Читать книгу Cryptocurrency All-in-One For Dummies онлайн

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 Network: The network is composed of “full nodes.” Think of nodes as the computers that are running an algorithm that is securing the network. Each node contains a complete record of all the transactions that were ever recorded in that blockchain.The nodes are located all over the world and can be operated by anyone. It’s difficult, expensive, and time-consuming to operate a full node, so people don’t do it for free. They’re incentivized to operate a node because they want to earn cryptocurrency. The underlying blockchain algorithm rewards them for their service. The reward is usually a token or cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin.

Blockchain applications are built around the idea that the network is the arbitrator. This type of system is an unforgiving and blind environment. Computer code becomes law, and rules are executed as they were written and interpreted by the network. Computers don’t have the same social biases and behaviors as humans do.

The network can’t interpret intent (at least not yet). Insurance contracts arbitrated on a blockchain have been heavily investigated as a use case built around this idea.