I was pretty shocked when I found out that NFT pictures aren’t even stored in the block chain. NFTs are just records on the block chain with links to images stored on ordinary servers.
This is because you (in theory) need the whole blockchain to validate an NFT, so you want to keep it as small as possible.
But since you store the Cryptographic Hash of the image too, you can validate that the image on the server is actually the same one referenced by the blockchain. You could even move it to another server, but it will break the link obviously
Uhh but everyone has the jpg cause it wasn’t special and the link leads to a dead server so no one can prove what was at the end of that link and the unique hash doesn’t work cause the image isn’t there anymore.
It’s bad. It’s really really bad. They might as well have just made it a text files that says:
I totally am the owner of Nyan cat, cause this says so. Signed the rainbow cat authority.
You create a picture (or some other file), you put a hash of it (and the link) to the blockchain and you’ve got the ‘prove’ that you created it.
Even when somebody tried to claim it using another hash, you can still provide the original file (which can be saved anywhere, as long as the hash is the same) to prove yours is the ‘original’, as your version of the file was the first to appear on the chain.
Right so I could do that for any image, “mint” it by putting its hash on the chain and then it’s also proof I own it… Except I don’t. I just put a file at a link and copy of that specific file information on the block chain and then nothing. I get that the fact that you can trace it back to its original source as a form of proof make it technically valuable like all other things with a signature of authenticity but you actually don’t have the item you just have the receipt. And you really need to avoid ever doing anything to the at file cause even just accidentally zipping it will likely mean it’s not the original and the original link is dead cause who cares long term.
It’s still nothing. It’s a dopamine hit for someone tricking you into buying an hourglass that leaks sand. It’s only a matter of time before it’s useless.
I was pretty shocked when I found out that NFT pictures aren’t even stored in the block chain. NFTs are just records on the block chain with links to images stored on ordinary servers.
This is because you (in theory) need the whole blockchain to validate an NFT, so you want to keep it as small as possible.
But since you store the Cryptographic Hash of the image too, you can validate that the image on the server is actually the same one referenced by the blockchain. You could even move it to another server, but it will break the link obviously
Except you don’t own that server and have no control over it, and if the server owner takes the image offline you’re screwed
It does not really matter. You’ve still got the JPEG (or whatever else). Just calculate the hash and you can proof that it’s the one referenced.
Uhh but everyone has the jpg cause it wasn’t special and the link leads to a dead server so no one can prove what was at the end of that link and the unique hash doesn’t work cause the image isn’t there anymore.
It’s bad. It’s really really bad. They might as well have just made it a text files that says:
You create a picture (or some other file), you put a hash of it (and the link) to the blockchain and you’ve got the ‘prove’ that you created it.
Even when somebody tried to claim it using another hash, you can still provide the original file (which can be saved anywhere, as long as the hash is the same) to prove yours is the ‘original’, as your version of the file was the first to appear on the chain.
Right so I could do that for any image, “mint” it by putting its hash on the chain and then it’s also proof I own it… Except I don’t. I just put a file at a link and copy of that specific file information on the block chain and then nothing. I get that the fact that you can trace it back to its original source as a form of proof make it technically valuable like all other things with a signature of authenticity but you actually don’t have the item you just have the receipt. And you really need to avoid ever doing anything to the at file cause even just accidentally zipping it will likely mean it’s not the original and the original link is dead cause who cares long term.
It’s still nothing. It’s a dopamine hit for someone tricking you into buying an hourglass that leaks sand. It’s only a matter of time before it’s useless.
There are now Bitcoin Ordinals, which are similar to NFTs but with a sufficient size limit to actually store the media itself.
I’m pretty sure you could always store a full image in an NFT on ethereum, it’d just cost stupid high transaction fees.
Interesting, but the scarcity this is trying to manufacture still doesn’t apply to the image itself which can be easily and endlessly copied.