White Papers
As part of the bounty program, we fund research into theoretical ideas for things Namecoin can or should do. These ideas aren't necessarily practical or immediately viable, but starting a discussion early on can lead the project in new directions that don't immediately come to mind.
Ideal submissions are things that help extend the core ideas behind Namecoin - decentralized, secure low level infrastructure for the web - in new and exciting ways.
If you have an idea for something that Namecoin can or should do, send us a one or two sentence summary. If we think it's worth investigating, we'll pay for the research, development, and time costs needed to produce a finished paper.
A list of received proposals is coming soon.
White Paper FAQ
Does my idea have to come with sample code?
- Ideas do not need to come with implementations, but the proposals should be technically sound.
What are some bad example proposals?
- Good submissions are things that play to Namecoin's strengths - low level, browser and OS integration, requiring a relatively small footprint. Ideas that propose lots of blockchain bloat, major protocol changes, or other fundamental changes are best left to other coins.
Am I required to submit a proposal before writing a white paper?
- Yes. The potential for abuse here is too high to just unconditionally pay people per word submitted. Sending us a one to two sentence summary allows us to determine how original the idea is, how well it fits with Namecoin, and the feasibility of actually researching and developing it. If we accept your summary, you will be paid for the completion of a paper.
How much does each paper get paid?
- We feel that papers are worth between one hundred and one thousand dollars, depending on quality and merit. Quantity (word count) is not a factor in price.
Is there any way to earn more money for a paper?
- Successful papers can become open bounties for further development, with significantly larger payouts. As the expert on your white paper's topic, you'll be able to start working on it before anyone else.