A lot of people have asked how OPEN plans to scale our service. You see, we believe not everything needs to be decentralized as there are still advantages to centralized systems. There are clear benefits when applied correctly to solve a problem and not all situations call for a blockchain solution.
In OPEN Platforms case, the problem we address is the in-app purchasing system: how payments are received and ultimately affect an applications centralized platform. The application database is complex and protected and lies squarely in the developer's domain. Attempting to apply a blockchain for the database would not be practical; it would just mean a loss of efficiency and loads of re-work by the developer.
The centralized systems that are replaced by our blockchain solution are all the payment channels needed today: users bank, merchant bank, payment provider, etc. Our Scaffold smart contracts allow payment to be direct between User and Developer. The Scaffold also acts as a link between the User and the Application Database. Payment for the specific purchase can be confirmed and affect the Database, completing the transaction. The advantage for this solution is clear, avoiding the fees imposed by those centralized payment entities, accepting cryptocurrency, and instant access to the transaction funds.
Selectively applying blockchain technology can provide great benefits for a system, leaving the centralized and decentralized portions to do what they do best. It also makes scaling apps a whole lot easier. For a more comprehensive description of the OPEN Platform solution, please have a look at our whitepaper!
Thank you for the explanation. Taking the best of both decentralized and centralized technologies is the way to go.
