I have received a number of calls and emails regarding the concept behind smart property and smart contracts which have been in the news this week. While this topic will eventually fill volumes, if you have some time I recommend reading through these links, all written by Nick Szabo:
- The Idea of Smart Contracts
- Proplets — Devices for Controlling Property
- Wet code and dry
- Secure Property Titles with Owner Authority
Speaking of which, I had a short email exchange with Mr. Szabo today (who to the chagrin of redditors, insists he is not Satoshi) and he is familiar with what is going on in the ecosystem (including projects like Mastercoin and Ethereum and people like Mike Hearn). So if you have been following his academic output, it is pretty neat to see how his ideas (like “the god protocol“) are coming into fruition through the advent of cryptoledgers and cryptocurrencies.
I also highly recommend his piece: Shelling Out – The Origins of Money