---
# System prepended metadata

title: 'Cryptographic Technology Developer, Researcher, Writer, Advisor'

---

# Cryptographic Technology Developer, Researcher, Writer, Advisor
2017-06–2019-06, 2019-10-2019-12. Sydney (remote). Fintech, [gossipsub](https://github.com/libp2p/rust-libp2p/pull/767), [libp2p](https://libp2p.io/), blockchain, cryptography, sharding, [Drops of Diamond](https://github.com/Drops-of-Diamond/diamond_drops), scalability; database, consensus and network protocols; Ethereum 2.0, [Pocket Network](https://pokt.network/), [Holochain](https://holochain.org/), [Katallassos](https://katal.io/), [Substrate](https://www.parity.io/substrate/), and Locale ([link to the founder's profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-mofley-ab2150142/)).

Dec 2019–May 2020: exploring various ideas, such as, a distributed emissions trading platform ([Gaja](https://climategaja.wordpress.com/)), [commoning of electricity grids](https://energycentral.com/c/gr/commoning-energy-assets-using-holochain), distributed ownership of (autonomous electric) car fleets and car charging infrastructure, and smart energy apps.

Programming languages: mostly used [Rust](https://www.rust-lang.org/), but also studied and/or used Wasm, Javascript, Go, Python, and C++.

General tasks involved include doing some contractual work with a few projects, applying for jobs, and contributing to projects, including [Redgrid](https://redgrid.io/), [Holochain](https://holochain.org/), and [Katallassos](https://katallassos.com/), and other projects. I'm most interested in Holochain, as it can provide scalable distribute apps with data integrity, in order to build a decentralized Web and economy, with [democratic power relationships](https://blog.p2pfoundation.net/holochain-the-perfect-framework-for-decentralised-cooperation-at-scale/2018/06/26?cn-reloaded=1&cn-reloaded=1). It has a design inspired by nature. It combines the best of [distributed](http://www.carlsterner.com/research/images/2009_resilience/baran1964.jpg) technology, such as DHTs, dual pair key cryptography and signatures, hashing, and [git](https://git-scm.com/).

The following are some ways you can see my contributions to the Holochain ecosystem: with my [Github activity](https://github.com/jamesray1), plus more community and marketing oriented contributions as follows:
- on Medium, e.g. Holochain [pros and cons](https://medium.com/@james.ray/holochain-pros-and-cons-569973763a38?source=---------3------------------) and [Holochain economics](https://medium.com/@james.ray/holochain-economics-671ef4a66974).
- in the Mattermost chat server at [chat.holochain.org/](https://chat.holochain.org/)
- [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/user/jamescray1/) (in r/holochain)
- [Twitter](https://twitter.com/JamesChrRay)

I think Holochain has more potential than blockchains. Blockchains try to improve on the status quo of more centralized, traditional finance, but they haven't succeeded in scaling yet. I think the energy spent on researching and building blockchains would seem more worthwhile being directed to Holochain, or a similar platform, since everything that you can do on a blockchain can be done with Holochain. By using mutual credit with distributed networks, Holochain apps can achieve mutual sovereignty, and achieve greater autonomy from fiat currencies, which includes cryptocurrencies.

### Locale advisor

Contributed in a design sprint for 5 days as an advisor and worked with the team to build a prototype.

Locale is looking to build an inventory management system on Holochain.

Reviews are [here](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6546460680185356288/) and [in the reviews section of my LinkedIn profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameschristopherray/).

### <a href="https://github.com/libp2p/rust-libp2p/pull/767">Gossipsub</a> development

Jun 2018–Feb 2019.

A scalable, efficient, extensible baseline pubsub (publish-subscribe, messaging) protocol for p2p networks and decentralized applications on top of them. See <a href="https://github.com/libp2p/rust-libp2p/pull/767">here</a> for details. <!--<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Fv8XqLkMjdBkGPkVWfJulJU-5Qv6TSUR4oD5uKSEHW0/edit#gid=58883616">Timesheet (includes Drops of Diamond)</a>.-->

#### Reason for ending Gossipsub and Ethereum 2.0 development

Due to insufficient funding for gossipsub and Eth 2 development, after working on these projects for over a year, and contributing in the Ethereum sector part-time then full time since June 2017 and Feb 2018, respectively, trying unsuccessfully to get a grant or job with Ethereum after much effort, I had to discontinue efforts as it was financially unsustainable. I worked in the crypto sector because I saw that it had a lot of potential to empower individuals and organizations through the decentralized web and finance, and still does, but with more potential with Holochain.

### <a href="http://pokt.network" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pocket Network</a> Protocol Advisor

September–November 2018. "Pocket Network is decentralized infrastructure for any blockchain that someone is willing to spin up a node for."

### Drops of Diamond founder and developer

Jan 2018–Jun 2018.

[Sharding development](https://github.com/Drops-of-Diamond/Diamond-drops) implementing specifications that were deprecated in June.

### <a href="https://github.com/jamesray1/work-log" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ethereum contributor</a>

June 2017–Feb 2019. <a href="https://github.com/ethereum/wiki/wiki/Ethereum-introduction" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">About Ethereum</a>. "Ethereum is a decentralized, self-contained economy for transactional computation and related data." Contributed and reviewed research e.g. on <a href="https://ethresear.ch/u/jamesray1/activity">ethresear.ch</a>, research papers such as <a href="https://github.com/ethereum/research/blob/master/papers/cbc-consensus/AbstractCBC.pdf">Casper CBC</a>, <a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/1710.09437.pdf">Casper FFG</a>, <a href="http://radicalmarkets.com/">radical markets</a> and <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3243656">liberal radicalism</a>, and edited docs such as the <a href="https://github.com/ethereum/yellowpaper">Yellow Paper</a> and the Ethereum <a href="https://github.com/ethereum/wiki/wiki">wiki</a>. <a href="https://tinyurl.com/Ethtimesht">Timesheet</a>.
