21 Inc Launches Software Package to Turn Every Computer into a Bitcoin Computer

Balaji Srinivasan, co-founder and CEO of 21 Inc, announced the launch of the 21 software package at the Consensus 2016 blockchain conference, which will allow any computer user to receive Bitcoin.

The software allows all connected devices to join the 21 network and access the 21 application market, and also provides some functions that were previously only available to 21 Bitcoin computer users.

Srinivasan told attendees:

“We think there will be a third network, the machine network, where all connections are actually payments between machines.”

According to Srinivasan, the World Wide Web (www) was the "first network," consisting of interconnected files. The second network was the social network, which connected people directly through technology.

In his speech, Srinivasan argued that the ability for machines to pay each other could effectively monetize HTTP.

He explained:

“The concept of the network we want to build is that the machine can earn Bitcoin during each HTTP request. Because each time a web page is loaded, it is an HTTP request, so when using a computer, a large number of HTTP requests are generated. If Bitcoin can be earned from each HTTP request, the total amount of Bitcoin that can be earned will be very large.”

Srinivasan also cited the example of Amazon Web Services (AWS), which requires users to register an account, enter personal information and pay a monthly fee to use the service. However, machine-to-machine networks do not require registration at all.

Multiple ways to get Bitcoin

During his presentation, Srinivasan outlined the various ways that 21 can generate bitcoins. Users can use the software to: mine bitcoins; purchase bitcoins directly through the software using the integrated Coinbase; complete 21 tasks in exchange for bitcoins directly or create machine payment services.

Srinivasan also described how the software can create machine payment services that allow developers to introduce micropayments by adding a single line of code to any program.

“You can create a command that says every API is worth 5,000 satoshis. You can do arbitrary pricing and dynamic pricing. You can retrofit or build new applications that use bitcoin micropayments.”

These applications can then be made available to other users and developers who need them. The application market launched by 21 in March allows anyone with a Bitcoin computer to buy and sell applications, and now with the release of the 21 package, the user base of the application market has been expanded.

“All computers today are equivalent to Bitcoin computers. This is a new way to make money online.”

As these apps become available on the market, Srinivasan explained that the software supports dynamic pricing mechanisms, so different users can be charged different fees.

“You can charge your loved ones a low price, you can charge a high price, it’s all up to you.”