One of the best things about running Breez is meeting and working with such a diverse range of people. Jamaica, united states of america, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Estoniaand who knows where else. Finland, Wales, Namibia, Indiaand just about everywhere. The Breez people span three continents and represent many nationalities and ethnic backgrounds.
Deciding on a communication platform (Telegram? Slack? Zoom? Discord?) may require some adjustment. But what doesn’t require adjustment is language The language we communicate in is always and automatically English. For many of us, English is our second language (or third or fourth), and some of it is incomprehensible, but that doesn’t matter. All first contacts are in English, all channels are automatically in English, all public communication (like this blog) is in English. There’s no language that even competes for second place.
And there’s essentially no way to change this convention. No one can simply command us to start speaking Mandarin or Esperanto or Inuktitut. English is fixed, whether out of convenience, practical usefulness, historical compulsion, or just numbers. But it works, so why mess with it?
This example demonstrates several points. First, the interface between individual nodes in a network (people, nations, communities, etc.) is in the form of language. Second, a common language is necessary. In fact, the limits of language are the limits of the network. In other words, the distribution of languages is Define the networkFinally, a common language is very sticky: once everyone is accustomed to it, it basically becomes fixed.
Now, coming to the current facts that will decisively shape the future, Lightning is emerging as the lingua franca of the Bitcoin economy.
A common language between subnetworks
I’ve said this before. The various last-mile technologies, which are like local secondary roads that connect users to the high-throughput Lightning Network and ultimately to the Bitcoin mainnet, all work by essentially bundling users and their transactions into sub-networks.
for example, arc and liquid Converts incoming Bitcoins into a proprietary mechanism (VTXO and L-BTCrespectively) users can send to each other without the need for further transactions on-chain, according to their respective protocols; or Feddy Mint Members effectively pool their bitcoins and exchange IOUs with each other, and their transactions and financial status are monitored by a coalition of trusted guardians. KashPeople exchange electronic cash tokens and trust the issuing authority.
Each type of subnetwork can use its own language. How the nodes in these subnetworks communicate with each other is up to them. What is interesting is that these subnetworks Communicate with each other via LightningFor example, whether we’re talking about two different Cashu mints or Fedi interacting with Ark, Lightning is the common language of all emerging and thriving sub-networks based on Bitcoin.
Going back to the English analogy, it doesn’t matter to me what language you speak at home or at the supermarket. You can speak any arcane dialect with people you understand. But if you want to talk to me or others on Telegram or Slack, English is your only option. No one can change that even if they wanted to, and no one seems to want to. Same with Lightning.
Lightning is the common language of emerging subnetworks. It is the language of Bitcoin.
Why Lightning is the best language for Bitcoin
a General Language is not necessarily Optimal A language. It needs to work and be widely accepted. Just as the Bitcoin mainchain has certain advantages (immutability, openness, boundarylessness, etc.) that make it recommended for certain uses, Lightning is the perfect choice as a common language between sub-networks for at least three reasons:
Lightning is Bitcoin, and Bitcoin is an untrusted bearer asset
The first, and perhaps most important, reason why Lightning is the best common language is: Use BitcoinSimply put, sub-networks may not trust each other, and there is no reason for them to do so. But Bitcoin, and by extension Lightning Avoids Trust,sub-networks can interact without trust. Since Bitcoin is the only viable bearer asset and Lightning is the language of Bitcoin, Lightning is the best common language for sub-networks to interact with each other.
Additionally, Lightning, like Bitcoin, eschews leverage. The entire business model of fractional reserve banking is based on holes in balance sheets. In contrast, all positions on Lightning are recorded at all times. The balance sheet, which shows all positions on the network, is permanently held. balancedThere are no gaps or overlaps: Lightning resists the imbalances of arrogance, incompetence, and malice, which is necessary in an untrustworthy environment.
Lightning is inherently transactional and interoperable
Second, Lightning is a transaction protocol designed to facilitate flow: for regular payments, there is no memory pool and no delay until the next block is mined. Payments are completed in secondsWell, not really, and it’s the transactions – the movement of money – that make Lightning valuable. literallyStatic sats on the network do not generate any benefits. To increase the liquidity of Lightning, we need liquidity. If silence was rewarded, there would be less common language. We need to encourage communication. Lightning does just that.
Plus, learn more about Lightning Technology Bolt specification catalogue It is inherently interoperable. It is designed to allow multiple implementations of Lightning nodes with different designs, tradeoffs, and programming languages; however, all these nodes support the same bolts and can therefore interact over a common network. Interoperable by design makes it easy for other technologies to add Lightning as another interface.
Lightning has a critical mass
Finally, a common language requires a significant community of speakers.Skibbidi Liz” in a nursing home, or even better, in a Cambodian nursing home, is perhaps the greatest benefit of English and why it is so popular. More people speak English English is spoken more than any other language on Earth. In many countries, only a quarter of the population speaks English, yet you’ll find someone speaking English at the next table in almost every bar or restaurant on Earth. The same is true for Catalan.
Lightning has already achieved critical mass. It is already clear how the Cashu and Fedimint subnetworks communicate with each other: Lightning. It is designed that way, so switching a common language between the networks would require a restructuring for the most part. Like English, whatever language the subnetworks use internally, Lightning is the language the subnetworks use to communicate with each other, and it is already locked in.
The Persistence of Lightning
Actual lightning (like the lightning that shoots out of storm clouds) is known to be a very short-lived phenomenon. It flashes for a second and then goes away, and that’s it. But the Lightning Network (any number of nodes, sub-networks, and interfaces between the Bitcoin main chain) isn’t going anywhere. The common language is It has maintained its position for centuries.
Bitcoin is the world’s greatest currency. Lightning is the lingua franca of the Bitcoin world and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. For those of us who are already in Lightning, this is very good news. Lightning being anchored means that first-mover advantage will be extremely valuable.
But this is also good news for anyone just getting started or considering getting into Lightning: it removes the uncertainty of which technology to support and invest in. Lightning is on the rise, so there’s no bad time to get started. Yesterday was better than todaytoday is better than tomorrow, but tomorrow will be good too.
The best time to get started with Lightning is nowIt’s always been that way.
This is a guest post by Roy Sheinfeld. The opinions expressed here are entirely his own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.
