Homework on Provenance - Questions

[Luisperez]

Hi everyone…

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
   The decentralise network of computer allows to anyone interested to verify in real time 24/7 database like a birth certificate of any product, transaction or supply etc. Once this is in the blockchain it can’t be modify or erase.
2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
   Because the majority of databases are centralised.
3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
   Because provides financial transparency, trustles supply and unmodified or erasable transaction record.

[TolgaKmbl]

1- Blockchain enables us to track each transactions in real time. All of the transactions are written in the blockchain code which all the computers running through it have the copy of it. Once something is written, there is no removing them.Also it needs to be verified by the machines. It is a public ledger, it is an opaque system. So you can track a product from it’s origin till you get. It’s ingredients, it’s company, who made it, etc. And it all will be verified. No trust to a middle man is needed.

2- Normal database does not have the same opaqueness, there is a trust factor. It is a human based system after all.

3- Digital provenance removes that trust factor out of the system. Everything is traceable as in the blockchain.

[lalbertcruz]

How does blockchain enable digital provenance? It is verifiable, its traceable, trackable, can’t remove data.

Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance? The local database can be deleted and manipulated, it can be removed or replaced.

Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses? Its verifiable and trackable on financial transactions, it can be trustless for accounting purposes and food industry.

[Benjamin_DuBard]

1. blockchain enables digital provenance by acting as a “digital stone” information can be added to the blockchain but it can’t be removed.
2. A normal database is centralized and information could possibly be manipulated or deleted by the central authority. The blockchain is verified by a network of computers therefore data cannot be manipulated or removed.
3. Digital provenance is a such a great benefit to many businesses because it can create a trustless system in the supply chain. businesses, or vendors won’t need to trust that what they are buying is legit or correct, that will be verifiable on the blockchain.

[Cryptofun85]

1. The blockchain enable digital provenance by storing all the provenance information, along with
   other transaction data, in its blocks.
   By analyzing the transaction data on the blockchain, is possible to recover the provenance
   information, without risk of falsification.

2. A normal database do not bring the same provenance because is based on a trust
   mechanism.
   Therefore, if any of the sources of the provenance data is dishonest, the database could contain
   some false provenance data.
   Moreover a centralized database could be attacked and manipulated more easily by a malicius actor
   than a widespreaded blockchain.

3. Digital provenance is a great benefit to many business because it allows to easily reconstruct the
   entire life of a product (or a service), without the riks of getting false data.

[connor_m]

1. Blockchain’s decentralization and immutability make it a trustless database that enables provenance.
2. Typically databases are more centralized and feature the ability to remove/change data. Hence, they don’t provide the same qualities required for the trustlessness we have with blockchain.
3. Data is an important asset for many businesses that aids in evaluation, decision making, or even fulfilling a data-focused business model. Therefore, being able to trust the authenticity of your data (with minimal effort in confirming that authenticity) is generally valuable. Additionally, the transparency it provides can also be a benefit for consumers and businesses alike.

[Dejen]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?

• Blockchain is a database where you only can add transaction and not delete things.

2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?

• A normal database is centralized and can be changed.

3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?

• Because blockchain is a public ledger. You can track and trace all transactions. So you don’t have to rely on trust.

[Tccslp]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
   Blockchain is a public ledger (database) that removes trust from the equation by allowing items or transactions to be tracked. By combining the accounting and transactional functions, all interactions can be verified.
2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
   Because blockchain is decentralized no one person controls the database. A single user or institution with control introduces the possibility of fraud and cannot be “trust less.”
3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
   Digital provenance benefits businesses by increasing accountability and the need for trust. Companies will have the ability to verify their supply chain and those working to produce the products.

[Zizou8]

[quote=“ivan, post:1, topic:8423”]
Questions

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance

Blockchain ledger records all transactions and they cannot be changed or altered.

2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?

A normal database can be changed/altered and are prone to manipulation

3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?

It can increase efficiency with real time auditing. It combines the accounting and transactional layers and increases transparancy

[newm76]

1. Blockchain enables digital provenance because it is like a digital stone- you can add things, but not remove them. All transactions are on the public ledger within the database spread across the whole network.

2. A normal database doesn’t bring the same provenance because accounting and transactions are done separately, whereas on blockchain they can be done together. They are trusted and not verified leaving room for human error and manipulation.

