Been watching the WAN show. Now, about NFTs...

[Solstice Projekt]

Hi, I'm Sol! o/

 

So, as mentioned I was watching the WAN show and Linus mentioned NFTs and how youtube's talking about implementing them.

Now, the thing that drove me to actually post here, is both Linus' and Luke's reactions.

 

Luke mentions that NFTs can do more than just pictures and then, right after, Linus actually *nailed it*

Yet, he doesn't connect all the dots and it looks like he doesn't understand how that's supposed to work.

 

But I do!

Let me tell you!

It's an actually *old* story, nothing new at all!

 

He reminded me of this, so now I'm sharing it with you.

 

Let's rewind this VHS back to the early 2000s!

 

I remember being at my friend's place. He had an harddisk issue and I, was tasked to restore it by figuring out the values I needed to enter for his BIOS to access it.

When I was trying to figure out how this works, looking at his blue AWARD Bios, I've recalled something I've read about TPM chips.

I think that, back then, the first generation already started rolling out on motherboards.

 

I've followed the topic quite a bit, because for some reasons it was actually quite controversial and a lot of shit has been thrown at people,.

That's actually why I'm thinking Luke and Linus' would connect the dots, because it was really weird and actually memorable.

 

Back then there were people who were openly talking about what TPM is going to be enabling eventually. Interestingly enough, these people were called conspiracy theorists,

because what they've said was that the TPM chips are what's ultimately going to enable manufacturers/software vendors to lock down PCs,

as in, and this is a (probably not 100% exactly worded) quote I still remember after these two decades: *you will have to pay for copy/pasting*.

 

These people also talked about a two-class-internet, where the ones who are "in" are getting premium content but everything's locked down,

while the ones who are "out" are getting the rest of what's available of the resources and content from people willing to create it for free.

 

 

Of course there was no way of actually doing this back then and technology first had to go a certain direction, which it coincidentally did, I guess.

Just a few years later, in 2005, intel released their first CPU with hardware assisted virtualization, followed by AMD just a few years later.

Virtualization is a layer of security allowing software, a hypervisor, complete control over what the user actually does with his machine.

 

Fast Forward twenty years later and today, in 2022, it doesn't actually sound too unrealistic, we're just not right there *yet*.

 

Basically, all that's needed is already here and mostly mature and secure:

 

0. SecureBoot

Makes sure that only "trusted" code starts.

 

1. Fast, easily accessible hardware based Virtualization/Sandboxing

Because it's a completely hidden layer of control over code that's being executed and RAM that's being accessed.

One does not see or notice the HyperVisor, yet it controls literally everything that happens during the user's session.

 

2. TPM

 

From: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/information-protection/tpm/trusted-platform-module-overview

 

Quote

• Use TPM technology for platform device authentication by using the TPM’s unique RSA key, which is burned into it.

 

Microsoft says, Windows 11 will require TPM 2.0. As far as Google told me, that decision isn't completely set in stone, I will assume there will be some leeway here,

but that's not really relevant for this topic. I've read that the oldest supported CPUs will be first generation Zen and 7th gen Intel ones, which would lock out all CPUs from before 2016/2017 from upgrading to Windows 11.

 

It means that Microsoft requires all Windows machines to be unique identifiable AND be able to securely encrypt/decrypt/transfer data.

 

 

3. NFTs

 

https://ethereum.org/en/nft/

Quote

NFTs are tokens that we can use to represent ownership of unique items. They let us tokenise things like art, collectibles, even real estate. They can only have one official owner at a time and they're secured by the Ethereum blockchain – no one can modify the record of ownership or copy/paste a new NFT into existence.

 

 

CopyRight/Licensing/Ownership on the BlockChain. Anyone thinking nobody cares about BlockChain and NFTs might want to look at google trends: NFT - Explore - Google Trends

 

NFTs are the solution to what every copyright holder always asked for and what Linus mentioned:

Transfer of CopyRightOwnership. Also works for licensing.

