Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin believes that integrating decentralization and cooperation is one of the most pressing social challenges in the Ethereum ecosystem. There is a diverse group of researchers and developers who are “all building toward their own visions of what Ethereum can be,” Buterin wrote in his blog on Saturday. He noted:
“The primary challenge is making sure that all these projects are, collectively, building something that feels like one Ethereum ecosystem, and not 138 incompatible fiefdoms.”
The concept of “Ethereum Alignment” has been proposed as a solution. However, the concept has been “poorly defined” so far. To solve the issue, Buterin proposes that “the concept of alignment should be made more legible, decomposed into specific properties, which can be represented by specific metrics.”
Metrics of Ethereum Alignment
Buterin believes every project will have its own list of properties and metrics that will “inevitably change over time.” However, he laid down some basic criteria to track whether applications are aligned with Ethereum’s long-term vision and goals.
1. Open source:
Buterin says that using open-source software for Ethereum applications has two primary benefits. First, keeping codes open and inspectable ensures safety. Second, it reduces the risk of proprietary lock-in and enables permissionless third-party improvements.
Buterin is practical and understands that the entire application does not need to be open source. However, he believes “core infrastructure components that the ecosystem depends on absolutely should be.” He called the definitions of FSF-free software and OSI open source the “gold standard.”
2. Open standards:
According to Buterin, applications must strive for interoperability with the Ethereum ecosystem and build on open standards, both those that exist and those that are yet to be implemented. Common Ethereum standards include ERC-20 and ERC-1271. Buterin suggests writing a new…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Ethereum (ETH) News | CryptoSlate…
