Chapter 14 - Running a Node?

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Chapter 14

Running a Node?

Running a node? As mentioned, this book is not about explaining bitcoin or its operations and protocols. But it is important to understand the basics of nodes as they relate to bitcoin to understand the person that is Satoshi Nakamoto and why in those early moments, I did not explore more or have an open mind about bitcoin.  

Nodes in the context of Bitcoin are simply computers interconnected to share information about Bitcoin.  Nodes or other computers are needed to maintain the decentralized nature of the network and its integrity.  When Bitcoin first started, simple desktop computers could be used to run nodes and had enough computing power to also “mine” bitcoin as they ran.  More about mining bitcoin later, but the aspect of two then three then many nodes interconnected allows the network to grow and strengthen over time assuring its integrity.  Nodes are intended to follow a certain set of rules or bitcoin protocols which ultimately result in the independent verification of transactions and the most recent block before its accepted into the blockchain. This is then added upon the public ledger and all those nodes assure the ledger is common to all and cannot be altered.

To put it simply, and as best as my novice mind can describe blockchain and proof-of-work is this search for the correct numbers that complete the next block which is completed with the verification by the network of nodes. Each having a time stamp that couldn't be altered due to the totality of the node network ultimately validating the assembly of the block.

All that said, nodes were just your “average joe” computer back in the day and ran on most any computer you could purchase at your local computer store.  Today, giant buildings and complete server farms with incredible computing power can be nodes and are generally needed for mining new bitcoin.  Many bitcoin miners today are quite large enterprises with multimillion-dollar investments expecting returns in mined bitcoin to be profitable.

Before bitcoin went public however, I had a brief conversation about the prospect of running a test of sorts with the person that would become Satoshi Nakamoto.   The application or code for running a node had not yet been released (as had the White Paper not been released) and it was not presented to me in any connection to bitcoin or as a quote “node”.  It was simply use of my computer that would run an executable  file (.EXE) and be able to provide some back-and-forth testing with the person that would become Satoshi Nakamoto.  I had run executable files prior to this and in fact  had written code and familiar with the capabilities of executable files.  However, I was extremely uncomfortable to say the least about the concept of running an executable file on my computer from a source I was not familiar with nor anyone else was.  

At the time, running a file of this nature (.exe) was not so straightforward or well understood by me as this was not my specialty area of engineering.  I was incredibly sensitive to the prospect of someone else giving me a program or sending me something that could potentially be a virus or worse yet something that would be a backdoor into accessing information on my computer.  Of course, I knew just enough about security breaches to be hesitant but not enough to know it would be okay. So, I did not offer up my computer at the time. I was doing website design and other engineering computer activities and had basic knowledge of what could go wrong if I was not careful.  I didn't need intrusion into my computer including data or personal information at risk.    

Looking back at all this now, I still think the reservation I had was merited.  I just should have pried deeper and learned more is all.  So many intrusions have occurred not just related to bitcoin but other data and information with people's personal or professional computers that to this day the reservation is still merited.  This being the case even for those working in the field and very knowledgeable in security.  Take any number of examples from major corporations with computer patch breaches to crypto owners having their crypto stolen from one wrong turn or assumption. Nope. This was not an activity for the weak stomached.  To be a trial on something that was not developed by a reputable company is not something most conservative engineer’s would trust doing without extraordinary care.  Again, at the time nobody knew anything about all this. It was entirely new and an unknown that would make most people reluctant even today.

It’s no surprise to anyone that’s ever operated a computer that there are numerous viruses and methods of intrusion into data on one’s computer. And at the time in the 2000s software to guard against these intrusions was fairly limited. They are still limited today, but there are many more companies and methods for protection. Having said that, the “bad guys” are becoming ever more innovative and keeping up with the “good guys”. So, for a very long time we have had both an offense and a defense as it relates to security and data and personal information.  The fundamental aspect of bitcoin is its security protocols.  This is where its strength lies.  And at the time, before anyone really knew much of anything about bitcoin, it had to start with a node and then another node and another and another. So, two nodes first started bitcoin.  From what I know, most people believe the person that is Satoshi Nakamoto was one of those first two nodes running off his personal computer.  Now, sure, Satoshi Nakamoto could have had a second computer and run the other node from that and started it that way in a trial capacity to test for operating bugs and work out details.  It’s not fully known to my understanding how those early nodes were run. However, I will say, I had a discussion about it with Satoshi Nakamoto in very broad and brief circumstances but not characterized as nodes.  The discussion was in the context of me not fully understanding where this vision was headed.   They say hindsight is 20/20 and well in this case it certainly is.  It’s hard, I’m sure for people knowing what they know today to follow along with the thought that you wouldn’t just run the node if asked by the creator of this vision for something today that has taken such a foothold.  However, you really have to step back in time and put yourself in those shoes.

As an engineer, I would have a natural hesitancy to run anything that sounded as intrusive as it did at the time.  Running a computer program from an unknown source on my computer that then is connected to someone else’s computer? Not a good idea.  In hindsight and knowing more about it today, I can see more of what it was about.  However, I really can’t fault myself for not wanting to run something of that nature or be a connecting host (a node in today’s terms) at the time.