Added a glossary.

docs/appendices/glossary.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,226 @@
+.. _app_glossary:
+
+Glossary
+================================================================================
+
+51% attack
+	attacks against blockchain systems that are possible if attackers control over half of the mining resources
+
+account
+	data structure associated with Ethereum Classic users and smart contracts
+
+address
+	unique numbers that identify blockchain accounts and are derived from the associated private keys
+
+ASIC
+	application specific integrated circuit, devices optimized for specific tasks such as blockchain mining
+
+block
+	sets of blockchain transactions and related logistical information
+
+block explorer
+	website presenting information about a blockchain
+
+block header
+	all the fields of Ethereum Classic blocks except the transaction and uncle header lists
+
+block propagation
+	distribution of copies of blocks throughout blockchain networks
+
+blockchain
+	linear arrays of blocks each of which met the requirements of the blockchain system
+
+bootstrap nodes
+	Ethereum Classic network computers that are always available and accepting of new connections from other network computers
+
+classic ether
+	the native cryptocurrency of Ethereum Classic, also referred to as ether
+
+coinbase
+	blockchain account that receives mining rewards
+
+compiler
+	programs that translate programs from one programming language to others
+
+consensus
+	agreements among blockchain miners regarding the selection of the official chain
+
+cryptocurrency
+	money systems implemented on blockchain systems
+
+daemon
+	autonomous software agents
+
+DAG
+	directed acyclic graph, used in the Ethereum Classic proof of work calculations
+
+dapp
+	applications that run on blockchain systems, also referred to as decentralized applications
+
+decentralization
+	the elimination of centralized control entities from software and network designs
+
+decentralized application
+	applications that run on blockchain systems, also referred to as dapps
+
+decentralized autonomous enterprise
+	sophisticated smart contracts that perform many of the functions of organizations
+
+difficulty
+	difficulty of a proof of work calculation in a blockchain system
+
+digital signature
+	strings associated with other strings that prove the creators has access to a private key
+
+digital signature
+	authentication mechanism in which text snippets appended to data establishing that the creator had access to the associated private key and did a calculation on the data with it,
+
+elliptic curve cryptography
+	type of cryptography typically used in blockchain public and private key systems
+
+encryption
+	a cryptographic process used to protect the privacy of information
+
+ether
+	the native cryptocurrency of Ethereum Classic, also referred to as classic ether
+
+event
+	requests in smart contracts to log some information
+
+EVM
+	Ethereum Virtual Machine
+
+exchange
+	place to buy and sell cryptocurrencies
+
+external account
+	one of the two types of Ethereum Classic accounts, used by external clients
+
+fast syncing
+	updating blockchain copies and downloading instead of calculating state information
+
+gas
+	units used to measure resource usage in the Ethereum Classic system
+
+gas limit
+	limits on the maximum possible of gas units, blocks for example have limit on the amount of gas all their transactions can require
+
+gas price
+	prices of gas units in classic ether
+
+genesis block
+	first blocks of blockchains
+
+GHOST
+	Greedy Heaviest Observed Subtree blockchain protocol
+
+hash
+	fixed length string calculated from another possibly much longer string with many uses such as confirming data integrity and naming objects
+
+hashrate
+	total mining capacity of a blockchain as measured by how fast hashes can be calculated
+
+hexadecimal
+	compact method of representing numbers involving numbers and letters, is especially used for big numbers
+
+IPC
+	interprocess communication, used to communicate between processes on a computer
+
+keyfile
+	file containing a private and public key pair, typically encrypted
+
+light client
+	blockchain client that submit that can utilize a blockchain but does not maintain a complete copy of the blochchain
+
+Merkle Patricia trie
+	data structures which represents key value pairs
+
+message
+	smart contract account requests to other smart contract accounts, may transfer funds as well as invoke or create smart contracts
+
+mining
+	process of creating, verifying and distributing blocks in a blockchain
+
+mining pool
+	group of miners working together
+
+mining reward
+	new cryptocurrency tokens given to miners for performing mining
+
+node
+	computers in a network such as a blockchain network
+
+node discovery
+	process of finding other nodes in a network such as blockchain network
+
+nonce
+	numbers used once (Number ONCE) for various purposes in blockchain systems such as proof of work calculations and preventing replay attacks
+
+peer to peer network
+	decentralized network without a centralized control entity
+
+private key
+	secret numbers of blockchain accounts used to authorize transactions from it
+
+proof of work
+	results of difficult calculations in some blockchain systems used to increase security
+
+protocol
+	set of rules to accomplish something like a process in a blockchain system
+
+public key
+	pairs of numbers derived from the private keys of blockchain accounts used to identify blockchain accounts and determine account addresses
+
+receipt
+	transaction logs
+
+RPC
+	remote procedure call, used to invoke code on the same or different computers
+
+serialization
+	process of converting a data structure into a linear array of bits
+
+Serpent
+	high level smart contract language which is similar to Python
+
+sharding
+	mechanism to increase the scalability of blockchain systems by dividing blockchains into subsets (shards) managed by different parts of the network
+
+sidechain
+	blockchain that is associated with but still separate from another blockchain
+
+smart contract
+	autonomous software agents such as software running on blockchains
+
+Solidity
+	high level smart contract language which is similar to Javascript
+
+state
+	in Ethereum Classic, all account information for all accounts at some point in time
+
+syncing
+	updating blockchain copies
+
+transaction
+	external account requests to the Ethereum Classic system, may transfer funds as well as invoke or create smart contracts
+
+transaction fee
+	gas costs to execute transactions
+
+trustless
+	property of public blockchain system whereby no entity has special permissions
+
+uncle
+	losing blocks in mining contests that are used to increase the security of blockchain systems
+
+virtual machine
+	computing resource implemented in software
+
+Vyper
+	high level smart contract language which is similar to Python
+
+wallet
+	set of public and private keys, may also refer to other associated information and software
+
+web 3
+	name that refers to the vision of a more secure, trustless blockchain based World Wide Web replacement

docs/appendices/index.rst

@@ -14,3 +14,4 @@ blank
    code_is_law_principle
    crypto_decen_man
    dec_of_ind
+   glossary