chain!
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) December 2, 2021
Here's an updated roadmap diagram for where Ethereum protocol development is at and what's coming in what order.
(I'm sure this is missing a lot, as all diagrams are, but it covers a lot of the important stuff!) pic.twitter.com/puWP7hwDlx
DAOs
“A decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), is an organization represented by rules encoded as a computer program that is transparent, controlled by the organization members and not influenced by a central government. A DAO’s financial transaction record and program rules are maintained on a blockchain.” - Wikipedia
Recommended Resources
- DAOs, DACs, DAs and More: An Incomplete Terminology Guide by Vitalik Buterin
- Moving beyond coin voting governance by Vitalik Buterin
- DeSci Wiki - helpful links and information on decentralized science
- The Promise of DAOs, the Latest Craze in Crypto (New yorker)
- Seed Club DAO Podcast
- Aaron Wright: The LAO – DAOs From a Legal Perspective
- The patterns on zodiac.wiki describe common problems and offers practical responses for organizations
Recommended Podcasts
- Bankless Podcast: one of the best and most active ones with strong ethereum focus
- Greenpill Podcast: with more regenerative finance focus
- Zero Knowledge Podcast: more technical deep dives
- Epicenter Podcast: many great in-depth exploration about specific projects
Some DAOs, i’m excited about
Science and Impact DAOs
- VitaDAO: DAO/community funding longevity research and initatives
- Molecule: protocol and community enabling bio ip-nfts, ip-nft marketplace, kickstarting DAOs such as VitaDAO, PsyDAO
- labDAO: DAO/community/protocol enabling easier access to labs, cloud labs etc.
- PsyDAO: DAO/community funding psychedelics research and initatives (in the making)
- Gitcoin: DAO/community developing/funding public goods. Popularized quadratic funding and became popular for funding critical open source software, especially around the Ethereum ecosystem.
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Social/Culture DAOs
- FWB: “Friends with benefits is the ultimate cultural membership powered by a community of our favorite Web3 artists, operators, and thinkers bound together by shared values and shared incentives”