Intro

Computers are not personal anymore, secure computing is here. What I learned using blockchains since 2013.

What is this

This is not a whitepaper, you can relax, we are not selling you a token. This is not an academic document, we are not publishing our latest research findings nor the results of an exciting experiment. This is not a sales pitch, there's nothing to buy.

This is a manifesto, a declaration of intent, based on our analysis of the current state of computing, blockchain, cryptography, and information security and where these communities are today. Its goal is to showcase the amazing things that have been invented and built by geniuses in recent years, then try to make sense of it all, and outline a common vision for the future of computing.

What you'll learn

Computers, smartphones, wearables, and the internet of things are everywhere and run most of our lives. The foundations of their design date back to the 1970s, at a time when calculating, storing data, and processing data were significant challenges. Fifty years later, devices built on the same principles are tasked with enabling social life, tracking possessions, operating businesses, and governing our societies.

These machines, designed solely to compute quickly and accurately are now required to do it securely, reliably, privately, and with constant connectivity. As a result, we have become accustomed to regularly seeing millions of individuals suffer data breaches, or businesses shut down by ransomware. Worst, keeping systems secure is getting more and more complex everyday as new security risks are identified, so the problem is only going to get bigger unless we do something.

In this article, I will argue that recent advancements in computer science, as well as society’s increased acceptance of technology create an opportunity to rethink our computing paradigm and address some of its flaws. We will study how a number of recent innovations demonstrate that it has become possible to address these problems. Finally, I will share my vision of what this future of computing is, and the steps necessary to get there.

Why I talk about it

As a kid born in the 80s, electronic and mechanical machines were fascinating. Understanding how they work, and how to build them was a never-ending source of fun. But the discovery of BASIC programming on graphing calculators in school made me understand what computers could do. The excitement of discovering machines that can be told what to do had a profound impact on me. After that point, I looked with pity at analog devices, like watching an old friend that didn’t keep up with the times. And I feel the same pity looking at computers today.

I started work back in 2007, doing network security for an internet service provider. I then spent 10 years in enterprise information technology and was the chief information officer for a multinational company in the construction industry. My job there was to lead IT to build and run all facets of an information system for a modern business.

In 2018 I founded atato, a company that builds digital asset technology, and recently closed its seed funding round. Our goal is to promote the adoption of blockchain technology. Our incredible team has built platforms for banks, financial institutions, DeFi startups, and businesses in supply chain and energy. We animate a vibrant blockchain community in our home base, Bangkok. Our custody and tokenization products enable the financial services of the future, and we serve financial institutions in Southeast Asia.