Monegraph: Building a Blockchain-based Digital Art Market

***NEW: Full video of this talk is now available at: https://vimeo.com/108721575

The success of Bitcoin shows that financial transactions can be conducted in a decentralized way. Whether you believe in Bitcoin as a currency or not, there is no denying that Bitcoin’s underlying storage model and consensus-based protocol, the blockchain, validated a new data architecture for building networked applications.

In a world of Big Data and the Cloud, the Bitcoin blockchain, the largest of its kind, is still relatively small at around 25 GB. As developers start to imagine new applications beyond money-like infocurrency, they find that they want to store additional metadata or even rich content in the blockchain.

In this talk, Chris Tse, an architect and designer of digital ecosystems, will present a hierarchical data storage model that divides a decentralized application storage needs into three tiers, to be stored in the blockchain (GBs), a NoSQL document store (TBs), and BLOB store (PBs), respectively. Using cryptographic techniques along with Smart Contracts, Chris will show how developers can maintain the trustless model advocated by the Bitcoin enthusiasts, while tapping into the proven scalability of distributed database clusters like Couchbase and P2P file transfer protocols like BitTorrent.

Chris will present an example of how Monegraph, a digital artwork registry and marketplace spearheaded by NYU art professor Kevin McCoy, is moving to this tiered architecture using a combination of the Ethereum blockchain, Couchbase document store, and Amazon S3 / BitTorrent to build vibrant market for buying, selling, and licensing digital art.

This talk was originally presented at Couchbase Connect on October 6, 2014 at Westin St. Francis Grand Ballroom in San Francisco.
http://www.couchbase.com/connect

About the Speaker:

Chris Tse is a technologist by trade, a designer in practice, and an entrepreneur at heart. He is the founding director of CardStack (cardstack.io), an open source project bringing a common “card” runtime that allows HTML5/JavaScript apps to move seamlessly between mobile devices, cloud services, as well as decentralized blockchains. Chris was formerly the head of McGraw-Hill Education Labs, leading innovative projects that creatively mix JavaScript, NoSQL, and Big Data technologies to facilitate teaching and learning.

Before that, he led the development of social media and dynamic publishing applications at BusinessWeek Digital. Before joining the New York media industry, he co-founded three other technology startups: a database consulting shop, a messaging software company, and a network security research firm.

Chris holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Columbia University and is still very much addicted to New York City. You can follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/christse

Related Decks from Previous Talks:

Stacking the Card Deck [Manifesto]
https://speakerdeck.com/christse/stacking-the-card-deck-reclaiming-our-mobile-future-with-html5-based-cards

Card UI Architecture Design [Technical]
https://speakerdeck.com/christse/card-ui-architecture-design

Resources & Links:

