Read_751 - Decentralization: Why Dumb Networks Are Better [Andreas Antonopolous]

"Some networks are “smart.” They offer sophisticated services that can be delivered to very simple end-user devices on the “edge” of the network. Other networks are “dumb” — they offer only a very basic service and require that the end-user devices are intelligent. What’s smart about dumb networks is that they push innovation to the edge, giving end-users control over the pace and direction of innovation. Simplicity at the center allows for complexity at the edge, which fosters the vast decentralization of services.
Surprisingly, then, “dumb” networks are the smart choice for innovation and freedom." — Andreas Antonopolous

Today we read another "Bitcoin classic" that deserves a place on the Bitcoin Audible catalog. Back from 2015, Andreas writes an incredible piece, still fundamental to understanding Bitcoin and the nature of decentralization to this day, why "dumb" networks are better. What does he mean by this, and why would a dumb network foster innovation, where a smart network stifles it? Don't miss this essential piece of Bitcoin history.

• Andreas' Website: https://aantonop.com/
• Anil's reads list: Essential Bitcoin Essays: A Reading List
• Check out the original article: ⁠Decentralization: Why Dumb Networks Are Better⁠ - Foundation for Economic Education⁠

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“Liberty is not merely one particular value…it is the source and condition of most moral values. What a free society offers to the individual is much more than what he would be able to do if only he were free.” — F.A. Hayek