Building Good Blockchains, Not Just New Ones

In pursuit of progress, especially within the realm of blockchain, we often get caught in the loop of creating something new. However, there’s another, arguably more crucial, aspect of my goal as a developer - to build good blockchains, not merely new ones.

“To ensure that your blockchain projects align more toward public welfare than personal enrichment, consider the following recommendations…”

With the vivid image of what public welfare-oriented blockchain technology looks like, let’s break down the key aspects to achieving it:

1. Open Source Culture

The cornerstone of ethical blockchain development is openness. This doesn’t stop at making your codebase open-source and inviting the community to review and contribute.

// A glimpse of an open-source blockchain project
type openSource struct {
	Codebase       string
	Contributors   []string
  Discussions    []struct{}
  DecisionMaking []DecisionMaking
  Budget         []Budget
  // ...
}

Yet, open-source is not only about code, but defines a culture in itself that reflects in every facet of a project:

Open Discussions

Engaging in open discussions helps keep the project transparent. For instance, having a public forum where anyone can suggest improvements to the project or a GitHub repository where the community can review and comment on the progress.

Open Decision Making

Open decision-making keeps every contributor on the same page. For example, hosting a community-wide vote to decide the next feature to be added or creating a consensus-based system for major project decisions.

Open Budget Management

One could set up a public ledger, where all financial transactions related to the project are recorded and can be publicly audited.

Open Culture

Imagine a project where newcomers are encouraged to contribute from day one, or where a mentorship program is in place to help less experienced contributors play an active role in the project.

2. Accessibility

Creating accessible applications is crucial to engage a wider audience. This could mean developing a user-friendly interface or providing comprehensive documentation to assist users new to blockchain.

Consider a blockchain application that supports multiple languages to cater to a global audience, or perhaps an application that incorporates accessibility features for individuals with disabilities.

3. Implement Decentralization Rigorously

Decentralization is the heart of blockchain. This could mean a network of nodes spread across various geographical locations or perhaps a system where data isn’t owned by a single entity but shared amongst all network participants.

// A simplified view of how decentralization could be implemented
type node struct{
	isDecentralized bool
	entities []string
}

4. Solve Public Problems

Blockchain can be used to solve real-world problems. For instance, a blockchain solution that provides a transparent supply chain for fair trade products or a system that enables secure, anonymous donations to humanitarian causes.

5. Advocate for Ethical Usage

As a developer, your voice matters. You could host webinars on ethical blockchain practices or write articles discussing the potential societal impacts of blockchain technology.

6. Exercise Corporate Social Responsibility

When your technology is adopted by corporations, ensure it’s used ethically. This could be a clause in your license agreement that requires companies to use your technology to promote transparency or a partnership with non-profits to promote responsible use of blockchain technology.

Let ethics drive the technology and influence how it finds its way into our daily lives for the better.

“It is commendable that you aim to employ this technology for the greater good.” - me :)

So let’s continue working towards building good blockchains, because the potential of technology is not just in the code we write, but also the good it can do.