[Cryptography] Drop Zone: P2P E-commerce paper

[17Q4MX2hmktmpuUKHFuoRmS5MfB5XPbhod at mail2tor.com]

> Use craigslist/newsgroups/e-mail and Tor with PGP and don't create a thick
> protocol. I know you feel really cool for making a protocol, but the
> Blockchain is a bad choice for this.

Gentlemen,

I share similar sympathies with you regarding the mantra, "blockchain all
the things." It is tiring and nearly always inappropriate.  Blockchains
perform some functions very well as Peter Todd stated: "unlike all other
forms of communication proof-of-work blockchains offer the specific
advantage that they give you very strong abilities to detect censorship."

Truthfully, if you do not see merit in this project or understand the
utility that The Blockchain brings here, then I would expect it impossible
for you to be convinced of The Blockchain's extra-Bitcoin uses.  You are
wrong in asserting that the accomplishments achieved by this protocol
exist elsewhere.  Such critiques are as substantial as asserting there is
no need for contraband markets at all since e-commerce platforms exist. 
After all, they do a good enough job of facilitating transactions.  While
the statement regarding what e-commerce sites do is irrefutable, the
critique misses the point entirely.

The need for contraband markets does not exist because humanity is
confused about how to transact.  Contraband markets are necessary because
of the risk third parties pose to transactions.  As such, simply because
all the features contained within Drop Zone exist elsewhere, other
projects do not successfully dis-intermediate inefficiencies interjected
into transactions by the participation of unnecessary third parties.

Functionally, there is no centralized service that has or ever will offer
a completely agnostic, persistent location where contraband of any nature
can be bought or sold for any reason.  The points of failure as they exist
today are those posed by the markets themselves.  The many risks that
exist during any given transaction are still worthy of mitigation and
optimization, but those risks are far less important than solving the
problem of centrally run markets disappearing.

Drop Zone persists on Bitcoin.  The layer allows for innovative uses of
the protocol.  One feature worthy of further explanation is the use of the
OP_RETURN.  The proposed use of OP_RETURN, as contained within the
protocol is to signal intent.  As such miners can set prices on
transactions commensurate with the risk that such transactions might
comprise.  It is not my belief that all things should be built on The
Blockchain.  But whether something ought to be "blockchained," will likely
be reduced to an economic question regarding the external risks posed as a
result of third parties and whether the cost of those risks justifies the
expense of using The Blockchain.

In the case of contraband, it almost certainly does.