 

 

A CopyRightHolders AND a creators wet dream.

 

(Please note that I'm not affiliated with the page I'm linking to, I just use it as an example.

It's free stuff, actually, but for the sake of example let's pretend it costs money to use.)

 

Imagine you want to make a 2d game, where you run around killing monsters.

You download a game engine, which is available for free, and start looking for sprite sheets.

You find this: https://rvros.itch.io/animated-pixel-hero?download (again, please ignore that it's free)

 

You click "License", pay a fee, a smart contract triggers writing it onto the blockchain,

triggering an authentication server granting you the permissions to download and use the content in the virtual machine that is governing your machine,

which is maybe actually even is nothing but a terminal running in a Cloud somewhere 1000km away from you.

 

 

Imagine a world where there are no more copyright disputes.

You simply license content within minutes, with trust backed by "the system" itself.

That's the near-term future we're apparently heading right into.

 

I wish I was making this up. lol

 

 

 

Secure Boot + TPM + Virtualization + BlockChain + Digital Money == The Digital Economy.

 

Oh, right. Digital Money. It doesn't matter if you "believe" in cryptos, digital money, or what your opinion is about them.

Look at this: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/cbdctracker/

 

You have to scroll down to see the WorldMap.

 

 

Now, if this sounds like conspiracy theory to you, then please remember that I am only talking about what's actually real.

 

Secure Boot allows for "securing" what gets to run on the machine, (what runs first can determine everything after)

Virtualization allows perfect control over a machine, (as all execution and data transfer can be governed)

TPM allows unique identification and secure movement of data. (as it offers a unique key identifying the machine, burned into the hardware, and real-time encryption)

BlockChain takes care of the bridge between the digital and the real world, where human interaction in the digital realm is being recorded.

 

NFTs and Smart Contracts take care of copyright, ownership, licensing.

 

Granted, there's still bugs and quirks, but for 99.99999% of humanity there is simply no away of breaking through any of that.

 

And if that's not enough and you just really can't believe that this could ever be a thing,

let's not forget that the World Economic Forum wants to force push humanity into the Fourth Industrial Revolution,

calling it The Great Reset (https://www.weforum.org/great-reset/),

where (eventually) you not only have zero privacy, you'll also own nothing and be happy about it.

 

Because, you know, a purely digital economy really does not require you to actually own real world assets.

Instead everything is being rented, which increases sustainability at the expense of, well, actually owning anything.

 

Anyhow, If you haven't heard of it, then you should probably google it.

No, really, you should. It affects you too.

 

For the more conspiracy inclined amongst you,

of which I am happily not one, despite this post making me look the opposite,

this Quora response is quite a treat: https://qr.ae/pGOLBo

 

In case you can't access the site, simply copy the link and open it in an inkognito/private window.

That works every time as long as you close the window again, before going to another.

 

Anyhow, that's it. I've written this, because I found it amazing that even these two didn't really understand what's coming. I guess that's the price of being busy.

Personally I don't care if people think this is a conspiracy theory. It's all definitely factual. Nothing of this is invented, one just needs to connect the dots.

 

Come to think of it, I've actually always wanted to post here. I guess that's a worthy first post.

Probably also my last, but hey! Thanks, Luke and Linus, for this absolutely insane moment. ^_^

 

 

PS: If you're an EVE ONLINE player and ever my name in Hek ... yeah, that's me.

 

Take care, mates, and stay healthy! o/

[bmx6454]

just curious, even if all of these strings do connect in the way you think, what's the outcome, and solution?

[AdmiralKird]

59 minutes ago, Solstice Projekt said:

Imagine a world where there are no more copyright disputes.

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2022/jan/29/huge-mess-of-theft-artists-sound-alarm-theft-nfts-proliferates
 

 

[thrasher_565]

so i think this is called web 2.0. there all kinds of things that are going on and more to come... all this has been talked about but now one could think it was coming tru but it is. robots will take over too. you can probly look up any job and there be works for a robot to do it. ya there are "new jobs" that we make today but there not enough jobs for everyone...well jobs that are of living wage that is. slavery is an option.

