Logan Allen: Nockchain's Global Competition for Useful ZK Proof of Work Miners Kicks Off

Logan Allen, founder of Zorp and NotPane, discusses his journey from dropping out of Georgia Tech to focusing on Bitcoin and various startups, including Talon on Urbit. He emphasizes his return to crypto with a focus on Layer 2 solutions and the development of a performance-oriented ZKVM in collaboration with mathematicians. His launch of NotChain, a no pre-mine proof of work L1 blockchain utilizing ZK proofs, reflects his interest in Bitcoin's fair launch principles and a desire for simpler technology compared to Ethereum.

Logan shares his initial Bitcoin maximalism and the appeal of its clean proof of work aesthetic, while expressing disappointment in Ethereum's technical debt. He highlights the advantages of Zero-Knowledge (ZK) technology, such as trustlessness and privacy, but raises concerns about the complexity and costs associated with security in crypto development. He advocates for a simpler computation layer that facilitates easy integration of proofs, addressing a market mismatch in the ZKproof space.

The discussion introduces ZKPOW as NotChain's core mechanism, positioning it as a global permissionless competition to optimize the Notch ZKVM's speed and computing capacity. This approach leverages crypto incentives to foster competition and enhance computational power. The initial phase of ZKPOW involves miners competing to quickly prove NOC proofs, with block rewards subsidizing proving capacity. The proof market is explored, highlighting the challenge of balancing developer demand for proofs with sustainable business models for proof providers.

Innovative features of Nockchain include its approach to gossiping intent, where coins are sent to a new address requiring proof of an order book swap, potentially involving atomic swaps across different chains. Developers can create micro apps that lock coins and utilize watcher scripts, simplifying app development compared to traditional smart contracts. The conversation notes that the focus in crypto is often on throughput and latency, but the introduction of ZK components alters this dynamic, requiring miners to use hardware optimized for polynomial math and algebraic hashes.

Nockchain's unique UTHL model features a dependency graph for massively parallel processing, contrasting with traditional single state machines. The ZK native L1 aims to minimize the time from computation to proof generation, with the ZK proof of work competition seeking to develop high-performance computers for efficient proof streaming. An open-source programming language in alpha testing allows developers to write type-safe code for verifiable workloads, enhancing scalability by offloading heavy computations from the chain.

Concerns about state size and the challenges of running full nodes are discussed, highlighting the reliance on third-party RPC providers. The conversation addresses centralization risks associated with advanced mathematicians optimizing data and miners, suggesting that light clients could enhance efficiency by allowing proof verification without replicated execution. Market incentives in proof of work may help mitigate centralization risks as new providers enter the market.

The competition in the mining sector is expected to be initially led by established companies with expertise in CK acceleration, but as technology evolves, typical miners will also have the chance to participate. The fair launch model and absence of pre-mining have drawn numerous participants, creating an environment akin to a global performance competition that excites hardware innovation. There is strong interest in useful proof of work, particularly regarding GPU utilization.

Logan discusses the potential of Notchain's namespace and intent system for organizing compute jobs on-chain, highlighting the interest in verifiable computation and decentralized infrastructure. He notes the challenges in decentralized training, particularly in attracting capital while ensuring security and privacy. Concerns about KnockChain's success revolve around establishing a circular economy and providing productive uses for mined coins.

KnockChain's tokenomics feature a fixed supply of 2^32 coins with no pre-mine, ensuring miners receive all coins. The initial issuance schedule aims to attract capital for ZK hardware acceleration, with tokens usable for purchasing block space on KnockChain. Future plans include expanding capabilities to encompass data availability and locked scripts within the namespace, fostering a creator economy around micro scripts for intents.

Logan shares insights into the development process, emphasizing challenges and breakthroughs, including advancements made in 2022 involving binary trees and polynomial equations for efficient computation. He expresses enthusiasm for the transition from ZKPOW proof of work to the upcoming competition and the potential for future app developments.