https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog The Build Blockchain Blog hosted longer form articles, published by Ben DiFrancesco, alongside the weekly newsletter of the same name. Its 21 posts are preserved here as an archive. en Sat, 22 May 2021 18:25:25 -0400 https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/code-law-and-the-nature-of-consensushttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/code-law-and-the-nature-of-consensusSat, 22 May 2021 18:25:25 -0400Ben DiFrancescoOn cryptonetworks, is code law, or is it all social consensus? The answer is yes. Let's explore why. https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/discussion-whats-in-a-node-with-anthony-lusardihttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/discussion-whats-in-a-node-with-anthony-lusardiThu, 29 Aug 2019 16:14:08 -0400Ben DiFrancescoBen and Anthony have a chat about what it means for a node to be a "full node," especially the differences between fast sync nodes and fully validating nodes in Ethereum. https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/webinar-etherdelta-and-regulationhttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/webinar-etherdelta-and-regulationSat, 01 Dec 2018 14:20:54 -0500Ben DiFrancescoThis week, I was joined on a livestream by Andrew Bull, ESQ., to discuss the SEC settlement with the founder of EtherDelta.videoregulationethereumsmart contracts https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/bitcoin-bug-takeawayshttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/bitcoin-bug-takeawaysFri, 28 Sep 2018 16:44:20 -0400Ben DiFrancescoIt’s been more than a week since the initial disclosure of CVE-2018-17144.articlebitcoindevelopmentsecurity https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/radical-markets-blockchainhttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/radical-markets-blockchainFri, 21 Sep 2018 16:32:11 -0400Ben DiFrancescoGlen Weyl is a researcher at Microsoft and the co-author of “Radical Markets: Uprooting Capitalism and Democracy for a Just Society”.articledecentralization https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/quantlayer-podcasthttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/quantlayer-podcastFri, 14 Sep 2018 13:50:43 -0400Ben DiFrancescoThis past summer, I was a guest on the QuantLayer podcast talking about software development and the broader crypto ecosystem.audiosmart contractsdevelopment https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/2018/9/1/thoughts-from-coinvention-its-1993-and-this-is-an-internet-conferencehttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/2018/9/1/thoughts-from-coinvention-its-1993-and-this-is-an-internet-conferenceSat, 01 Sep 2018 18:09:32 -0400Ben DiFrancescoYesterday, I had the pleasure of attending Coinvention, a blockchain conference in my hometown of Philadelphia.articleeventscommunityphiladelphia https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/eth-core-devs-block-rewardhttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/eth-core-devs-block-rewardFri, 24 Aug 2018 17:10:14 -0400Ben DiFrancescoToday, the Ethereum Core Dev team held a meeting to discuss lowering the block reward given to Ethereum miners.articleethereumproof-of-stakeproof-of-work https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/free-hard-fork-problemhttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/free-hard-fork-problemFri, 17 Aug 2018 17:08:54 -0400Ben DiFrancescoThis post will outline an issue with the aspiration to move the Ethereum network to full Proof-of-Stake.articleethereumproof-of-stakeconsensus https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/btc-node-developers-guidehttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/btc-node-developers-guideFri, 10 Aug 2018 22:56:36 -0400Ben DiFrancescoThe goal of this guide is to set up a Bitcoin Node that is useful for tinkering with as a developer.tutorialbitcoinnodedevelopment https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/two-views-of-cryptohttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/two-views-of-cryptoFri, 03 Aug 2018 00:18:06 -0400Ben DiFrancescoEach of us has a unique personality and history that influences the way we perceive the world-- our own set of lenses through which we view reality.articledecentralizationbitcoinethereumsmart contracts https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/what-if-were-wronghttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/what-if-were-wrongTue, 24 Jul 2018 12:46:48 -0400Ben DiFrancescoAugur, the decentralized prediction market built on Ethereum, has been running for two weeks.articledecentralization https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/need-blockchain-decentralizedhttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/need-blockchain-decentralizedTue, 10 Jul 2018 15:54:09 -0400Ben DiFrancescoAlex Hillman is the co-founder of IndyHall-- one of the earliest, longest running, and most respected coworking communities in the world.videodecentralizationsmart contracts https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/narrow-minded-maximalismhttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/narrow-minded-maximalismMon, 02 Jul 2018 15:50:04 -0400Ben DiFrancescoWhat is a Bitcoin Maximalist? Some insist the term is derogatory, akin to a slur.articlebitcoinsmart contracts https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/2018/6/28/introducing-an-experienced-developer-to-ethereum-smart-contract-coding-in-solidityhttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/2018/6/28/introducing-an-experienced-developer-to-ethereum-smart-contract-coding-in-solidityThu, 28 Jun 2018 11:16:31 -0400Ben DiFrancescoI had the pleasure of introducing my friend and fellow software engineer John Feras to smart contract development on the Ethereum network using Solidity.videosoliditysmart contractsprogramming https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/apps-to-dappshttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/apps-to-dappsTue, 19 Jun 2018 13:59:51 -0400Ben DiFrancescoOn Thursday, June 14th, 2018, I had the pleasure of speaking at Philly CocoaHeads.videodappssoliditydevelopment https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/apple-and-blockchainhttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/apple-and-blockchainThu, 14 Jun 2018 17:24:11 -0400Ben DiFrancescoHere's a thought experiment: imagine Apple buying Brave, the privacy-focused browser company that uses a cryptocurrency to compensate content creators.articleappledecentralizationprivacy https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/crypto-learn-from-githttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/crypto-learn-from-gitThu, 07 Jun 2018 11:27:56 -0400Ben DiFrancescoOn Monday, Microsoft announced that it had acquired code-collaboration site GitHub.articledecentralization https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/pow-window-closedhttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/pow-window-closedWed, 30 May 2018 17:00:36 -0400Ben DiFrancescoIn the wake of three high profile mining-related attacks on notable alt-coins, one can't help but wonder: is the window for bootstrapping a new proof-of-work cryptocurrency closed?articleminingPoWsecurity https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/why-developers-blockchainhttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/why-developers-blockchainFri, 25 May 2018 14:59:00 -0400Ben DiFrancescoTo kick off the Build Blockchain Tech initiative, I hosted a webinar discussing why developers and entrepreneurs should care about this stuff in the first place!video https://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/the-red-pillhttps://www.buildblockchain.tech/blog/the-red-pillMon, 14 May 2018 17:18:45 -0400Ben DiFrancesco"This is your last chance," Morpheus tells Neo, in the iconic 'red pill/blue pill' scene in The Matrix.