MoneGraph (Current Version)
http://monegraph.com

MoneGraph Home Page (Classic)
http://monegraph.herokuapp.com

CardStack JavaScript Framework:
http://cardstack.io

Ethereum Project:
https://www.ethereum.org

Transcript

1. CHRIS TSE @christse Building a Blockchain-based Digital Art Market with Couchbase
2. I am a technologist by trade, a designer in practice, and an entrepreneur at heart.
3. I am a technologist by trade, a designer in practice, and an entrepreneur at heart. • Former Head of McGraw-Hill Education Labs
4. I am a technologist by trade, a designer in practice, and an entrepreneur at heart. • Former Head of McGraw-Hill Education Labs • Champion of NoSQL, JavaScript/HTML5, and distributed architectures
5. I am a technologist by trade, a designer in practice, and an entrepreneur at heart. • Former Head of McGraw-Hill Education Labs • Champion of NoSQL, JavaScript/HTML5, and distributed architectures • Designer and architect of “Digital Ecosystems” “Digital Ecosystems”
6. “Digital Ecosystems” CLOUD New Media Education Music
7. “Digital Ecosystems” CLOUD New Media Education Music
8. CLOUD “Digital Ecosystems”
9. CLOUD BLOCKCHAIN “Digital Ecosystems”
10. CLOUD BLOCKCHAIN “Digital Ecosystems” Finance!
11. CLOUD BLOCKCHAIN DECENTRALIZED CENTRALIZED “Digital Ecosystems” Finance!
12. CLOUD BLOCKCHAIN DECENTRALIZED CENTRALIZED “Digital Ecosystems” Finance! What else?
13. What else?
14. Agenda Bitcoin Understanding the Blockchain
15. Agenda Bitcoin Understanding the Blockchain MoneGraph Building a Digital Art Market
16. Agenda Bitcoin Understanding the Blockchain MoneGraph Building a Digital Art Market Couchbase Helping to Scale Decentralized Apps
17. Blockchain Bitcoin & the Crash Course
18. Bitcoin Mental Model 1 Wallet
19. Bitcoin Mental Model 1 Wallet Mining Blockchain Activities
20. Bitcoin Mental Model 1 Wallet Mining Blockchain Activities “This is mine!”
21. Bitcoin Mental Model 2 Payment
22. Bitcoin Mental Model 2 Payment “I’m giving this to you.”
23. Bitcoin Mental Model 2 Payment “I’m giving this to you.”
24. Bitcoin Mental Model 2 Payment Validation Blockchain Activities
25. Bitcoin Mental Model 2 Payment Validation Blockchain Activities
26. Bitcoin Mental Model 3 Cash Out
27. Bitcoin Mental Model 3 Cash Out “I would like USD.”
28. Bitcoin Mental Model 3 Cash Out Blockchain Activities “I would like USD.” Cloud Bridging
29. Bitcoin Mental Model 3 Cash Out Blockchain Activities “I would like USD.” Cloud Bridging
30. Bitcoin Mental Model 3 Or Buy In Blockchain Activities “I’d like some Bitcoin.” Cloud Bridging
31. Bitcoin Mental Model Back to the Wallet “This is mine!” Blockchain Activities
32. Bitcoin Mental Model Back to the Wallet “This is mine!” “All the data is stored here. Don’t call it the cloud though!” Blockchain Activities
33. Bitcoin Mental Model “This is mine!” “I’m giving this to you.” “Change this for me.”
34. Generalizing the Model beyond Bitcoin “This is mine!” “I’m giving this to you.” “Record the transfer.” Wallet Transfer Ledger
35. Buying & Selling Digital Art “I made these.” “I’m selling this piece.” “Record this sale.” Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History Exam ple
36. Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History BLOCKCHAIN AS A DISTRIBUTED DATABASE
37. Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History BLOCKCHAIN AS A DISTRIBUTED DATABASE
38. Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History BLOCKCHAIN ? AS A DISTRIBUTED DATABASE
39. Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History BLOCKCHAIN ? ? AS A DISTRIBUTED DATABASE
40. Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History BLOCKCHAIN ? ? AS A DISTRIBUTED DATABASE Quiz: What is the total size of the Bitcoin blockchain? A: 128 GB C: 3.4 TB B: 25 GB D: 780 MB
41. Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History BLOCKCHAIN ? ? AS A DISTRIBUTED DATABASE Quiz: What is the total size of the Bitcoin blockchain? A: 128 GB C: 3.4 TB B: 25 GB D: 780 MB B: 25 GB
42. Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History BLOCKCHAIN ? ? AS A DISTRIBUTED DATABASE Bitcoin blockchain is only ~25 GB!
43. Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History GB TB PB
44. GB TB PB
45. GB TB PB “Put ownership records in the blockchain, so they are irrefutable.”
46. GB TB PB “Put ownership records in the blockchain, so they are irrefutable.” “Add catalog data and contractual details in a document database”
47. GB TB PB “Put ownership records in the blockchain, so they are irrefutable.” “Add catalog data and contractual details in a document database” “Store actual digital artwork in a file store, accessible via HTTP or P2P”
48. Marketplace MoneGraph as a Early Preview
49. Kevin McCoy NYU Art Professor Digital Artist @mccoyspace
50. Register the Work as a Public Record Create Digital Art as a File How Digital Artists Use MoneGraph List in a Catalog in a Private Gallery
51. Register the Work as a Public Record Create Digital Art as a File List in a Catalog in a Private Gallery How Digital Artists Use MoneGraph TITLE ARTIST(S) M O N E G R A P H R E G I S T R AT I O N aa8009ab182f4d55c45045 2f20b771840f0287d1cd31e a35018e2d52a7a8dd91 OWNERSHIP HISTORY DIGITAL FINGERPRINT PREVIEW
52. Register the Work as a Public Record Create Digital Art as a File List in a Catalog in a Private Gallery How Digital Artists Use MoneGraph Excerpt of cars.gif TITLE Jennifer & Kevin McCoy ARTIST(S) M O N E G R A P H R E G I S T R AT I O N aa8009ab182f4d55c45045 2f20b771840f0287d1cd31e a35018e2d52a7a8dd91 OWNERSHIP HISTORY DIGITAL FINGERPRINT Jennifer & Kevin McCoy 1. PREVIEW
53. How Digital Artists Use MoneGraph Excerpt of cars.gif Jennifer & Kevin McCoy D I G I TA L G A L L E R Y Register the Work as a Public Record Create Digital Art as a File List in a Catalog For Sale or Licensing (2014) Buy License • Graphics Interchange Format (7.1 MB) • Adobe Photoshop Source File (41 MB) Mesmerising
54. How Art Collectors Use MoneGraph Excerpt of cars.gif Jennifer & Kevin McCoy D I G I TA L G A L L E R Y Make a Payment as a Bitcoin or Regular Transaction Agree to Terms as a Smart Contract Transfer Ownership of the Public Record (2014) Buy License • Graphics Interchange Format (7.1 MB) • Adobe Photoshop Source File (41 MB) Mesmerising
55. How Art Collectors Use MoneGraph Excerpt of cars.gif Jennifer & Kevin McCoy D I G I TA L G A L L E R Y Make a Payment as a Bitcoin or Regular Transaction Agree to Terms as a Smart Contract Transfer Ownership of the Public Record (2014) Buy License • Graphics Interchange Format (7.1 MB) • Adobe Photoshop Source File (41 MB) Mesmerising Excerpt of cars.gif Anil Dash SELL TO M O N E G R A P H S A L E S CO N T R A CT aa8009ab182f4d55c45045 2f20b771840f0287d1cd31e a35018e2d52a7a8dd91 DIGITAL FINGERPRINT PREVIEW TERMS OF SALE 1 BTC (or USD 375) SALES PRICE • 5% commission to Francis Digital Gallery • Anil Dash will collect all future royalties • Artist will retain a license for personal use Agree & Proceed
56. How Art Collectors Use MoneGraph Agree to Terms as a Smart Contract Transfer Ownership of the Public Record M O N E G R A P H PA Y M E N T 1JnG1aLycFhcFJZSor54yDpCz3s QGHCAiJ BITCOIN ADDRESS 1 BTC Pay $375 Anil Dash FROM Kevin McCoy TO $375.33 USD Digital Art Purchase Order USE BITCOIN WALLET Personal (5.823 BTC) Make a Payment as a Bitcoin or Regular Transaction
