CypherPunks, Cryptography, and the movement that would change the world forever. The Blockchain Theory.

Quick history of Cryptography?

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Cryptography dates back 1000s of years, simple methods of encryption like pen and paper or mechanical aids to protect secrets.

In the early 20th century the invention of mechanical and electromechanical machines such as the "Enigma rotor machine" used to encrypt nazi communications during WWII, provided a new layer of encryption.

The introduction of electronics and computing, Allowed encryption to reach new levels of complexity.

Up until the late 1960s encryption and ciphers were solely used by governments and spy agencies such as the C.I.A, KGB, SS, MI6 & Mossad.

It wasn't until the early 1970s that IBM created the "data encryption standard" or DES for short, followed by the invention of public key encryption which opened encryption to the public.

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Who are the "Cypherpunks"?

The term cypherpunk is derived from cipher and cyberpunk.

The term was given to a group of young computer scientists by Judith Milhon a San Francisco Bay area hacker and civil rights activist also known by her pseudonym "St. Jude"

That group of computer scientists - Eric Hughes, Timothy C. May, and John Gilmore founded a small group that met monthly at John Gilmores company "Cygnus Solutions" in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Inspired by the 1985 works of David Lee Chaum (the grandfather of blockchain)

This group of young hackers,programmers and civil rights activists went on to create "the mailing list."

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The mailing list -

Late 1992' the mailing list is started, by early 1994' the list had over 700 subscribers, it became a very active forum with technical discussions ranging over mathematics, cryptography, computer science, political and philosophical discussion.

I have personally read 100s of these email communications, this was a community of extremely high IQ individuals. Some of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century frequented this mailing list.

It is on this very mailing list where Hal Finney, Len Sassaman, and Phil Zimmerman would meet and eventually Hal would work on PGP with Phil until he retired due to his ALS.

By late 1997 the mailing list had 2000 like minded subscribers, the grass roots movement that would become today's blockchain reality, had all started on that very mailing list.

To this day the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto remains a mystery, One thing is for certain. Satoshi Nakamoto was one of the 2000 subscribers on that mailing list.

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The Unstoppable Force.

We are still in the infancy of unlocking blockchains full potential, decentralized currency is just part of these young cypherpunks vision for a better future.

The Blockchain is designed to free us from the shackles of oppressive governments and corporations, to take back our privacy, freedom, and build a self governing system.

A future for the people owned by the people, a future without greedy ceos & bankers, a future where we all have equal rights, where our votes actually count towards something!

Were you around during these exciting times? Were you by chance part of the mailing list? We want to hear your stories!