from 2019

2019 was the year for me to learn about the promising technology, blockchain, that brings hope for the Internet. It was also the year to look for solutions for authors like myself and so many other artists around me.

With a lot of energy and full of curiosity I started the year taking some courses about the fundamentals of Blockchain, I also read a few books and I soon started attending MeetUps. First I felt a little out of the box, yet everyone there was so welcoming that discovering communities of developers and hackers became such an enriching and enhancing experience! As I often tell them: I think that those creating the upcoming decentralised web 3.0 are shaping our future, and I am happy to say that I have met great human beings full of principles that can bring hope to users.

By Spring, I had a first design for a solution for authors, one that I couldn’t find in the great blockchain projects I discovered during my research (most of them were focusing whether in Intellectual Property protection or in the monetisation of contents through micro-payments). For my solution, authorship was just the starting point which needed a good control of Identity and data ownership, and I wanted it to be useful for authors and artists in the physical world as well as for Art lovers. So I started looking for partners-developers with only one condition: I wanted to build my solution on Blockstack, my favourite ecosystem since I discovered Blockchain technology. I had then got thrilled by the hope of recovering so many rights abused in the past years. Nevertheless, as I couldn’t find any developer on Blockstack around me in Madrid, I was suggested to approach Blockstack community itself.

In July I joined Blockstack as evangelist and started an activity that has been as challenging and joyful. Addressing audiences with technological backgrounds is something new to me and I have been doing it in full confidence in that I am introducing a game-changer with the mission of giving back fundamental rights to users. Of course, I counted on the invaluable technical support of the Blockstack community. So I have been able to introduce Blockstack to a bunch of developers opening for them a world of possibilities to easily build those Decentralised Apps (DApps) that can bring us the same services as the ones we all use in our everyday life, but this time in a way respecting our fundamental rights as users. I am aware that it’s going to be really difficult for businesses, governments and legislation to adapt, but sooner or later users will know that to pay with your data for services is not inevitable. There are many respectful alternatives already available or on their way! There are even ideas for new business models where users get paid for their data. We are on our way for ‘Data Dignity’. 

Blockstack DApps (Decentralized apps) vs Centralized Apps, by Patrick Stanley

to 2020

After devoting this Fall to start building the Madrid Blockstack community,  engaging  with developers, including a series of workshops, it’s time for me to face 2020 with new challenges as I go back to my work as an author. My work as a Blockstack Ambassador will have to shift now to address users and introduce them to the Web3, and let them know about the amazing DApps (decentralised applications) that are already starting available on Blockstack. I have some promising plans for this, and I will share more news as soon as I can on my newsletter. 

I will be sharing in this Blog my personal review of a favourite DApp. Actually, I will start to renew my webpage and all my online presence with old and new stories as well as writing my Blog using a Blockstack DApp. With this move I will set my own example for you to see how easy is to navigate the Internet in a more private and secure way. More news on that in the first semester of 2020 on my monthly newsletter. 

Last but not least, in 2020  I am going to be able to build my own DApp. I am right now working towards shaping up the idea with a known friend. We are both looking to provide good solutions for artists who want to  keep in control of their artwork when bringing Art experiences to the web. We hope to help authors to be able to connect directly with their audiences as well as with collaborators in a secure and private way. After all, any creative Art experience is a unique and personal experience for everyone! We actually want to address Art lovers as well as Art creators, who sometimes are both at a time. So if you relate to these lines, and this project interesting, you could help me improve this DApp by answering this private and anonymous survey*. That would be a great support and the starting point for you to participate in our design process! You can also keep track of this project joining my monthly newsletter.

Now, it’s time to send you all, my best wishes for Christmas,  Holiday Season and year to come.

Enjoy yourselves!

Georgina García-Mauriño

LinkedIn

* made on BlockSurvey  so only you and me have access to the answers, and I actually don’t get who you are unless you let me know.