> HN seems collectively to have taken the stance lately that blockchain is 100% useless
I don't think this is the case. Many here find these systems genuinely fascinating. The pitches that get sharp rebuke are:
1. Tokens shouldn't be regulated; and
2. You should buy my token.
It is unfortunate that the bulk of statements regarding cryptocurrencies are 1 (as is this article) or 2.
There is a strong scammy undercurrent to cryptocurrencies which simply didn't exist for many other technologies at comparable stages in their development. (There was vaporware, and there were scams. But the latter wasn't nearly as prevalent.)
I don't think this is the case. Many here find these systems genuinely fascinating. The pitches that get sharp rebuke are:
1. Tokens shouldn't be regulated; and
2. You should buy my token.
It is unfortunate that the bulk of statements regarding cryptocurrencies are 1 (as is this article) or 2.
There is a strong scammy undercurrent to cryptocurrencies which simply didn't exist for many other technologies at comparable stages in their development. (There was vaporware, and there were scams. But the latter wasn't nearly as prevalent.)