 

you will be locked to big coprations like walmart for example and you internet will be in a bubble. and they can control the Medea to control the people.

[CerealExperimentsLain]

Is there gonna be a new 'Actually NFTs are good!' post from a rando who never makes a second post, every week now?

[adarw]

Just now, CerealExperimentsLain said:

Is there gonna be a new 'Actually NFTs are good!' post from a rando who never makes a second post, every week now?

i dont think that was a week ago.

[Error 52]

3 hours ago, CerealExperimentsLain said:

Is there gonna be a new 'Actually NFTs are good!' post from a rando who never makes a second post, every week now?

I think this guy actually hates NFTs, just for insane schizo reasons instead of coherent ones

[Solstice Projekt]

4 hours ago, CerealExperimentsLain said:

Is there gonna be a new 'Actually NFTs are good!' post from a rando who never makes a second post, every week now?

I don't think they're good. In fact, I'd be all for not having a dystopic digital future masked as utopia.

 

14 hours ago, AdmiralKird said:

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2022/jan/29/huge-mess-of-theft-artists-sound-alarm-theft-nfts-proliferates
 

 

Yeap. Given the amounts of money involved, eventually enough people will scream for a change, leading to the digital lockdown.

 

14 hours ago, bmx6454 said:

just curious, even if all of these strings do connect in the way you think, what's the outcome, and solution?

 

Here's a forbes article about the utopia we're being promised:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/worldeconomicforum/2016/11/10/shopping-i-cant-really-remember-what-that-is-or-how-differently-well-live-in-2030/?sh=c7d5b4a17350

 

That's the supposed outcome.

The solution, assuming you agree with me instead of "them", is ... basically ... to not let them, at any cost.

 

Why? Because it's horrendously stupid to trust the very people who all helped putting us where we are now,

that they'll actually execute that utopia they're promising us. All "just" for the cost of our privacy.

 

I really wonder what Benjamin Franklin would have had to say about this.

[darknessblade]

Why do i get the Idea that you are talking like Butters in the Southpark Post-Covidspecial?

--------

Do you really think everyone wants NFT's and digital currency?

 

a lot of people want to have solid hard cash, as they know its worth somethin today, and will be tomorrow.

 

NFT's and crypto, could crash at any moment.

 

So that NFT you bought for 20K today, could be worthless tomorrow.

---------

Then again, as long as individual countries still exist 1 type of Currency will never be the main one.

 

This will only happen if the entire world chooses to use the same currency, and everyone gets treated equally.

 

[Blue4130]

12 hours ago, darknessblade said:

Why do i get the Idea that you are talking like Butters in the Southpark Post-Covidspecial?

--------

Do you really think everyone wants NFT's and digital currency?

 

a lot of people want to have solid hard cash, as they know its worth somethin today, and will be tomorrow.

 

NFT's and crypto, could crash at any moment.

 

So that NFT you bought for 20K today, could be worthless tomorrow.

---------

Then again, as long as individual countries still exist 1 type of Currency will never be the main one.

 

This will only happen if the entire world chooses to use the same currency, and everyone gets treated equally.

 

Just to play devils advocate... I give you this. Cold hard currency can crash as well.

https://www.fleur-de-coin.com/articles/worthless-money

 

For the record, I am not a fan of NFT's. I think they are rather stupid use of energy and people are spending way too much brain power on them.

[ADarkBard]

As long as people are buying and storing 5 gal buckets of mac and cheese I think we will need physical cash.

[danomicar]

I think the Licensing bit is interesting. I think a lot of companies like having their own DRM/Launcher software installed directly on your machine. Would they be willing to give up that type of access to something essentially run by the public (i.e. government)?

