[Cialug] SW & Blockchain

[Andrew Denner]

 So a couple of thoughts...
1.) I believe that they would store the hash to the git check-in or or
store the code itself in something like IPFS and then the associated
metadata being what is stored on the actual ledger.
2.) If you are relying on this as a proof of copyright timestamp tool or
existance of your idea as patent publishing you in the end will still need
to explain it to a judge in court and that will be tougher.  Copyright
automagically exists at creation time, the court would have a much easier
time understanding a poor man's copyright proof of printing your source
code off and mailing it to yourself with a postmark on it and keeping it
sealed.
3.) If your idea rises to the point of being worth a patent, talking to a
lawyer who is an expert is going to have much better results.
4.) Using this system to check if your code will violate other's patents or
copyright relies on the fact that they all have to also load their stuff
into your system. Good luck with that.
5.) In the end it somewhat sounds like they are using this as a slow and
not very good decentralized database to track the ownership and
providence of their code.

I don't see this really being more than buzzword compliant shiney
"features" that will end in headache and heartburn, but then again, I may
just be an old man yelling at a crypto cloud.

------------------------------
*From:* Cialug <cialug-bounces at cialug.org> on behalf of L. V. Lammert <
lvl at omnitec.net>
*Sent:* Saturday, May 10, 2025 4:15 PM
*To:* Central Iowa Linux Users Group <cialug at cialug.org>
*Subject:* [Cialug] SW & Blockchain

Caught this comment from a startup here in St. Louis:

"We are currently researching blockchain and smart contracts in an effort
to save ours and 3rd party developers code in internal NFTs that are
tracked externally on a reliable crypto blockchain ledger like XRP as a
way to avoid copyright infringement as the patent process is too slow,
time consuming, and not cost effective. "

Does not really seem viable to me, as while an NFT can store a hash or
other signature, there would be no way to save the entire source code nor
any way to compare different versions.

Anyone moving down this sort of path?

        TIA!
_______________________________________________
Cialug mailing list
Cialug at cialug.org
https://www.cialug.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/cialug