Ethereum: What is the motivation behind the “one processor, one vote” rule?

The Motivation Behind Ethereum’s One-CPU-One-Vote Rule: A Look at the Original Paper

In 2014, Satoshi Nakamoto published a seminal paper titled “Ethereum: A Scalable Public Blockchain and Decentralized Application Platform.” In this original research, Nakamoto compared two different voting systems for decentralized applications (dApps) on top of the Ethereum blockchain. One system, called one-cpu-one-vote (1/1v), allocates voting power to the highest bidder, while the other, called one-ip-address-one-vote (1/i/v), distributes votes based on a unique public key.

In this article, we’ll delve into the motivation behind the choice of 1/1v over 1/i/v in Ethereum’s protocol and explore what makes it an attractive solution for decentralized applications.

The Original Paper

Satoshi Nakamoto’s original paper compared the performance and feasibility of two voting systems: one-cpu-one-vote (1/1v) and one-ip-address-one-vote (1/i/v). The 1/1v system allocates voting power to the highest bidder, while the 1/i/v system distributes votes based on a unique public key. Nakamoto’s goal was to evaluate which system would be more suitable for decentralized applications.

The Comparison

In the original paper, Nakamoto compared the performance of both systems using various metrics, including transaction speed, block creation time, and gas efficiency. According to his analysis, 1/1v outperformed 1/i/v in terms of overall transaction throughput and block creation time.

Why 1/1v?

So, what motivated Nakamoto to choose the one-cpu-one-vote system over the one-ip-address-one-vote system? The key reasons for this decision were:

• Scalability: One-cpu-one-vote was designed to be more scalable than 1/i/v. Nakamoto observed that in high-traffic scenarios, the 1/1v system could handle a higher volume of transactions without significant performance degradation.

• Efficiency: In terms of gas efficiency, Nakamoto found that 1/1v outperformed 1/i/v. This is because the one-cpu-one-vote system was able to allocate voting power more efficiently, reducing the need for complex calculations and optimizations required in the 1/i/v system.

• Security: Nakamoto believed that the security of a decentralized application was paramount. He argued that the one-cpu-one-vote system provided better security by minimizing the potential for manipulation or exploitation.

Why One IP Address vs. One CPU?

Nakamoto’s choice between 1/1v and 1/i/v can also be attributed to the reasons why he chose not to use an IP address as a unique identifier. The original paper explained that:

• IP addresses are ephemeral: Nakamoto pointed out that IP addresses were fleeting, as they could change over time. This made it difficult to keep track of a user’s voting history across different blocks.

• IP addresses can be spoofed

  : Using IP addresses as unique identifiers also raised concerns about security and the potential for IP address spoofing attacks.

Conclusion

The motivation behind Ethereum’s one-cpu-one-vote rule is rooted in scalability, efficiency, and security. By prioritizing high transaction throughput over low gas costs and optimizing vote allocation for better performance, 1/1v outperforms its counterpart, 1/i/v. As the decentralized application ecosystem continues to grow, understanding the underlying motivations of decision-makers like Satoshi Nakamoto can provide valuable insights into the design decisions that shape our digital infrastructure.

In this article, we explored the original paper published by Satoshi Nakamoto and delved into the reasons behind the choice of one-cpu-one-vote over one-ip-address-one-vote in Ethereum’s protocol. By examining the performance metrics and security considerations presented in the original paper, we can gain a deeper understanding of how 1/1v was designed to meet the needs of decentralized applications.