[05032-Mendicant-Bias]

On 1/29/2022 at 8:54 PM, Solstice Projekt said:

Because, you know, a purely digital economy really does not require you to actually own real world assets.

Instead everything is being rented, which increases sustainability at the expense of, well, actually owning anything.

Well, you went through the trouble of thinking of how an NFT based ecosystem would work. I'm pretty sure no NFT developer ever got so far, and I'm pretty sure no NFT developer cares.

 

Your idea is basically to have an universal decentralized serial number and license system stored in a blockchain. There are a few problems with your ecosystem:

1. NFT technology currently cannot implement this solution. The blockchain allows for a tiny amount of payload per transaction. Just enough for a link to somewhere else. While one could put a license there along the assets, nothing in a NFT blockchain enforces the payload structure. You need a fundamentally different NFT technology to package licenses and assets. And there is no good solution for packaging assets that are compatible across current past and future game engines. There is no good solution for storage either, you have an homongously immense blockchain in the hundreds of petabytes that holds everything but nobody is willing to store, or you have links to servers that can and will go down. Right now a compromise is used that works like torrent, with shared records, but payloads only stored by those who wants to keep them. Unfortunately, content can and has gone missing in the current implementation.
2. NFT technology is not needed to implement this solution. The Unity store, Unreal store and such all allow developers to pay for assets already integrated with the engine. It's an inordinate amount of effort to make a decentralized cryptografic database that is cross engine. That's the problems with every blockchain. Blockchains solve the decentralization problem, which is not a problem that needs solving to deploy an application. Centralized databases are more efficient.
3. Licensing is a legal problem, not a technical problem. NFT technology does nothing to prevent someone from stealing from someone else. When theft is involved, the legal system of a country gets involved. NFT technology has nothing to do with the legal framework of licensing. What happens if laws changes of a country change, and the licence has to change? The blockchain is irreversible. What about court ruling? The blockchain is irreversible. Good luck convincing the supreme court of the USA that NFT are special and above the law. 
4. NFT cannot handle Theft. What happens when a thief steals an asset from an artist, the thief makes an NFT out of it and starts licensing and selling it to developers? The thief is making money out of the artist work, and the artist has no recourse because transactions are irreversible in the blockchain. Now, if the asset is Mikey Mouse and the artist is disney, an army of lawyer comes after the thief, which is anonymous, so Disney comes after Internet Providers, Developers, the companies related to the NFT blockchain, anyone really. The bewildered judge hears "Wut?!?! You cannot reverse a transaction? Fine. Take it down. Anyone using this blockthingy is doing illegal things and is now liable for damages to disney. Next!"
5. NFT are currentyly slow and expensive. It takes between 10$ and 100$ to pay for a transaction on the ethereum blockchain right now. I don't see how can an NFT licensing system can be competitive with the Unity Store where you can buy 0.01$ assets or even free assets. With NFT you have to pay for transactions at the very least.
6. Anonymous? Only for crooks. Every transaction is public on Ethereum. You are anonymous only until your address cannot be tied to yourself. When you  know someone address, everything is public. Now, what happens is that a EA developers list on the blockchain an asset for their new game, and now everyone everywhere knows exactly what assets are being added and when and literally see what EA is working on right now. The CEO of EA looks at you and says: "We are doing what?!?!? Make a private internal blockchaian. Also no. Do what we always did, keep everything in our servers! What's wrong with you?!?!". Now developers from countries where copyright low has an hard time being enforced, can just mint new NFT that are copies of EA's NFTs, and sell/use them and get paid for it anonimously.

The TPM is a chip meant to safely store keys. It's been fifteen years, and is still not mandatory, which is good.

An useful NFT blockchain that universally solves copyright would require profound changes on technology and legal systems across the worlds, along with an unknown amount of development to address the shortcoming and make it competitive with centralized systems that are in operation today. Maybe when our civilization has quantum computers that can store hundreds of petabytes and do PoW cheaply, efficient blockchains will be a thing. I don't think it will happen this century, if at all.