Open Source, Open Protocol

Internet as we know it today started as early protocols, designed in the 70s and 80s. They were open source, meaning “something people can modify and share because its design is publicly accessible.”  

Because these protocols were so open and accessible, they remain neutral and stable. Anyone can build upon them, for any reason, without fear of someone coming in and tearing things down.

These protocols include: TCP, IP, SMTP and HTTP. They were exciting, powerful, and we still use them today.

The World Wide Web, or Web 1.0 became available to the public in 1991. This was also open source, and it created a level playing field. When combined with the desire to monetize, the World Wide Web inspired epic innovation: Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon.

Web 1.0 created Web 2.0 giants, giants because of the value they generated for their users and for themselves. They led the charge for humanity, connecting us in new, distinct ways. But with this centralization of Internet power came great responsibility, wealth, and control.  

The evolution from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0 presents a new way for users to own their data and activity.  

To the revolutionaries, Web3 allows them to take back power and responsibility from self-selected intermediaries.  

To the builders, Web3 allows them to distribute their applications’ value back to users, encouraging value creation and a virtuous cycle.  

To the individual user, Web3 presents an opportunity to access new tech, business models and communities.  

The mission of Web3 is to create a public, shared network of applications which can interact with each other. In short, Web 3.0 harkens back to that same ethos of Open Source Web 1.0.

Mailchain Is Open Source  

Mailchain was designed using Open Source software from 1.0 and beyond. We couldn’t have built Mailchain without the generous pioneers before us. It only feels right to continue this tradition.

By keeping our application and protocol open, we intend to create a communication layer for blockchain that has greater utility outside of Mailchain itself. As we share the software, the code, the ideas; we create a new, level playing field for others to build upon.  

Builders, you can view the SDK here.

Mailchain is for Everyone

‍At Mailchain, we believe Internet communication needs to be simple, private, secure and decentralized. And it needs to work for everyone. That's why Mailchain is built for all major chains and web3 identities, so that all builders and communities feel welcome and can communicate with one another. Everyone is welcome.

Read more about why we built Mailchain.

Mailchain was also built to give anyone the ability to send messages (within limits) at no cost. The protocol incentivizes third-party service providers to support key functions in a trustless manner and be rewarded. And it can be governed by its stakeholders (users, third-party providers, etc.). This results in a sustainable standard with a built-in “public good” mechanism.

Read more in our whitepaper here.

Conclusion

What does the future look like, then? We hope it’s one we can’t begin to imagine; it’s that innovative, that exciting, that unknown. In the relative short-term, we hope to see more and more projects using Mailchain for web3-native communication. But most importantly, we hope to see the Web3 world a simpler, safer and easier place to use because of Mailchain.