Homework on Provenance - Questions

[mayjer]

Was going to start the new privacy course but since it deals a lot with the basics of Bitcoin thought I might as well knock out the Bitcoin intro course first- just cuz.

How does blockchain enable digital provenance?

All transactions that have ever occurred are recorded on the blockchain and cannot be changed (immutable). This means it’s possible to go back and verify the entire history of a transaction from one owner to the next. It’s also possible to attach extra data and documents to transactions that support and give context to the transaction (like invoices, permits, inspections, forms, licenses, permits, certifications, etc).

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

Traditional database are private, centralized, permissioned, and not immutable. This means any information stored in these database cannot be independently verified. They require TRUST.

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

It significantly reduces the need for consumers to trust the claims of the business as all their claims can be publicly verified on the blockchain. This digital history will also speed up and significantly reduce the costs of interaction between suppliers as all the data needed to make decisions will be available on the blockchain in realtime (documents, permits, etc).

[AnomX]

1. No information on the blockchain can be removed once added. Therefore the provenance can’t be changed and all transactions can be tracked in real time.

2. Centralized and in control by a single entity, not open to public 24/7, can be changed behind closed doors and only presented when needed.

3. Not depending on trust from the centralized entity, open for everyone to verify.

[samjd]

1. Blockchain provides digital provenance through a write only ledger that is verified by a network of miners that validate each transaction.
2. A regular database is read/write so the history of each entry is not validated, but trusted by the code deployed by the business. This is why it does not bring the same provenance as blockchain. The end user has to trust the business’s data, while with the blockchain you can just look up the public ledger.
3. Digital provenance is a great benefit to many businesses because it brings down the cost to audit their workflow and or supply chain. Its like when Jack Daniels says its small batch… how do you know? Just scan the QR code and see it on the blockchain!

[Hookipa7]

1The connection in real time between several computers with information that can only be added not edited provides a verifiable digital record in realtime. Provenance.
2) Normal data bases may be edited ,contain non public ledgers, and single source inputs. All these potentially corruptible elements allow forgery and fraudulent entries. Non of which support Provenance.
3 The best benefits to a bonafide business are leveling the playing field with verifiable proof of product or performance and real time auditing reducing accounting costs while balancing inventories of supply, labour and product delivery.

[AlBa]

How does blockchain enable digital provenance?

Blockchain enables digital provenance by providing a database that’s immutable and can not be compromised. Every transaction is traceable in an open/public ledger.

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

Traditional database is proven to be manipulated and often corruptible, due to its centralized nature. Each and every entity has its own data base, which can be tampered with at any moment. Blockchain offers a solution to all these major issues!

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

Digital provenance is beneficial to many businesses do to the Real-time transaction audit, verification, and transparency.

[FeloniousBaker]

1. Blockchain enables digital provenance by providing an immutable public ledger that cant be manipulated by any party.

2. A normal database cant bring the same provenance because it’s a centralized database that has the ability to be manipulated.

3. Digital provenance is great for businesses because it allows them to operate in what is essentially a trust less, verifiable environment.

[lordo_keporkak]

1- nobody control the system, the system controls its self with decentralized network and mathematical algorithms. Blach chain keeps the track of all transactions. Its open ledger
2- The transaction can be removed or lost, it can be influenced by a 3rd party. The normal database is owned by the central authority. It is fake
3- Everybody has access to date from the beginning to the end and can verify the provenance of any product or service. It provides real-time auditing. It fights data manipulations

[rickyd]

Provenance:
etymology
Latin Pro (forth) & Venire (to come)
Documented history of ownership and origin, originally used for artwork, books, etc.

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
   Every transaction is first agreed upon/validated by the network and then recorded by the network in a block that is unalterable once verified.

2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
   Data can be altered in a normal database. In blockchain, past transactions are unalterable.

3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
   It removes trust. I run a small business and spend way too much time trying to verify if transactions are accurate, valid, and if they have been changed and when/why. This is a huge pain and waste of time. I look forward to a world of accurate digital records!

[DustyMullet]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
   Provenance is the ability to look back in history. Blockchain enables this as every movement is validated and recorded.
2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
   Normal databases can be modified and/or corrupted so history can be rewritten.
3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
   Digital provenance is of great benefit to companies because it takes away the need (and effort) of gaining/maintaining trust.

[henrycrypto]

1. Blockchain enables digital provenance via its decentralized nature, where every transaction must be validated by other users in the blockhain. This prevents false transactions from being made, and creates a more secure network for digital transactions.

