On Sun, 08 Sep 2013, Andrew Miller wrote:

> It's often insufficient to store just the *hash* of the data to
> timestamp it in the blockchain, at least for many potential
> applications of timestamping. The problem is that you can't at any
> time definitively declare that you know the *earliest* timestamped
> instance of the data. The reason is that it is possible for someone to
> have timestamped it earlier and just hasn't revealed it yet. If what
> you really want is timestamped *publication*, then it's necessary to
> put the actual *data* in the chain.

this discussion is very interesting. I'm currently writing my
disseration thesis and the subject of artwork distribution in the
digital era is a refrained focus for me.


Regarding the specific situation you mention, I believe there is less
interest in proof that an artwork was first published by whom in a
certain contest, in fact this is not really relevant for art - to the
contrary as the most might think. what is relevant is if Famous Artist
has really touched the thing, then who has bought it and is collecting
it. Art collectors are what counts to make art flourish at least in
terms of sustainability. The argument of "who has made it first" is kind
of pointless and somehow belongs to the world of craftmanship, not art,
which in this very century plays also with the concept of authorship,
virality and addresses the most tricky question of the 'sacred Origin'.


> This attack is prevented if in the second phase, everyone reveals
> their art directly in the blockchain, rather than in an untrusted
> delayable forum. The general way to derive an example like this is to
> replace the vague condition like "you are assumed the creator unless
> anyone can reveal an earlier one" with an irrevocable action like
> sending some actual bitcoins to the creator.

now this is a very interesting approach, to have a blockchain that
embeds the actual data. how possible would that really be?

> I understand that storing actual data in the blockchain is a "no-no"
> because it fills up the utxo indexes. The sx embed-addr command could
> probably be modified to support this anyway. The main point of this
> note is to dispel the common myth that "just the hash" suffices for
> every timestamping application. Sometimes the actual data is necessary
> too.

again, I absolutely see your point here, which counts also for what I'm
focusing on. Can anyone envision the genesis of a new blockchain that is
tailored for this act of digital artwork publication?

ciao

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