> that is accessible to the public, with the network affect of being able to access other contracts deployed by others.
Outside of crypto (mainly bitcoin), what business problem exists for this problem today and what blockchain solution has been created to solve it?
I've genuinely waited for people to provide a serious answer to this and I'm still waiting for an answer.
From a more practical aspect I see great value in, non-corporate owned data. For example medical records. If everyone had a contract where they can provide their key to their medical providers so that they can add diagnostics, x-rays etc. and then only individuals you grant access to can read said records you would have a nice solution to open but secure medical records. Without a central authority or corporation owning and having control of that data. an open credit report would be another good one. Social networks not owned by Facebook and where anyone can build apps ontop of said data would be another.
It's not a fix all as companies are pitching it based on the buzz but anywhere where open data that needs to be secured and would better off if it where not owned by an organization, block-chain is a great solution. Sure there are speed issue with it right now. But assuming that, the speed issue is addressed I see a lot of uses for it.
So, a VCS fork? We had that for a while.
> medical records
All you're describing is an online folder with a standard API to which you upload encrypted files. The point of the blockchain and friends is to achieve consensus. It brings absolutely nothing new to that use case. It's only worse, since it relies only on encryption to protect extremely sensitive data. Do you want all your records open in twenty years when someone breaks whatever algorithm used back then?
Some kind of electronic notary: Some kind of hash that verifies something hasn't been tampered with which is signed by multiple parties which keeps adding transaction on top of transaction making it costly and costly to change the hash.
Doesn't require achieving a global consensus, hence we already have had Freenet for quite a while.
electronic notary
Still no consensus required. Cheaper version: have all parties digitally sign a file with that hash, then upload it to IPFS and share the address.
No one is denying the use for it, it's just that it's literally not actually being used yet. Again, I'm waiting for someone to provide an answer to it actually being used, not "it could be used here".
Please put ether into this contract, it will benefit all participants.
Later: upload new contract, flip the toggle: all your ether belongs to me. Thanks!