2. A normal database can be subjected to abuse from a centralized authority, or by someone who manipulates the database at the cost of other users.

3. Digital provenance is a great benefit to businesses because it provides a layer of transparency that otherwise may not be available to customers, or to the business owner.
   Decentralization in general gives more power to the people within that community or business.

[Filippo]

1. Because when your work with blockchain, everything’s on it is traceable.
2. A normal database contains the information that the company enters, and the only thing you can do is trust what it says is true. With blockchain everything you add is traceable and not removable.
3. Because the buyer can verify the origin of the product he buys and understand if what he is buying is a good product or a bad product.

[MoCrypto]

1. Blockchain allows for a decentralized way to perform audits of the database.
2. A normal database doesn’t have the accounting and transactional information in one place. it also does not allow for the auditing process to be performed remotely.
3. Digital provenance removes the need for businesses to trust the performance and accuracy of third party intermediaries.

[tonyliba]

1. Because the Blockchain is an immutable input of information like the Ruinstone it certifies that the information inputted is correct by checking on historic data to confirm.
2. A normal database can be manipulated by its creator as it is centralised not decentralised.
3. Digital Provenance creates trust between the business and the consumer. When a business has the consumers trust the consumer becomes the advocate of the business which creates free advertising. Word of mouth is much more valuable than advertising.

[Cryptole]

1. By way of public ledgers, on the blockchain, transactions or processes can be verified, tracked and audited in real time. The decentralized verification methods employed ensures a great degree of trustlessness.

2. A normal database can be altered without oversight. It could take a great deal of time to discover such an alteration, if discovered at all. Bad actors can more easily take advantage of these weaknesses.

3. Digital provenance allows businesses to save time and money and to build trust with their customers and clients. It allows for inventory, supply chain, logistics, auditing and more, to be managed securely in real time via the blockchain.

[djtomt]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?

A blockchain enables digital provenance because it contains a permanent public record of every transaction ever made to it since its inception. Data can only be added to the record, never deleted from it. Redundancy is built into the blockchain because a complete copy of it resides on each system in a massive network.

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

A normal database doesn’t bring the same provenance that a blockchain brings because most databases use a client/server paradigm whereby the database resides on a single server and multiple clients can access the database and make changes to or delete the data. Once the data is altered or deleted, there is not necessarily a record of how the data was changed, by whom and for what reason. Additionally, there is very little redundancy built into this type of system as there is usually just a few backups to it.

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

Digital provenance is a great benefit to many businesses because it eliminates the need for trust and enhances tracking and traceability when applied to supply chains, like food or clothing. A business is assured that their product has been through all the proper processes and in all the right places with a blockchain. Additionally, financial transactions can be audited in real time because it eliminates the separation of the transactional layer and the accounting layer found in traditional finance systems.

[ArvidK]

1. Because of Blockchain’s database where you can only add and not remove data, you can track where every transaction stems from.
2. Because transactions and accounting of transactions are separated from one another, where in the Blockchain those two aspects are combined.This way you cannot fully trust where every transaction comes from, you need more than one party to track everything.
3. Because the whole system is based on verification, the business becomes transparent among all other businesses. The verification removes the “having to trust” - aspect which saves time and energy for businesses.

[Tordek]

1. How does blockchain enable digital provenance?
   It allows for each transaction to be tracked and verified.
2. Why doesn’t a normal database bring the same provenance?
   In a normal database one can usually modify and delete data while a blockchain only allows data being added. In other words it can tampered with.
3. Why is digital provenance such a great benefit to many businesses?
   It removes trust and makes it trustless.

[ryanhartman]

1. By being public, dentralized, and trustless.
2. Databases are centralized, controlled by a solo party.
3. Makes tracking, verifying, and reporting cheaper and more efficient.

[davidr]

1. Blockchain enables digital provenance by combining the transactional and accounting layers.

2. A normal database doesn’t bring the same provenance because it relies on 30 percent of trust, and operates highly on opacity.

3. Digital provenance is a great benefit to many businesses because it allows for transactional tracking in real-time, instead of relying on auditing.

[bitbooz]

1. Permanent public record of every transaction ever made

2. In a blockchain its not possible to edit and delete data

3. Digital provenance is an unforgeable record of a digital object’s chain. Provenance provides a critical foundation for assessing authenticity, enabling trust, and allowing reproducibility.