Distributed Autonomous Corporations

A few months ago I came across the concept of Distributed Autonomous Corporations and I remember being completely fascinated by them. I do not fully comprehend what they are, how they would operate, how they would be implemented, but the concept has got me thinking about distributed programs. I’ll try to explain what’s in my head and maybe someone with more knowledge could come along and explain whether or not what I’m thinking about is a DAC or something else.

Currently, to my understanding, our software applications like games, Google drive, cloud storage, basically any software program with an internet connection are all taken care of from a centralized server. There is this single entity, perhaps Google, Microsoft, Apple, or some other corporate entity, and they have huge data centers, servers that they own and utilize. These centralized servers do the calculations and take care of our requests. This app, program, software, or whatever you want to call it, this digital service provider, is under the control of corporate entities. They are under the control of a collection of humans. If that particular group of humans wanted to shut the program down for some reason, they’d be free to shut it down. The program wouldn't be able to resist in any way. This is because it’s under control of one entity and it also has no “survival instinct”, if you will. The program doesn't care for it’s continued survival, it doesn't care about it’s ability to continue giving the services it gives to people.

Imagine a software program that doesn't reside on one single server controlled by one single dictator. Much like Bitcoin, and all the alt coins, and all the distributed applications that are popping up everywhere. Imagine a program that resides over multiple nodes. Say this program provides us users with a particular service. For example, let’s say this program will ask questions based on words you've given to the program. For it to process the input and output, for it to “survive” it looks like its going to need computing power, bandwidth, and storage space. These are it’s essentials, much like we humans need food, water, sleep, etc. Without these essentials it wouldn't be able to provide the service it’s programmed to provide. Where can the program obtain these essentials? From the users. From the nodes. Imagine a distributed autonomous program, a distributed autonomous service provider that provides you with it’s services in exchange for the essentials(computing power, bandwidth, and storage space) needed for it’s continued survival. If people like the service they will provide the program with the needed essentials and the program will thrive. If the service is not needed it will gradually disappear as the nodes start dropping. It sounds very much like Storj come to think of it. If that’s the case is Storj a DAC?

Have I just explained what a DAC is or have I explained something a bit different. Is this type of program even possible at the moment?

A Tool Full of Questions

Questions are very important. In order to solve problems, find answers, and roll around ideas, you have to make sure that you are asking the right questions. Asking questions, I would say, is the single most important thing we can do as conscience thinking creatures.

Everyone seems to look for answers. Always. They want answers. They never seem to bother asking if the question is correct. Me? I go for the questions first. I ask myself more questions about the questions and problems that I try to solve in the first place. There are numerous secondary questions that must be asked in order to answer a single question. Questions expand the horizon of our knowledge. It makes us think more about a subject. It makes us curious. It leads us to new places. Questions allow us to get started on things, they provide a starting point, and they help you snowball your group of ideas. The more you ask questions about a particular idea the bigger it grows and the larger and more specific it gets.

I've never seen anyone attempt to make an AI question things. A questioning AI. Wouldn't that be awesome? An AI, a program, or a simple algorithm that asks questions based on the things you say or ask. A tool that can work alongside with the thinker, giving feedback, leading his thoughts, giving him something to ponder on. I've only ever seen AI’s that try to provide answers. I may be wrong but I've never seen or heard of an AI that questions things. I don’t necessarily mean a genuine strong AI that really is curious and questions things in the sense that we question ourselves. I mean a program that at least can ask questions using a given statement or question. It doesn't have to “know” the meaning of anything. All it needs is some basic language parsing skills and it's good to go.

Basically a simple tool that helps someone with an idea can get the ball rolling, someone who wants a brainstorming sessions to start picking up pace, a tool that works in tandem with the thinker. This program is not built to supply you with answers, nor does it “know” anything it asks. It is simply a tool that you use to build a foundation of a particular idea, and it allows you to grow and develop on top of that foundation. You feed it a statement or a question, and based on the supplied sentence the program will spit out a number of questions that are related to it. It is primarily for people who have a hard time defining or starting work on a problem, or someone who finds it hard to grow and expand on existing ideas.

For example, say I feed it the statement:

“I want to lose weight.”

It then spits out a couple of sentences based on what I just said.

Who is I?
What does it mean to lose weight?
Why would you want to lose weight?
How do you lose weight?
When will you lose weight?”
......

By asking these questions to the thinker who posed the original statement, it allows the thinker to expand on his plan of losing weight. It gives him something specific to think about.

I’d love something like this. A questioning tool. A questioning … friend. A tool full of questions.