Glossary
- Ashu Sikri (Unlicensed)
Protocol
Network
Platform
Application
One hypothesis in web3 is that more value accrues to the protocol (as opposed to the application layer). More on that here: “by replicating and storing user data across an open and decentralized network rather than individual applications controlling access to disparate silos of information, we reduce the barriers to entry for new players and create a more vibrant and competitive ecosystem of products and services on top.”
[Dec 16] I think we are building a decentralized network that is powered by a suite of protocols (which collectively enable network participants to digitize information about the real-world, then discover and access this data].
Coin: Defined at the core level of a blockchain protocol—they are the native digital assets of a blockchain. For example, the native coin of the Ethereum network is Ether (ETH). ETH is used for transaction fees within the Ethereum network as well as for mining rewards paid to the participants that secure the Ethereum network. Source
Token: Tokens are built at a higher level, on top of a blockchain network. The Ethereum protocol allows for blockchains (called sidechains, or layer-2s) and applications to be built on top of the network by way of smart contracts. The digital assets used to enable the functions of those sidechains and applications are tokens. Within Ethereum, those tokens take the form of ERC-20 tokens, meaning they are tokens that function within the parameters of the Ethereum ecosystem
Village Resource Person (VRP), Producer Group (PG) Officer, Front Line Worker (FLW), Data Entry Operator: These are all interchangeable terms to describe an individual who has access to a smartphone and is trained to capture data about members in a small cluster of farmers. In India, these clusters might be ~15 women who are already part of a Self Help Group (SHG).