[wmf]

Proof of work is the only known way to achieve consensus among entities that don't trust anyone. It also provides a way to "fairly" distribute new currency among entities who don't trust anyone. It's not clear to me that the decentralized Web needs consensus, its own currency, or total lack of trust.

[jpetso]

Which is why I like layered approaches like IPFS that separate the merkle-tree layer (hashed content) from the naming layer (IPNS, DNS, Namecoin, etc.).

There are definitely valid uses of blockchain tech but requiring it as central part of the architecture is a recipe for (re)centralization because eventually it will always grow beyond home-computer scale.

[pnathan]

> It's not clear to me that the decentralized Web needs consensus, its own currency, or total lack of trust.

I'm pretty sure I would say that the above is not how things work in human society. Limited trust, fiat currency, and regular disagreements is the norm.