What is Expanse?
Expanse is a decentralized smart contracts platform that is powered by Expanse, the cryptocurrency. This is a blockchain platform that has opened an avenue for anyone to create and use decentralized applications that are built to run on blockchain technology.
There is no control or ownership over Expanse, just as is the case with Bitcoin. Therefore, Expanse is an open source project. There are collaborators from all over the world, so users can always benefit from this in one way or the other.
While Expanse borrows from Bitcoin in terms of open source development, one of the primary differences between the two is the fact that Expanse is flexible and adaptable, while Bitcoin is not. It is very easy for users to create new applications on Expanse.
Apart from just creating applications, the introduction of the Honestead release means that anyone who is on the Expanse platform can easily use the applications that have been created, without having to worry about their security.
What is the problem that Expanse Solves?
Expanse is purely aimed at solving the challenge of governance. This is, in fact, one of the reasons why it is different from Bitcoin, and Ethereum, upon which Expanse is built. The idea behind Expanse is to come up with a project that is different from Bitcoin and Ethereum but draws on their best features to establish a governance platform that liberates citizenship and introduces the element of liquidity to it. Therefore, while a project like Ethereum, for example, tries to find solutions to many problems we experience in the world, Expanse is out to solve one problem only – Governance.
Expanse has created an ecosystem where blockchain can be utilized in day to day transactions. This is different from what Bitcoin, for example, was designed for.
Bitcoin was specifically meant to be a form of electronic money. It is important to note, however, that Expanse still shares in some of the core concepts of Bitcoin, relevant to the Expanse cause.
The kind of infrastructural applications that are supported by Expanse are supposed to extend over and above the scope of currency exchange.
How does Expanse Solve the problem?
Expanse sets itself apart from the rest of the blockchain projects because it is a programmable blockchain project. Instead of pushing pre-defined operations down the throats of the users as is the case with Bitcoin transactions, Expanse creates an avenue where users are able to design unique operations in whichever complexity they can handle.
In so doing, Expanse takes the project away from the limitations of cryptocurrencies alone and allows users to explore other alternative ways of leveraging the blockchain towards solving their problems.
Expanse is a protocol suite that refers to a decentralized set of applications. All this is made possible because of the Expanse Virtual Machine (EVM). The EVM has the technical capacity to execute arbitrary algorithmic complex code. This allows developers an opportunity to build applications which run on the EVM while at the same time using languages that they understand.
This also has helped to widen the scope of developers, given that most of them are now able to code and build solutions in languages that they understand so well, like Python and JavaScript, instead of having to waste time learning languages that are inherent to certain blockchain projects.
Expanse also has a P2P network protocol, just as is the case with any other blockchain project. There are several nodes in the Expanse blockchain database that help to update and maintain the platform. This is also one of the reasons why Expanse has often been referred to as a world computer, because every single node on the network runs the EVM, and can perform similar instructions.
But, why would Expanse have each node in the EVM running this parallelization of computing, especially when it goes against the basic principle of efficiency? As a matter of fact, this parallelization of computing slows down Expanse and makes it relatively slower than a normal computer.
The answer is consistency. Each of these nodes operates in the way they do so as to maintain consensus all over the blockchain. By decentralizing consensus, Expanse has been able to inherit an extreme level of fault tolerance.
This allows users to run their applications on the platform without having to worry about downtime. In fact, it is important to highlight the fact that Expanse has zero downtime.
Other than that, this action further ensures that all data that is stored on the Expanse blockchain is free from censorship, and will forever remain unchangeable.
What makes Expanse better than the competitors?
There is so much that is shared in terms of features between Expanse and a lot of the cryptocurrency projects that have been released in recent years. However, Expanse still manages to set itself apart from most of these by virtue of the following features:
Dedicated team of experts
Expanse has a dedicated team of experts who are actively involved in all aspects of the development process. These are people who have excelled in different fields of technology and bring to the project their vast experience. Users and investors in Expanse can also look forward to getting prompt updates on the project, and any development thereof.
Industry partnerships
One of the reasons why Expanse has come out to be a consistent player in the market is the fact that it is backed by several authority industry partners. These are entities that have shown commitment to advancing the blockchain agenda for the longest time possible and are heavily invested in other blockchain projects in the industry. Some of these include partners like Microsoft Azure, CenturyLink, and GameBoard.
Therefore, users can look forward to investing in, and being part of a network that is constantly working towards innovation and creating new projects and solutions that are applicable in solving world problems that we are currently experiencing.
Decentralization and open source
Decentralization is key to realizing the blockchain dream. A completely decentralized blockchain platform would help in setting users free from the bondage that they have been tied to, by most of the entities that they work with.
