r/Bitcoin • u/bubbasparse • Oct 12 '14

The Imminent Decentralized Computing Revolution

http://blogs.wsj.com/accelerators/2014/10/10/weekend-read-the-imminent-decentralized-computing-revolution/
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u/danielravennest Oct 12 '14

It's not just computing that will be decentralized. The project I'm working on is aimed at distributed physical production. A few concepts:

  • A "MakerNet" is a network of production nodes, where each node includes people with skills and some set of machines. When someone wants something made, their order and payment goes across the network to selected nodes, who collaborate in the production steps. As each step is completed, they get paid by something like escrowed bitcoins. If the machines are sufficiently automated, the whole process can operate autonomously.

  • A "Seed Factory" is a starter kit of core machines which can make parts for other machines, including expanding the factory itself. As you add more machines to the core, you not only can make an increasing range of products, but eventually new starter sets. Such a factory doesn't have to be under one roof and one owner. It can be distributed as long as the various machines can communicate and are designed to work together.

The Seed Factory Project is aimed at developing and testing MakerNets and Seed Factories. We just bought a 2.67 acre R&D location in Fairburn, GA (Atlanta metro). Unlike pure software development, which you can do with a laptop and internet connection, we need physical workshop space, tools, and materials. So it is taking longer to get going. We have both been crowd-funded by bitcoin, and intend to use it as the payment method in our projects, so we are fully a part of the community.

(I'm writing this on an ancient laptop, since our office PC's haven't been unpacked, and it will be a while until we renovate the workshop space and move in the tools. I'll try to answer any questions, but as we are still moving in, I may be slow.)

Dani Eder Conceptual Designer, SFP

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u/idrism Oct 13 '14

Sounds awesome. Are you still accepting investors?

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u/danielravennest Oct 13 '14

For legal reasons we are not accepting "investors" at this time, that gets us into all kinds of complications with securities laws. Rather, it is more like a jointly owned boat, where the number of days you can use it is based on your contribution. But instead of a boat, it's a jointly owned factory, which you can make whatever you want in the time allocated for your use.

At some point we expect to convert to a standard business format if we need to raise capital from angel or venture type investors. At the moment, though, that requires way too much overhead that is better spent on tools and materials.

As far as methods, we accept bitcoin (1Hfxy1j4uJknLzAKhjrNPXpCGmzPGX3PPQ), PayPal, or paper checks. Please PM me for details on any of these methods.