57. M O N E G R A P H R E G I ST R AT I O N How Art Collectors Use MoneGraph Agree to Terms as a Smart Contract Transfer Ownership of the Public Record Make a Payment as a Bitcoin or Regular Transaction Excerpt of cars.gif TITLE Jennifer & Kevin McCoy ARTIST(S) aa8009ab182f4d55c45045 2f20b771840f0287d1cd31e a35018e2d52a7a8dd91 OWNERSHIP HISTORY DIGITAL FINGERPRINT Jennifer & Kevin McCoy 1. PREVIEW Transfer Ownership
58. M O N E G R A P H R E G I ST R AT I O N How Art Collectors Use MoneGraph Agree to Terms as a Smart Contract Transfer Ownership of the Public Record Make a Payment as a Bitcoin or Regular Transaction Excerpt of cars.gif TITLE Jennifer & Kevin McCoy ARTIST(S) aa8009ab182f4d55c45045 2f20b771840f0287d1cd31e a35018e2d52a7a8dd91 OWNERSHIP HISTORY DIGITAL FINGERPRINT Jennifer & Kevin McCoy 1. PREVIEW Anil Dash 2. Transfer Ownership
59. Scaling Decentralized Applications with Couchbase
60. Buying & Selling Digital Art “I made these.” “I’m selling this piece.” “Record this sale.” Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History Recall
61. Buying & Selling Digital Art Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History BLOCKCHAIN DOCUMENT STORE FILE STORE
62. BLOCKCHAIN DOCUMENT STORE FILE STORE Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History
63. BLOCKCHAIN DOCUMENT STORE FILE STORE Ethereum Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History
64. BLOCKCHAIN DOCUMENT STORE FILE STORE Couchbase Ethereum Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History
65. BLOCKCHAIN DOCUMENT STORE FILE STORE Couchbase Ethereum S3 + BitTorrent Art Portfolio Sales Contract Owner History
66. PBs of Binary Assets TBs of JSON Docs GBs of Crypto Hashes BLOCKCHAIN DOCUMENT STORE FILE STORE Couchbase Ethereum S3 + BitTorrent
67. PBs of Binary Assets TBs of JSON Docs GBs of Crypto Hashes BLOCKCHAIN DOCUMENT STORE FILE STORE Couchbase Ethereum S3 + BitTorrent
68. MoneGraph Digital Ecosystem Couchbase Ethereum S3 + BitTorrent “Irrefutable” “Scalable & Extensible” “Always Available”
69. Ethereum S3 + BitTorrent MoneGraph Digital Ecosystem BitCoin Couchbase DECENTRALIZED CENTRALIZED
70. Couchbase Ethereum S3 + BitTorrent MoneGraph Digital Ecosystem BitCoin CardStack JavaScript APIs
71. MoneGraph Digital Ecosystem CardStack JavaScript APIs
72. Ethereum MoneGraph Digital Ecosystem BitCoin CardStack JavaScript APIs Couchbase S3 + BitTorrent
73. Coin A PAGE An APP A FILE An API Cards JS N
74. Coin A PAGE An APP A FILE An API Render to Size/mode React to Action/Event Restore From Saved States Report Metadata Cards
75. Ethereum BitCoin CardStack JavaScript APIs Couchbase S3 + BitTorrent MoneGraph Digital Ecosystem
76. Sum m ary Key Takeaways
77. Sum m ary Key Takeaways 1. Blockchain opens up decentralization opportunities.
78. Sum m ary Key Takeaways 1. Blockchain opens up decentralization opportunities. 2. Purely digital markets are good places to start.
79. Sum m ary Key Takeaways 1. Blockchain opens up decentralization opportunities. 2. Purely digital markets are good places to start. 3. Any market with concept of ownership is “in play”.
80. Sum m ary Key Takeaways 1. Blockchain opens up decentralization opportunities. 2. Purely digital markets are good places to start. 3. Any market with concept of ownership is “in play”. 4. JSON documents will be the public storage format.
81. Sum m ary Key Takeaways 1. Blockchain opens up decentralization opportunities. 2. Purely digital markets are good places to start. 3. Any market with concept of ownership is “in play”. 4. JSON documents will be the public storage format. 5. Scaling is still hard. Go with what is proven to scale.
82. Find out more… MoneGraph monegraph.com cardstack.io CardStack Ethereum ethereum.org
83. @christse Follow me What else?