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Comment by packetlost | Hacker News Reader

Why use a blockchain at all? Implement it using signed certificate chains (x509?) and say it's cryptographically secured via decentralized PKI, then you can offer the same value proposition that basically all NFT platforms currently offer without all the environmental implications

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Why use chains at all? Use Postgres. Digital ownership and potential for profit are the value propositions. Most users probably don't care about the security and decentralization.

Why use databases at all? Use a txt file. Digital ownership and potential for profit are the value propositions. Most users probably don't care about the security, decentralization or databases at all.

Why use software at all? Use a paper title registry. Ownership and potential for profit are the value propositions. Most users don't care about decentralization or file formats at all (disagree with your premise on security). Oh wait - that's how the actual Olive Gardens are owned ;)

why use a registry at all? print NFTs on paper and mail it to the collectors.

Why use NFTs at all? Just sell the originals!

And thus we have come full circle.

Authenticity of physical collector's items is a big deal for some people. Some car manufacturers have discontinued providing certificates of authenticity for classic cars because they are afraid of being held responsible for counterfeit stampings and such (one assumes). I don't know specifically how NFTs can help with this, but if they're good for anything...

Why have paper. Verbal contracts are good as them...

yep precisely. doing this in our app. and then let the people who do care export to blockchain if they want to.

The blockchain acts as a central, trustless, clearing house for making sure you have not sold your same breadstick to 2 different people.

signed chains only work if they go through a trusted authority that reconciles them and provides it's own (authoritative) proof that the trade happened and you own it.

You’re responding to a comment chain about selling the breadstick to 2 different people.

So publish your Merkle-tree hash in a classified ad in the NYT hardcopy edition at the close of each business day.

Kinda the same thing from 10.000 meters.

Call it "ecocrypto."

you joke, but you wouldn't believe the number of artists and users that initially rejected our NFT app based on environmental concerns until we explained that transactions weren't on blockchain. Not saying the concerns aren't valid - they absolutely are - but it was just surprising.

I'm a photographer and actively block any NFT activity I see on Twitter on sight.

because of environmental concerns or another reason?

That's a primary concern, but I'm not a fan of the FOMO-driven, baseless, unregulated speculation that is all of crypto.

I suspect just a flight to social conformity.

googled that and no definite matches!

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