Expanse does not just offer a decentralized blockchain platform, it is also an open source project. Therefore, there is a free exchange of ideas, which further helps to make this a progressive project.
Consistent growth and stability
Expanse boasts as one of the blockchain projects that has experienced a steady growth trajectory since it was started. This level of growth can only mean one thing, that this is a reliable, credible and stable project. This also explains why a lot of people are actively involved in the project, and investors keep pouring in.
Unique decentralized apps
There are several blockchain projects out there that promise one thing but deliver something else. There are also projects whose premise includes solving problems in a theoretical manner. This is where Expanse sets itself apart from the others.
Expanse is offering solutions to real-world problems. These are problems that most people can relate to. Take the case of voting, for example. Almost everyone knows how shambolic voting can be or has been in their jurisdiction. Voting is often marred by violence and other cases of discord, simply because of a lack of trust by the voters, in the voting system that is in use.
Through Expanse, we are looking at a reality that voting might soon be a streamlined, honest and straightforward process. With projects like Expanse in place, some of the challenges that are often associated with voting processes like violence and unrest might soon be a thing of the past.
Self-funding
A lot of the cryptocurrency projects out there are funded through crowdfunding. They have to rely on donations and contributions from people and entities who believe in their cause, or those who share a similar vision.
One of the problems with this mode of funding is that in the long run, an entity that contributes the most toward the campaign might feel the need to impose their demands and desires over the project. In the long run, the project has to align its goals and objectives to that of the investor.
Expanse, on the other hand, does not crowdfund. Instead, it is a self-funding model that is built on DAO. It uses a reserve for the smart contracts to fund the platform, hence it is free from influence by parties who might feel they have contributed so much to the project’s development.
How can Expanse be categorized?
Expanse is a governance integrate open source blockchain platform where users and developers alike have the freedom to create decentralized applications, all which run on the blockchain.
What’s Expanse’s vision on Security?
In terms of security, Expanse borrows a lot from Bitcoin. Users who have used Bitcoin in the past should have an easy time using Expanse. There are, however, innovative modifications unique to Expanse that have been built on top of the Bitcoin security features.
While Bitcoin simply is a list of transactions that have taken place on the network, the basic unit in Expanse is the account. The algorithm used in Expanse tracks the state of each account. All the transitions in state within the Expanse blockchain are considered as transfers of information and value between the accounts.
In light of the above, Expanse has two types of accounts: Externally Owned Accounts (EOA) and Contract Accounts. EOAs are controlled with private keys. Contract Accounts, on the other hand, are controlled by the unique instructions in their contract code. The Contract Accounts, therefore, can only be made active through an EOA.
The main difference between these is that EOAs are controlled by humans since they have the private keys that control these accounts, while Contract Accounts are maintained and governed by internal code.
Examples of Expanse use cases/applications
Twitch Streaming
The Expanse team has recently started using the live streaming platform, Twitch. This has made it easier to get in touch with the community around Expanse. Users have been able to participate in the discussions, share ideas and learn more about the Expanse project.
Using Twitch is not just about communication, but users are also able to earn Expanse Bits (EXPB) when they view the live streams. These tokens are redeemable in the Streamlabs store.
TokenLab ™
This is a smart contract management and ICO management platform that allows everyone who has access to it, the chance to give their brilliant ideas a shot at the limelight. It does not matter whether you are an issuer or an investor, TokenLab presents scalable and unique technology that gives you the best ICO experience for your project. Other than that, it is a secure, simpler, safer platform that offers one of the best flexibility options so far.
VoteLock ™
Many are the situations where voting has been marred by claims of unfairness, theft and so many other concerns. Through VoteLock, it is possible to get results verified very fast and with the highest level of accuracy. VoteLock also brings a level of transparency to voting that is currently lacking in most, if not all of the traditional voting systems in use all over the world.
Through VoteLock, it is possible to leverage the best of blockchain technology and bring forth a system that will streamline an important activity in the social and civic lives of many societies. It helps to provide one of the most secure systems not just for voting, but also for counting votes.
Borderless Identity Management
Identity management has always been a challenge in so many instances. Many entities actually struggle with this, and it is one of the reasons why for a very long time, identification of accounts or account holders has been a challenge for a lot of these entities, hence making it difficult to prevent fraudulent activities. Borderless Identity Management is a governance system that is not just accessible globally but is fully decentralized.
All the services on this platform are either free or available at a very small fee. It can be accessed from anywhere very easily. This is one of the best governance platforms in the world and is useful in a world where connectivity is happening at a very fast rate.
Resources
https://coincheckup.com/coins/Expanse
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ITNRmZ0dTse-aZqjbWiC9w1n2XpPvKyl4J9BP-liuxw/edit?usp=sharing