Great Chain of Numbers: A Guide to Smart Contracts, Smart Property and Trustless Asset Management

by Tim Swanson

What is a smart contract? What is smart property? What are decentralized autonomous organizations? How can companies and organizations use cryptocurrencies and cryptoledgers to reduce costs and increase transparency? What hurdles should entrepreneurs keep in mind when developing decentralized applications?These questions and many more are discussed in detail as Tim Swanson interviews nearly four dozen entrepreneurs, developers, investors and legal experts regarding the potential opportunities and challenges of the new trustless asset management space. Building from the hope and promises of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, these experienced veterans provide insights and anecdotes of personal experiences to give readers a better sense of what the future of the industry holds. In addition, Swanson meticulously provides over 400 references and resources to aid readers and researchers in the continuously changing ecosystem.Great Chain of Numbers is written for a casual business-centric audience, looking to become better informed and prepared for the innovations spawned by the upcoming next-generation, “2.0” platforms Colored Coins, Mastercoin, NXT, Ethereum, BitShares, Counterparty.co, Ripple, and Open-TransactionHe also taps into the community to find out what kind of projects and startups venture capitalist, angel investors and incubators are looking to fund. Their observations can help route entrepreneurs around certain areas that may be oversaturated and mature towards others that are underdeveloped and ripe for disruptive innovation. This guide acts an accessible primer for anyone looking for a compendium without having to wade through a thicket of hype and hyperbole.

253 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 3, 2014

Reviews

[Luka Klancir · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very interesting read to me as I'm heavily involved in this industry. The author gives a clear and in-depth representation of the emerging constructs of Smart Contracts, Smart Property and Trustless Asset Management. It is a field that is yet to be fully incorporated in the digital economy and you can learn everything you need from this book to be well prepared when it hits the mainstage!

[Chance Phiniezy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview.

This was a good overview of bitcoin. I found it very detailed but the detail could be glossed over and still enjoyed if not particularly interested in that topic.

This won't make you an expert but it will make you think about where the tech could be headed.

[Julio Raffaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's more of a brainstorm on the matter than a guide. Nice to get an overview of what's happening out there, but it's not a good source for getting into the mechanics of this whole new crypto solutions.