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I thought lightning was just code for "Off-Chain transactions processed by someone else".

Reading here: https://cointelegraph.com/bitcoin-for-beginners/what-is-the-...

I still get that impression:

>The Lightning Network is a second layer added to Bitcoin’s (BTC) blockchain that allows off-chain transactions, i.e. transactions between parties not on the blockchain network.

Can you help me understand how this will be different than Visa/Paypal with occasional commits to the chain?

You don't need a third-party, you can run your own node. It's a state channel. Visa could participate as a liquidity provider to help route payments but it's totally peer to peer.

Sure but most of the implementations are commercial

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_Network#Implementati...

Sure, but in many cases people want to redeem the payment for local currency. In that situation, governments can manage the on/offramp to the network.

Much in the same way git is distributed.