this technical evolution timeline is an important piece to study. so much knowledge is concentrated here. there would be far less consequential misunderstandings of bitcoin-technology if more folks would be able to draw conclusions out of this. some examples:
-bitcoin has a rich history of technological advances that were all tested and used and have proven to be rock solid. it was not a invention that came out of the blue. it is using reliable tech as a foundation.
-bitcoin is a breakthrough in computer science, not just a data entry on some server. lots of no-coiners still view bitcoin as something like airline miles that just got speculated up to sky high figures (tulip-mania)
-as bitcoin is a unique combination of several well understood technologies, it is
this combination that makes it work and NOT its transaction history database called blockchain. this combination we can refer to as bitcoin-technology. in contrast to the semantic wasteland referred to as "blockchain-technology".
-bitcoin technology was designed for a special purpose (scarce digital cash bearer instrument) and is serves this very special purpose with immaculate perfection for more than a decade. when it comes to money/value - why rely on a system where unverifiable trust is mandatory when you can opt out to a system with trustless verifiability?
-bitcoin-technology solves cheating and lying within its technical boundaries of a monetary digital network. people that do not understand this evolution easily fall victim to the idea that the technical elimination of trust in this highly specialized field somehow gave way to a new technology that is capable of doing the same trick to anything else like supply chains or ownership titles. this new tech is referred to as "blockchain-technology". if satoshis intend was not to invent "blockchain" that "will change everything"
-"blockchain-technology" is not a technology. how can the
transaction history of a digital money network resemble a technology? whenever "blockchain-experts" try to build something useful they are using parts of the technical developments shown in the above timeline, and that makes it look like technology. they- for example re-invent tamper-proof databases and think it has something to do with "blockchain"
edited.
Thanks 600watt, you saved me the typing. Take my last merit. The image above is very important, as it encapsulates the history of how Bitcoin came to be what it is today. It was not just a man's creation, but a long process of developing the foundations, ideas and technologies that have shaped Bitcoin, a process that is still ongoing, as new additions/improvements to the protocol are
carefully implemented (SegWit being the most important so far). I stress the word
carefully, for those who are eager to quickly add new things or make changes (like block size increases) without considering the implications.
To me, as a devoted electronics engineer and science/technology lover, it is an extremely powerful feeling, almost to the point of shedding tears (literally) when I imagine the dreams and ideas of those early pioneers, and the determination and hard work of the cypherpunk community to turn those dreams and ideas into reality. All without monetary gain, all for free, as a contribution to society. Satoshi Nakamoto is, of course, the man/team behind getting it all together and setting it in motion.
Regardless of what will happen to Bitcoin in the future, and if it is replaced by something else or dies out (and I strongly believe it will carry on existing and improving long after we all have passed away), it will always be the protocol that started it all. A point of reference for all future digital monetary tech. It will be taught at universities (already happening) and will be included in history books. These are great times we live in, and we are all privileged to be a part of this.
Edit: Corrected typo, improved syntax.
