描述
ethereum▫▫a▫next-generation▫smart▫contract▫and▫decentralized▫application▫platform▫▫when▫satoshi▫nakamoto▫first▫set▫the▫bitcoin▫blockchain▫into▫motion▫in▫january▫2009▫he▫was▫simultaneously▫introducing▫two▫radical▫and▫untested▫concepts▫▫the▫first▫is▫the▫bitcoin▫a▫decentralized▫peer-to-peer▫online▫currency▫that▫maintains▫a▫value▫without▫any▫backing▫intrinsic▫value▫or▫central▫issuer▫▫so▫far▫the▫bitcoin▫as▫a▫currency▫unit▫has▫taken▫up▫the▫bulk▫of▫the▫public▫attention▫both▫in▫terms▫of▫the▫political▫aspects▫of▫a▫currency▫without▫a▫central▫bank▫and▫its▫extreme▫upward▫and▫downward▫volatility▫in▫price▫▫however▫there▫is▫also▫another▫equally▫important▫part▫to▫satoshis▫grand▫experiment▫▫the▫concept▫of▫a▫proof▫of▫work-based▫blockchain▫to▫allow▫for▫public▫agreement▫on▫the▫order▫of▫transactions▫▫bitcoin▫as▫an▫application▫can▫be▫described▫as▫a▫first-to-file▫system▫▫if▫one▫entity▫has▫50▫btc▫and▫simultaneously▫sends▫the▫same▫50▫btc▫to▫a▫and▫to▫b▫only▫the▫transaction▫that▫gets▫confirmed▫first▫will▫process▫▫there▫is▫no▫intrinsic▫way▫of▫determining▫from▫two▫transactions▫which▫came▫earlier▫and▫for▫decades▫this▫stymied▫the▫development▫of▫decentralized▫digital▫currency▫▫satoshis▫blockchain▫was▫the▫first▫credible▫decentralized▫solution▫▫and▫now▫attention▫is▫rapidly▫starting▫to▫shift▫toward▫this▫second▫part▫of▫bitcoins▫technology▫and▫how▫the▫blockchain▫concept▫can▫be▫used▫for▫more▫than▫just▫money▫▫commonly▫cited▫applications▫include▫using▫on-blockchain▫digital▫assets▫to▫represent▫custom▫currencies▫and▫financial▫instruments▫▫colored▫coins▫▫the▫ownership▫of▫an▫underlying▫physical▫device▫▫smart▫property▫▫non-fungible▫assets▫such▫as▫domain▫names▫▫namecoin▫▫as▫well▫as▫more▫advanced▫applications▫such▫as▫decentralized▫exchange▫financial▫derivatives▫peer-to-peer▫gambling▫and▫on-blockchain▫identity▫and▫reputation▫systems▫▫another▫important▫area▫of▫inquiry▫is▫smart▫contracts▫-▫systems▫which▫automatically▫move▫digital▫assets▫according▫to▫arbitrary▫pre-specified▫rules▫▫for▫example▫one▫might▫have▫a▫treasury▫contract▫of▫the▫form▫a▫can▫withdraw▫up▫to▫x▫currency▫units▫per▫day▫b▫can▫withdraw▫up▫to▫y▫per▫day▫a▫and▫b▫together▫can▫withdraw▫anything▫and▫a▫can▫shut▫off▫bs▫ability▫to▫withdraw▫▫the▫logical▫extension▫of▫this▫is▫decentralized▫autonomous▫organizations▫▫daos▫▫-▫long-term▫smart▫contracts▫that▫contain▫the▫assets▫and▫encode▫the▫bylaws▫of▫an▫entire▫organization▫▫what▫ethereum▫intends▫to▫provide▫is▫a▫blockchain▫with▫a▫built-in▫fully▫fledged▫turing-complete▫programming▫language▫that▫can▫be▫used▫to▫create▫contracts▫that▫can▫be▫used▫to▫encode▫arbitrary▫state▫transition▫functions▫allowing▫users▫to▫create▫any▫of▫the▫systems▫described▫above▫as▫well▫as▫many▫others▫that▫we▫have▫not▫yet▫imagined▫simply▫by▫writing▫up▫the▫logic▫in▫a▫few▫lines▫of▫code▫.eth, an ENS name.