Alternative chain - Revision history

NotATether: No need to make parent bold

2026-07-20T08:41:13Z

No need to make parent bold

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:41, 20 July 2026
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	An '''alternative chain''' is a system using the block chain algorithm to achieve distributed consensus on a particular topic. Alternative chains may share miners with a ~~'''~~parent~~'''~~ network such as Bitcoin's; this is called '''merged mining'''. The digital currencies of alternative chains are commonly called alternative currencies, or '''altcoins''' for short.		An '''alternative chain''' is a system using the block chain algorithm to achieve distributed consensus on a particular topic. Alternative chains may share miners with a parent network such as Bitcoin's; this is called '''merged mining'''. The digital currencies of alternative chains are commonly called alternative currencies, or '''altcoins''' for short.

	Alternative chains have been suggested as ways to implement [http://www.dot-bit.org DNS], [[Bitcoin OTC\|P2P currency exchanges]], SSL certificate authorities, timestamping, file storage and voting systems.		Alternative chains have been suggested as ways to implement [http://www.dot-bit.org DNS], [[Bitcoin OTC\|P2P currency exchanges]], SSL certificate authorities, timestamping, file storage and voting systems.

NotATether: Add modern blockchains

2026-07-20T08:40:27Z

Add modern blockchains

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-An '''alternative chain''' is a system using the block chain algorithm to achieve distributed consensus on a particular topic. Alternative chains may share miners with a '''parent''' network such as Bitcoin's; this is called '''merged mining'''. Alternative chains have been suggested as ways to implement [http://www.dot-bit.org DNS], [[Bitcoin OTC|P2P currency exchanges]], SSL certificate authorities, timestamping, file storage and voting systems.
+An '''alternative chain''' is a system using the block chain algorithm to achieve distributed consensus on a particular topic. Alternative chains may share miners with a '''parent''' network such as Bitcoin's; this is called '''merged mining'''. The digital currencies of alternative chains are commonly called alternative currencies, or '''altcoins''' for short.
 == Objective ==
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 Note that any naive implementation of this idea would let people create proofs-of-work by including data in a Bitcoin transaction, which would be accepted into a block.
 ==External Links==

Midnightmagic: no such thing as a bitcoin market cap

2017-06-07T19:05:22Z

no such thing as a bitcoin market cap

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:05, 7 June 2017
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	* [http://dot-bit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=269 Namecoin forum discussion]		* [http://dot-bit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=269 Namecoin forum discussion]
	* [https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=46927.msg572981#msg572981 Forum thread about double proof]		* [https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=46927.msg572981#msg572981 Forum thread about double proof]
	* [http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/1385/is-there-an-easy-way-to-check-out-the-market-cap-of-the-alternative-currencies Market cap]
	* [http://www.cryptocoincharts.info/ Long-term price charts]		* [http://www.cryptocoincharts.info/ Long-term price charts]
	* [https://www.slideshare.net/ripper234/alternative-payment-technologies-march-2013/ Presentation about major altcoins]		* [https://www.slideshare.net/ripper234/alternative-payment-technologies-march-2013/ Presentation about major altcoins]

Luke-jr: /* Protecting against double proof */

2016-07-15T22:55:20Z

Protecting against double proof

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:55, 15 July 2016
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	A better solution for new chains is to forbid multiple blocks from having the same proof of work hash - the hash measured against the difficulty target would need to be unique over all blocks. This means you can't embed a series of blocks into the same merkle tree and win them all simultaneously as the network would accept only one.		A better solution for new chains is to forbid multiple blocks from having the same proof of work hash - the hash measured against the difficulty target would need to be unique over all blocks. This means you can't embed a series of blocks into the same merkle tree and win them all simultaneously as the network would accept only one.

	'''However''', this "better solution" does not protect against multiple blocks competing for the same proof-of-work, and could subject your blockchain to nothing-at-stake attacks.		'''However''', this "better solution" does not protect against multiple blocks competing for the same proof-of-work, and could subject your blockchain to nothing-at-stake attacks.
	So don't use it unless you first make sure this isn't possible.		So don't use it unless you first make sure this isn't possible.

