How Improving The UI And UX Of Bitcoin Nodes Could Benefit Everyone

This is a viewpoint editorial by Ram, a twenty year old student, soldier and storyteller.Imagine this: Your baby girl is adjusting her laptop, and shes screaming, “Wow!” and “Oh!” You question whats going on. Is it a cartoon? Is it anime? Whys she so excited?As I, a twenty year old, compose this in Singapore, about 15,000 active Bitcoin nodes are approximated to be running all over the world. These nodes keep the Bitcoin database in part/in its whole. With 15,000 computer systems saving the exact same database all over the world, consistently sending new blocks and brand-new deals to one another, its practically impossible for any one gamer to pop by and alter the record of what happened. When talking about Bitcoins future as a decentralized currency, Elon Musk stated this:”The truth is, the typical person is not going to run a bitcoin node.”– Elon Musk, B World Conference 2021I agree with Elon. Let me clarify.Elon was referring to a confirming node, which is quite simple to set up. Mining nodes and validation nodes serve various functions. (TLDR: mining nodes take in electrical power to develop “blocks” of data, validating nodes examine whether the info in those blocks is accurate. Nowadays, mining nodes are called miners, whereas verifying nodes are merely called nodes.) Both contribute to decentralization.Setting up a recognition node will not burn your house down due to high electrical energy usage. Its in fact easy and needs no technical expertise.In truth, it costs simply ~ 10 cents per day from electrical power. At the minute, you require less than 7GB of storage area to set up a pruned validation node (in which you hold just part of the Bitcoin deal database, but still add to decentralization). The typical person is not conscious of the above.Nevertheless, Bitcoin remains the most decentralized cryptocurrency on the world. 15,000 nodes in the context of a cryptocurrency is terrific, and proof of Bitcoins decentralization was shown during the blocksize wars. Lets frame the context differently. Over 5,000,000,000 individuals have access to the web today. All of a sudden, 15,000 nodes look tiny. A lot more than 15,000 folks most likely have computers with 7GB to spare. Many may even have an old laptop sitting in the garage!For Bitcoin to gain wider and faster adoption progressing, its decentralization needs to be constantly emphasized. One method to do this is by motivating routine folks to run Bitcoin confirming nodes. We arent talking enough about this today. Accomplishing This Via Node UI And UX ImprovementsEven in exchanges and payment apps, UI and UX are perhaps being sidelined. When it pertains to nodes, the UI and UX conversation is virtually non-existent. Remember: the biggest company in the world today got to where it is by relentlessly focusing on UI and UX. That companys market cap is presently about 6 times larger than Bitcoins. Image from Apple, 1998; Sourced from CNETBitcoin might not be a company, however the same principle uses. It boils down to making things more intuitive.When it concerns establishing a confirming node, make things simpler. And easier. And simpler. Setting Up Bitcoin Core need to feel like installing a chrome extension. Or an app from Google Play. And suddenly, well have individuals understanding: “Hey, this node thingy is really super easy!”Let me clarify: setting up a validating node is currently basic. Simplicity and perceived simplicity are various things. Today, perceived simplicity requires effortlessness. Next, lets discuss how running a verifying node needs to feel. Take block explorer websites.Image from blockchain.comTechnically, any of this details can be found on any complete confirming node. Its simply less user-friendly and requires some technical knowledge. The average Joe will not obtain that knowledge.So, improve the UI and UX. Superimpose the block explorer sites interface on top of the node program. Take it an action even more. Let users see how numerous nodes theyre transferring information to, the number of blocks theyve helped verify thus far, any temporary chain splits. Easier. More interactive. And yet simple and easy. Im sure therell be plenty of ideas on developing a fun UI and UX based on the blockchain.And UI and UX arent just important for increased decentralization. They can change the very way in which people enter into Bitcoin. For illustrations sake, heres what I imagine the typical path of someone who enters Bitcoin: Hears about cryptocurrencies as a way to make fiat → gets into altcoins → gets into Bitcoin → interested in Bitcoin → goes down the bunny hole → believes in Bitcoin → establish a validating node.This pathway is just one of numerous. Heres my point: most of the time, setting up a node happens rather late.Heres what an enhanced and instinctive node UI and UX could change that path into: Hears about cryptocurrencies as a way to make fiat → chooses to set up a Bitcoin verifying node to get a taste of cryptos value proposal → finds out by means of communicating with the blockchain → possibly even has fun → interested in Bitcoin → thinks in Bitcoin → informs more folks to set up a verifying node → spreads word; procedure loops.A validating node is an open invite from Bitcoin to new folks, that necessitates no risk-taking. UI and UX improvements will market it. Theyll propagate finding out by means of communicating with the Bitcoin network. Education will come directly from the blockchain. Videos and articles, after all, can only do so much! Here are a couple more UI and UX advantages: It brings in non-technical folks to Bitcoin. Yes, Bitcoin is the most decentralized cryptocurrency in the world. But the folks running validating nodes are still a limited set mostly drawn from tech and financing neighborhoods. Lets bring over folks from other neighborhoods, too. An immediate idea is NFT designers transitioning to dealing with Bitcoins UI and UX.They reduce the inherent risks from central block explorer websites.This would publicize Bitcoin, the payments system. You can argue over Bitcoin the currency, but Bitcoin the payments system is extremely hard to refute, even through the lens of mainstream economics. At this point, its worth pointing out that increased decentralization might possibly cause specific disadvantages, too. Typical democracy problems. Decentralization amongst technocrats has its pros, too. Thats another discussion. The bottom line is: we need to be talking more about this! Much of the world still deeply misinterprets Bitcoin. The truth that the “Bitcoin is bad for the climate” argument has gotten so much traction hurts evidence. And even we Bitcoiners, all at extremely various depths of the rabbit hole, can benefit from easier interactions with the blockchain. So talk about this in your Telegrams, Discords and of course, on Twitter. Is it feasible? Does it make good sense? Is it a waste of time? Is it being actively worked on?Lets go back to the story from the start of this piece: Your child lady is adjusting her laptop, and she shouts “Wow!” and “Oh!” You stroll over and see a new block being contributed to a chain of blocks preceding it, in real-time. You see one chain ending up being 2, till the chain on top becomes longer and longer and the chain listed below disappears into flames. Your woman claps.Now that, folks, is a vision worth chasing. This is a visitor post by Ram. Opinions expressed are completely their own and do not necessarily show those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.

Whys she so excited?As I, a twenty year old, compose this in Singapore, about 15,000 active Bitcoin nodes are approximated to be running all over the world. These nodes keep the Bitcoin database in part/in its totality. Mining nodes and recognition nodes serve various functions. (TLDR: mining nodes consume electrical energy to produce “blocks” of information, confirming nodes examine whether the details in those blocks is precise. Heres my point: many of the time, setting up a node happens rather late.Heres what an improved and instinctive node UI and UX might alter that pathway into: Hears about cryptocurrencies as a way to make fiat → decides to install a Bitcoin validating node to get a taste of cryptos value proposition → learns by means of interacting with the blockchain → perhaps even has fun → interested in Bitcoin → thinks in Bitcoin → tells more folks to set up a confirming node → spreads out word; procedure loops.A confirming node is an open invite from Bitcoin to new folks, that demands zero risk-taking.