Poll: Blockchain is Hot, but I Haven't Gotten Much Interest in the BlockChain Kit Roadtest. Any Ideas Why?

If you quickly search through the web, it's clear that blockchain technology is considered as one of the hot new technologies that will find application in a wide number of industries. Some people call it a game changer, which I personally am reluctant to declare. But it definitely is something worth learning more about and understanding how it works. So, when I was approached by a sponsor to launch a roadtest on its new blockchain kit: Infineon Blockchain Starter Kit I thought it was a great idea to roadtest this kit. Now, I will admit I roadtested this a few months ago and I didn't get much interest. I had 5 more kits so I am trying again. I still am not getting much interest. My poll here is to take a sense of why people don't find it interesting. Thanks.

Top Comments

bigsexy over 5 years ago

Looks like I am a little late to the game here But I will still add why I chose other. Reason 1, I have satellite internet and it cost a small fortune. I do not know how much data blockchain uses and fear using all of my available data quickly.
Reason 2, due to the decline in value of blockchain mining I do not feel it is a profitable venture. You see lots of used gear people have purchased to set up their own mining operation, and now gave up because the cost literally outweighs the value in terms of electricity consumption to run the gear and also cooling cost to keep the gear from failing early from heat degradation.
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Jan Cumps over 5 years ago in reply to BigG

I’m using the lite package too. Tested it with an eID reader for European ID cards.

See section 3: Road Test notepad: Infineon Blockchain Starter Kit
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BigG over 5 years ago in reply to Jan Cumps

I'm doing some more digging around. Found this option for Linux:

https://pkgs.org/download/pcsc-lite

https://pcsclite.apdu.fr/
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Jan Cumps over 5 years ago in reply to Andrew J

Andrew J wrote:

So you're trying non-phone NFC approaches with the card as well - that makes sense.
Yes. shabaz and I are trying to set up a distributed HyperLedger blockchain, and use the cards for hash calculation.

Got set back because the first reader I ordered isn’t compatible. Running ledgers was successful , but not yet on separate computers.
Difficult subject
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Jan Cumps over 5 years ago in reply to BigG

BigG wrote:

Ah! Maybe so. I'm not familiar with that protocol. I did a one off online search and it threw up this document from NXP. Will need to digest.

https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/user-guide/UM10915.pdf
according to that user guide, it supports it:
6.PC/SC API
PC/SC interface is a specification for contact and contactless smartcard into the computer eco-system. When the PN7462AU is plugged with the USB link, the device is controlled using this interface on top of the USB driver. PN7462AU is compliant with the CCID transport protocol. It does not need a native driver. The device uses the driver from the operating system.
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BigG over 5 years ago in reply to Jan Cumps

Ah! Maybe so. I'm not familiar with that protocol. I did a one off online search and it threw up this document from NXP. Will need to digest.

https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/user-guide/UM10915.pdf
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Jan Cumps over 5 years ago in reply to BigG

BigG wrote:

Here's a cheaper USB NFC controller reader/writer which should work... https://ie.farnell.com/mikroelektronika/mikroe-2540/nfc-usb-dongle/dp/2858108?st=NFC%20USB%20DONGLE

the datasheet doesn’t mention support for the sc/pc protocol that the Infineon examples rely on.
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BigG over 5 years ago in reply to Jan Cumps

Here's a cheaper USB NFC controller reader/writer which should work... https://ie.farnell.com/mikroelektronika/mikroe-2540/nfc-usb-dongle/dp/2858108?st=NFC%20USB%20DONGLE
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Andrew J over 5 years ago in reply to Jan Cumps

So you're trying non-phone NFC approaches with the card as well - that makes sense. The fact that many referred to by Infineon are obsolete it sounds eerily like the 'user fit' components on the Renesas board we tested!!

The import duty seems like a hellish % given you have to pay nearly as much as the item itself. You should have told them you would pay in Bitcoin

You have to be >2m from anyone else here in the UK. What with raging wildfires in Australia, floods across the UK, plagues of locusts across East Africa and now a global disease all in the first 3 months of the year, if they made a film, you would call the script ridiculous and unbelievable!

Stay safe buddy.
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Jan Cumps over 5 years ago in reply to Andrew J

Andrew J wrote:

...

Why is there real value in USB NFC consoles?
glad you asked

The value is in knowing which ones work, so hat you don't order incompatibla ones, like I did.
There are many out there. Most of them comply with the ISO#of this card.
But that isn't enough. You need a SC/PC - compatible one. With read/write support. And then it has to match with the cards.

There's a link of readers that Infineon refers to: https://ccid.apdu.fr/select_readers/?features=contactless
The majority is obsolete. Others hard to get as an individual.

I currently have on order, from Serbia, a 59€ model that I hope works.
Post office does not want to give it to me. I first have to pay a 41€ import tax and I didn't have the cash (post doesn't inform you up front and then they show up at your door without change and ask for exactly 41.25 € tax clearance).
So tomorrow I'll have to go to the post office. Queue 1.5m distance from the previous person (but we have to push the same touch screen when entering to register ).
Then pay tax dues and get the reader.
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