Bitcoin Magazine recently sat down with Lisa, founder of Bitcoin++ and the Base58 Bitcoin Developer course, to discuss her work and her vision for structured education in the Bitcoin space.
Lisa’s journey in the Bitcoin space has been extensive. Currently, she works part-time on the core Lightning project at Blockstream and also runs Base58, a platform aimed at providing intermediate to advanced level developers with in-depth knowledge of Bitcoin technical development. This endeavor was born out of her belief that structured education can greatly increase the capacity of the Bitcoin development community.
“A structured education is as hard as a good curriculum is,” Lisa says. “Having someone show you the way in the information environment is really important to your success.”
Bitcoin LARP Games: Making Learning Fun
One outstanding initiative under Lisa’s leadership is the Bitcoin LARP game. This innovative educational tool is designed to make learning about the technical aspects of Bitcoin accessible and fun for people of all ages and backgrounds. The game breaks down complex concepts into engaging, hands-on activities, helping participants build confidence and a deeper understanding of Bitcoin.
Lisa shared her experience hosting the first Bitcoin LARP in Mexico, highlighting that it brought together people from different regions and countries. The success of this initiative highlights the potential of interactive and immersive learning experiences that unravel the complexities of Bitcoin.
“The Bitcoin LARP game is a great educational tool for experienced engineers,” she explains. “It’s so much fun to see people’s faces light up as they start to put all the pieces together in their heads like a model, and realize, ‘Wait, I can do this. I can do this.'”
Understanding memory pools
Lisa’s vision for Base58 includes expanding the curriculum to cover advanced topics such as Taproot, the Lightning Network, and contracts. One of the key components of Bitcoin transaction processing that Lisa emphasizes is memory pools. Her research and insight into memory pool mechanisms reveals subtle and often surprising ways in which memory pools operate, which is crucial for developers looking to optimize transaction efficiency.
“Memory pools work in surprising ways,” Lisa said. “There are a lot of unseen aspects to them that have a huge impact on how transactions are processed and prioritized.”
Lisa explained that understanding memory pools is important for developers who want to optimize transaction efficiency and fee management.
The Importance of a Good Curriculum
Throughout the interview, Lisa repeatedly emphasized the challenge and necessity of developing a good curriculum. A well-structured educational pathway not only equips learners with the requisite knowledge, but also builds their confidence in understanding Bitcoin’s technical landscape. Base58 aims to be a platform where anyone can run Bitcoin-related classes, fostering a community of knowledgeable and skilled developers.
“It’s interesting how hard good teaching is. Good curriculum is really important,” Lisa emphasized. “Taking stock of the context and charting a path for others is essential to successful learning.”
Future plans for Base58
Going forward, Lisa plans to establish Base58 as a leading Bitcoin education platform, including launching new classes, securing non-profit status to offer scholarships, and enhancing the online learning experience. The goal is to build a robust structure where both seasoned developers and newcomers can find valuable resources to deepen their understanding and contributions to the Bitcoin ecosystem.
“Ideally, Base58 would be a place where if we had classes we could run them here without having to worry about finding students,” Lisa says.
“A key goal is to help people structure their lessons, whether they’re in-person or online,” he explained.
Lisa’s work with Bitcoin++ and Base58 is paving the way for a more knowledgeable and capable Bitcoin development community. By emphasizing structured education and innovative learning tools like the Bitcoin LARP game, she is helping ensure the next generation of Bitcoin developers are well equipped to build and advance the protocol.
