1/ Speaking of Adam Back ( @adam3us) here's a brief thread that explores the history of Adam apart from his hashcash paper, which was cited by Satoshi.
2/ As of right now, Adam Back is the CEO of Blockstream - we all know this https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blockstream-appoints-hashcash-inventor-dr-adam-back-as-ceo-300337815.html
3/ However, if we go back several years to the 'hashcash' days, we'll see Adam Back was also involved in a venture called 'Zero Knowledge Systems', which he co-founded with 'Austin Hill' and 'Hammy Hill'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_Knowledge_Systems
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_Knowledge_Systems
4/ Curiously, the former CEO of Blockstream (before Adam Back), was Austin Hill - the same Austin Hill from the Zero Knowledge System company that they had created with one another.
source: https://www.cnbc.com/austin-hill/
source: https://www.cnbc.com/austin-hill/
5/ Notably, the Wikipedia entry for ‘Zero Knowledge Systems’ states that the goal was to, “combine cypherpunk principles with a for-profit technology”.
Blockstream appears to have a similar goal with Bitcoin, whom many have attributed or associated with the ‘cypherpunk’ movement
Blockstream appears to have a similar goal with Bitcoin, whom many have attributed or associated with the ‘cypherpunk’ movement
6/ Perhaps not unexpected, ‘Zero Knowledge Systems’ failed to make it beyond 2001, with the project being declared defunct in October of that year
#SorryAdam!
Source: https://www.wired.com/2001/10/leading-anonymity-system-to-end/
#SorryAdam!
Source: https://www.wired.com/2001/10/leading-anonymity-system-to-end/
7/ Here’s another interesting link that explores Adam Back, Hammy & Austin Hill’s endeavors with the ‘ZK Knowledge Network’: http://cryptome.org/zks-v-tcm.htm