3. Digital provenance is a great benefit to many businesses because they can trace financial transactions, trace items in the supply chain whether it’s food ingredients, clothes, etc., and do the auditing in real-time. It creates a trustless environment with transparency because they do not have to trust, they verify mathematically.

[matthewjrnewman]

1. It is basically written in digital stone. It is a public ledger. It is trustless
2. Becuase they are centralized. Becuase there is a central authority it requires trust. Easily corruptible.
3. All of the information on the ledger is verified. increasing efficiency with real time audits. NO need for outside auditors to come in. All of these audits are done in real time and much quicker and there are no loopholes. It helps also with the origination of everything. At the end of the day, all data is entered and cannot be changed. It provides more efficiency and transparancey

[MuletownPatriot]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
   Because Blockchain is a public ledger that can’t be altered, so all data can be tracked in real time with total certainty and of accuracy and verification.

2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
   Because it is controlled by a centralized entity who has ultimate control over it’s contents, and it could possibly be manipulated or altered.It requires specific access to look at the data.

3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
   Because tons of businesses need auditing and tracking services that currently rely on a huge amount of trust, and when a trustless environment exists that doesn’t require someone to access centralized databases or do on-site audits, the process is more accurate, more reliable, more efficient and more cost effective.

[Ann1]

1.Because it records the original transaction and is public knowledge. Cant be deleted. No Govt. Decentralized
2.Normal databases can be edited! Blockchain cannot.
3. Trust. Inherent trust is built in. Verify don’t trust.

[TheOldOne]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
   By making it decentralized and logging all the transactions.

2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
   Because with a normal database a centralized entity controls it, with blockchain this is not the case.

3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
   Because of transparency, everyone knows what happens and when it happened.

[Yashwin]

1. Public Ledger format allows, nodes and everyone a transparent view of transactions on the blockchain digitally thereby removing the trust factor in suppliers, governments and other establishments. Additionally once added on to the open ledger it cannot be removed.

2. Because in a normal database things can be removed and manipulated.

3. Ease of verification and check up on previous transactions, giving customer the much needed true trust, possibility of real time auditing among other benefits.

[Petraper]

1. We can track everything on the public lager. This is a trustless process - we can verify all the data on the blockchain.
2. The normal database can be changed at any time and it is not transparent.
3. With digital provenance businesses can be sure they are getting the supplies they asked for with the quality they expect. They do not have to trust their suppliers as the system is trustless and verifiable.

[Hudsen]

1. Blockchain enables digital provenance by tracking and recording every transaction on a public ledger that cannot be removed. Using this system, each chain of transactions can be traced back to their origin.
2. A normal database is controlled by a central entity and therefore nothing is preventing it from being altered. A decentralized system relies on many nodes to keep each other in check and ensure nothing is being changed from it’s original form.
3. Digital provenance removes the need for trust and ensures everything is verified. Everything can be audited almost instantly. This is good for customers, as they can be sure they know what they are getting. It is also very efficient over traditional methods.

[enrique179]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
   A blockchain is a chain of different timestamps in which you can chronologically store information about objects. Once the object goes into a new state/location you keep track of it in the blockchain by the object broadcasting it’s status change to the network.

2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
   A regular database can be modified and falsified.

3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
   real-time monitoring and accounting of the current state that can be verified by all participants instantly removes the need to trust and each state can be verified.

[ZacSed]

• How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
  If provenance is defined as an immutable ledger, than blockchain allows for transactions to be recorded forever, without being changed. So in other words, blockchain enables digital provenance by storing all past and future transactions thereby establishing a trail of activity that cannot be erased but can be searched by others in the blockchain to verify activity.
• Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
  A normal database is controlled by a few or one organization or person thereby controlling who has access to it, and the the normal database’s data can be edited and/or deleted.
• Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
  It allows for the storing of data and the ability to share the data to all others interested in verifying the data with no worry about the data being lost or deleted (because with a decentralized blockchain such as bitcoin, all data is shared and copied across thousands of computers worldwide).

[szaslavsky]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?

Blockchain is “append only” and it is verified by multiple parties so it’s not possible to alter the past. Since it’s not possible to alter the past, the history is effectively set in stone, like a rune-stone.

2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?

Because a normal database is read/write and is usually easily changeable, it’s possible to alter or remove past records.

3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?

Because provenance replaces trust and in many cases businesses trust information that shouldn’t be trusted.