Luke-jr: /* Protecting against double proof */

2016-07-15T22:55:12Z

Protecting against double proof

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:55, 15 July 2016
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	A better solution for new chains is to forbid multiple blocks from having the same proof of work hash - the hash measured against the difficulty target would need to be unique over all blocks. This means you can't embed a series of blocks into the same merkle tree and win them all simultaneously as the network would accept only one.		A better solution for new chains is to forbid multiple blocks from having the same proof of work hash - the hash measured against the difficulty target would need to be unique over all blocks. This means you can't embed a series of blocks into the same merkle tree and win them all simultaneously as the network would accept only one.

	However, this "better solution" does not protect against multiple blocks competing for the same proof-of-work, and could subject your blockchain to nothing-at-stake attacks.		'''However''', this "better solution" does not protect against multiple blocks competing for the same proof-of-work, and could subject your blockchain to nothing-at-stake attacks.
	So don't use it unless you first make sure this isn't possible.		So don't use it unless you first make sure this isn't possible.

Luke-jr: /* Protecting against double proof */ Problem with the suggested "better solution"

2016-07-15T22:54:48Z

Protecting against double proof: Problem with the suggested "better solution"

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:54, 15 July 2016
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	A better solution for new chains is to forbid multiple blocks from having the same proof of work hash - the hash measured against the difficulty target would need to be unique over all blocks. This means you can't embed a series of blocks into the same merkle tree and win them all simultaneously as the network would accept only one.		A better solution for new chains is to forbid multiple blocks from having the same proof of work hash - the hash measured against the difficulty target would need to be unique over all blocks. This means you can't embed a series of blocks into the same merkle tree and win them all simultaneously as the network would accept only one.

			However, this "better solution" does not protect against multiple blocks competing for the same proof-of-work, and could subject your blockchain to nothing-at-stake attacks.
			So don't use it unless you first make sure this isn't possible.

	== Generalized proof of work ==		== Generalized proof of work ==

Luke-jr: P2P Currency Exchange wikilink to Bitcoin OTC, not Ripple

2014-08-13T04:23:54Z

P2P Currency Exchange wikilink to Bitcoin OTC, not Ripple

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:23, 13 August 2014
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	An '''alternative chain''' is a system using the block chain algorithm to achieve distributed consensus on a particular topic. Alternative chains may share miners with a '''parent''' network such as Bitcoin's; this is called '''merged mining'''. Alternative chains have been suggested as ways to implement [http://www.dot-bit.org DNS], [[~~Ripple currency exchange~~\|P2P currency exchanges]], SSL certificate authorities, timestamping, file storage and voting systems.		An '''alternative chain''' is a system using the block chain algorithm to achieve distributed consensus on a particular topic. Alternative chains may share miners with a '''parent''' network such as Bitcoin's; this is called '''merged mining'''. Alternative chains have been suggested as ways to implement [http://www.dot-bit.org DNS], [[Bitcoin OTC\|P2P currency exchanges]], SSL certificate authorities, timestamping, file storage and voting systems.

	== Objective ==		== Objective ==

Ripper234 at 11:49, 13 April 2013

2013-04-13T11:49:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:49, 13 April 2013
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	* [http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/1385/is-there-an-easy-way-to-check-out-the-market-cap-of-the-alternative-currencies Market cap]		* [http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/1385/is-there-an-easy-way-to-check-out-the-market-cap-of-the-alternative-currencies Market cap]
	* [http://www.cryptocoincharts.info/ Long-term price charts]		* [http://www.cryptocoincharts.info/ Long-term price charts]
			* [https://www.slideshare.net/ripper234/alternative-payment-technologies-march-2013/ Presentation about major altcoins]

	----		----

Ripper234: /* External Links */

2013-04-13T11:47:36Z

External Links

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:47, 13 April 2013
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	* [http://dot-bit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=269 Namecoin forum discussion]		* [http://dot-bit.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=269 Namecoin forum discussion]
	* [https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=46927.msg572981#msg572981 Forum thread about double proof]		* [https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=46927.msg572981#msg572981 Forum thread about double proof]
			* [http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/1385/is-there-an-easy-way-to-check-out-the-market-cap-of-the-alternative-currencies Market cap]
			* [http://www.cryptocoincharts.info/ Long-term price charts]

	----		----

Ripper234 at 06:48, 29 December 2012

2012-12-29T06:48:22Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:48, 29 December 2012
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	[[Category:Technical]]		[[Category:Technical]]
			[[Category:Alternative cryptocurrencies]]