define merkle dag

[dominictarr]

You mention the phrase "Merkle DAG" several times, as if this is a common term, the closest you get to defining it is in footnote 2.

From what I can tell, it @jbenet just invented this term? (not the idea, but the term--a search for "Merkle DAG" results mostly in ipfs pages!)

You should not assume that the reader has already had the Content Addressability/Merkle DAG/Hash Links Revelation... Instead, you should explain the properties, why you have called it a Merkle DAG, or cite a paper that does.

[jbenet]

yep, plan is to eventually write a paper about merkle dags and why they're valuable.

From what I can tell, it @jbenet just invented this term? (not the idea, but the term--a search for "Merkle DAG" results mostly in ipfs pages!)

See why here jbenet/random-ideas#20 (comment) -- also, merkle_web_, but that's only in the web-context.

[tapaswenipathak]

Hi @jbenet, is the ticket open? Can I work on the ticket or is this internal?

[Stebalien]

If you'd like to fix this, adding a link to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkle_tree and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directed_acyclic_graph to that footnote is probably enough for now (I'd be happy to review a PR if you tag me).

More generally, the implementation and paper have diverged enough that fixing small issues in the paper may not be worth it.

[tapaswenipathak]

Done, attached.