Research FAQ
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[edit] Decentralization
[edit] Do CommerceNet folks still say zLab?
The term has gradually become deprecated in favor of of "CNLabs" or more recently, "research at CommerceNet".
[edit] What's the Z thing?
Z is the mark of decentraliZation. zLab exists to research decentralized commerce.
[edit] Why is decentralization important?
It's about freedom of choice. Commerce occurs when different organizations work together, and they are entitled to their own opinions about prices, quality, and transaction terms.
It's also about reducing risk. Decentralized software development allows different organizations to share costs by building common components in open source.
[edit] What does decentralization mean for electronic commerce?
A classic example is the role of eBay. On one hand, it is a wonderfully democratic and open market that expands to include more and more buyers, sellers, and products. But it does rely on eBay, Inc. as judge, jury, and executioner when it comes to disputes about what kinds of products can be listed and by whom. More importantly, it only supports two forms of commerce: fixed-price or increasing-price English auctions.
We love eBay (and use it regularly!), but we also like to do the thought experiment of what kinds of technologies a decentralized eBay would require.
In our description of zLab, we write that decentralization is about choice: increasing participants' freedom to choose trading partners, traded items, and even trading methods. In each of our Projects, the reason we want to build a Z equivalent to a successful existing system is to explore whether increased choice of action can still yield a stable outcome (rather than anarchy).
[edit] Research at CommerceNet
[edit] Is CommerceNet an academic institution, or an industry leader?
We are neither an academic lab nor an incubator; rather, our research work is a hybrid that explores innovative ideas by producing papers and prototypes. For more, see our About page.
[edit] Where does zLab's funding come from?
CommerceNet supports research through its endowment.
