The peer-to-peer decentralised world we see unfolding is a result of the relentless dedication of a group of builders, mathematicians, misfits, and hackers.
They’ve built over generations, and now the baton has been passed to us. #web3
A fascinating thread 🧵👇
They’ve built over generations, and now the baton has been passed to us. #web3
A fascinating thread 🧵👇
1/ 1973
Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn worked on the early designs of ARPANET, and then started the development of a way for all the different computers in the world to talk to each other (TCP/IP) that allowed the internet as we know it today to exist 🔗
Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn worked on the early designs of ARPANET, and then started the development of a way for all the different computers in the world to talk to each other (TCP/IP) that allowed the internet as we know it today to exist 🔗
2/ 1976
Whitfield Diffie and Mertin Hellman's paper New Directions in Cryptography introduced a radically new method of distributing cryptographic keys, that helped solve key distribution — a fundamental problem in cryptography 🔐
Whitfield Diffie and Mertin Hellman's paper New Directions in Cryptography introduced a radically new method of distributing cryptographic keys, that helped solve key distribution — a fundamental problem in cryptography 🔐
3/ 1978
RSA (Rivest–Shamir–Adleman) came up with a public-key cryptosystem that is widely used for secure data transmission.
In a public-key cryptosystem, the encryption key is public and distinct from the decryption key, which is kept secret (private)
RSA (Rivest–Shamir–Adleman) came up with a public-key cryptosystem that is widely used for secure data transmission.
In a public-key cryptosystem, the encryption key is public and distinct from the decryption key, which is kept secret (private)
4/ 1980
While an undergraduate, Merkle devised Merkle's Puzzles, a scheme for communication over an insecure channel, as part of a class project. The scheme is now recognized to be an early example of public-key cryptography 🔑
While an undergraduate, Merkle devised Merkle's Puzzles, a scheme for communication over an insecure channel, as part of a class project. The scheme is now recognized to be an early example of public-key cryptography 🔑
5/ 1981
David Chaum’s paper, "Untraceable Electronic Mail, Return Addresses, and Digital Pseudonyms", laid the groundwork for the field of anonymous communications research 📧
David Chaum’s paper, "Untraceable Electronic Mail, Return Addresses, and Digital Pseudonyms", laid the groundwork for the field of anonymous communications research 📧
6/ 1985
Elliptic-curve cryptography (ECC) is an approach to public-key cryptography based on the algebraic structure of elliptic curves over finite fields. ECC allows smaller keys compared to non-EC cryptography to provide equivalent security .
Elliptic-curve cryptography (ECC) is an approach to public-key cryptography based on the algebraic structure of elliptic curves over finite fields. ECC allows smaller keys compared to non-EC cryptography to provide equivalent security .
7/ 1988
Timothy C. May wrote “The crypto-anarchist manifesto” which is a political ideology focusing on the protection of privacy, political freedom, and economic freedom 📙
Timothy C. May wrote “The crypto-anarchist manifesto” which is a political ideology focusing on the protection of privacy, political freedom, and economic freedom 📙
8/ 1991
Phil Zimmerman created Pretty Good Privacy (PGP), the most widely used email encryption software in the world.
Also in 1991, S Haber & W S Stornetta published a paper and created a way to time-stamp a digital document ⏳
Phil Zimmerman created Pretty Good Privacy (PGP), the most widely used email encryption software in the world.
Also in 1991, S Haber & W S Stornetta published a paper and created a way to time-stamp a digital document ⏳
9/ 1992
CypherPunks was founded in SF by Eric Hughes, Timothy C May & John Gilmore 👨👨👧
A cypherpunk is any individual advocating widespread use of strong cryptography and privacy-enhancing technologies as a route to social and political change.
CypherPunks was founded in SF by Eric Hughes, Timothy C May & John Gilmore 👨👨👧
A cypherpunk is any individual advocating widespread use of strong cryptography and privacy-enhancing technologies as a route to social and political change.
10/ 1992
Tim Berners lee invented the World Wide Web (www) 🌐
He also published the first website, which described the project itself.
Tim Berners lee invented the World Wide Web (www) 🌐
He also published the first website, which described the project itself.
11/ 1995
David Chaum’s company Digicash created the first digital currency with eCash 💵
Also, E-gold was launched online in 1996, a digital gold currency that allowed users to open an account on their website and buy and sell digital gold 🥇
David Chaum’s company Digicash created the first digital currency with eCash 💵
Also, E-gold was launched online in 1996, a digital gold currency that allowed users to open an account on their website and buy and sell digital gold 🥇
12/ 1997
Adam Back invented Hashcash which is a proof-of-work system used to limit email spam and denial-of-service attacks, which was later used in bitcoin as part of the mining algorithm. 🧑🏭
Adam Back invented Hashcash which is a proof-of-work system used to limit email spam and denial-of-service attacks, which was later used in bitcoin as part of the mining algorithm. 🧑🏭
13/ 1998
Szabo designed a mechanism for a decentralized digital currency he called "bit gold”
(he is also the biggest suspect in being Satoshi Nakamoto due to this 😉)
Szabo designed a mechanism for a decentralized digital currency he called "bit gold”
(he is also the biggest suspect in being Satoshi Nakamoto due to this 😉)
14/ 1998
Wei Dai created “B-money” decentralised database to record transactions by using a type of proof of work. The smallest subunit of Ether, the wei, is named after him 🪙
In 1999, during the dot com bubble, many online retailer currencies were born like beenz & flooz.
Wei Dai created “B-money” decentralised database to record transactions by using a type of proof of work. The smallest subunit of Ether, the wei, is named after him 🪙
In 1999, during the dot com bubble, many online retailer currencies were born like beenz & flooz.
15/ 2001
Bram Cohen launched BitTorrent protocol and later the first file-sharing program to use the protocol, also known as BitTorrent 📁
Bram Cohen launched BitTorrent protocol and later the first file-sharing program to use the protocol, also known as BitTorrent 📁
16/ 2004
Hal Finney launched Reusable Proof-of-Work (RPOW) which was intended as a prototype for digital cash.
He also was an early bitcoin contributor and received the first bitcoin transaction from bitcoin's creator Satoshi Nakamoto.
Hal Finney launched Reusable Proof-of-Work (RPOW) which was intended as a prototype for digital cash.
He also was an early bitcoin contributor and received the first bitcoin transaction from bitcoin's creator Satoshi Nakamoto.
17/ 2009
By building on all these advancements Satoshi Nakamoto released the Bitcoin whitepaper for peer-to-peer electronic cash system 💸
By building on all these advancements Satoshi Nakamoto released the Bitcoin whitepaper for peer-to-peer electronic cash system 💸
Thank you @bitinning for helping us bring this thread to life 🤍
https://twitter.com/bitinning/status/1481159010027917314?s=21
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