adding 2 refernces to existing work

src/papers/smart-token-paper.bib

@@ -55,3 +55,13 @@ @article{weyl2022
   title = {Decentralized Society: Finding Web3's Soul},
   year = {2022}
 }
+@article{roeber1992,
+  author = {Frederick G.M. Roeber},
+  title = {Usenet News meets The Web},
+  year = {1992}
+}
+@article{linn2000,
+  author = {John Linn},
+  title = {Trust Models and Management in Public-Key Infrastructures},
+  year = {2000}
+}

src/papers/smart-token-paper.md

@@ -2,44 +2,40 @@
 title: "Smart Token: The Building Block for the Next-Generation Token-Centric Web"
 date: "13th November, 2023"
 abstract: |
-  The evolution of the Web has been marked by significant shifts, from Web 1.0's flat architecture, where the Web was primarily seen as an information repository akin to books, to Web 2.0, where the Web transformed into an application platform. This transformation led to a "reverse pyramid" structure, with contemporary internet behemoths forming the narrow, foundational base. Such centralisation has stifled the Web's innovative potential, hindering the democratic spirit that underpins the Internet. As the number of users and websites has surged, the past decade has witnessed a plateau in transformative platforms or groundbreaking innovations, with the digital terrain largely commandeered by a few familiar giants. This paper delves into the root causes of this innovation drought, emphasising the indispensable role of trust anchors in nurturing a vibrant web ecosystem. We introduce the concept of a Token-Centric Web, a vision for the next-generation Internet that decentralises trust and enables an ecosystem of integrations. In this context, we propose "Smart Tokens," leveraging smart contracts, as an architectural choice to instantiate trust anchors in this Token-Centric Web to amplify user experience, bolster privacy, reduce dependence on monolithic Internet titans, and foster a new wave of web innovation. The paper further probes the potential for transformative shifts across various web dimensions and delineates the technical challenges, potential pitfalls, and adoption hurdles. We argue that the democratisation of trust anchors through Smart Tokens can pave the way for a more equitable and participatory Internet, turning it into a public good that benefits all.
+  The Web has evolved significantly, transitioning from Web 1.0's flat, book-like architecture to Web 2.0's application platform. This transformation led to a "reverse pyramid" structure, with contemporary internet behemoths forming the narrow, foundational base. Such centralisation has stifled the Web's innovative potential, hindering the democratic spirit that underpins the Internet. As the number of users and websites has surged, the past decade has witnessed a plateau in transformative platforms or groundbreaking innovations, with the digital terrain largely commandeered by a few familiar giants. This paper delves into the root causes of this innovation drought, emphasising the indispensable role of trust anchors in nurturing a vibrant web ecosystem. We introduce the concept of a Token-Centric Web, a vision for the next-generation Internet that decentralises trust and enables an ecosystem of integrations. In this context, we propose "Smart Tokens," leveraging smart contracts, as an architectural choice to instantiate trust anchors in this Token-Centric Web to amplify user experience, bolster privacy, reduce dependence on monolithic Internet titans, and foster a new wave of web innovation. The paper further probes the potential for transformative shifts across various web dimensions and delineates the technical challenges, potential pitfalls, and adoption hurdles. We argue that the democratisation of trust anchors through Smart Tokens can pave the way for a more equitable and participatory Internet, turning it into a public good that benefits all.
 ---
 
 # Web Foundations and Trust Anchors: Towards a Democratised Model
 
 ## The Web's Foundational Model
 
-When Tim Berners-Lee and his team developed the foundational concepts of the Web, they selected "sites" as its primary building blocks. This seemingly intuitive approach, however, was not a given, especially when other Internet protocols, like emails and USENET, did not revolve around the concept of sites. Consider USENET: it organises and manages information by topic, making it irrelevant which site or even which planet the information originates from under that topic.
+When Tim Berners-Lee and his team developed the foundational concepts of the Web, they conceptualized 'sites' as its primary building blocks, akin to physically exploring different sites in the digital world. This seemingly intuitive approach, however, was not a given, as prior Internet protocols did not revolve around the concept of sites. Consider USENET: it organises and manages information by topic, making it irrelevant which site or even which planet the information originates from under that topic.
 
 The Web embraced a site-centric model: a site has a single origin, is inherently competitive, forms an ecosystem through hyperlinks, and evolves as a platform rather than a static product. This model complemented the revolutionary capabilities introduced by HTML, contributing to the Web's rapid adoption and eventual dominance as an Internet application. Even in the mobile Internet era, the foundational model of 'sites' persisted[^mobile].
 
-[^mobile]: Although early mobile system designers envisioned apps to be function-centric, akin to desktop word processors and movie players, the reality differed. Instead, users embraced mainstream apps like Google Docs and Netflix. Like a site, a mainstream mobile app possesses a single origin, thrives in competition, links to other apps, and remains open to ongoing development. This evolution is a testament to the enduring influence of the site-based model, even in a landscape that has shifted significantly from Berners-Lee's original vision of the Web.
+[^mobile]: Although early mobile system designers envisioned apps to be function-centric, akin to desktop word processors for editing and movie players for entertainment, the reality differed. Instead, users embraced mainstream apps like Google Docs for editing, and Netflix for entertainment. Like a site, a mainstream mobile app possesses a single origin, thrives in competition, links to other apps, and remains open to ongoing development. This evolution is a testament to the enduring influence of the site-based model, even in a landscape that has shifted significantly from Berners-Lee's original vision of the Web.
 
 Berners-Lee and other early web pioneers didn't adopt the "site" concept merely for its potential evolutionary power. Instead, the Web's design was heavily influenced by a prevailing metaphor of that era — the library model, which likened the Internet to a vast library. This metaphor transposed a library's concept—a collection of books—to the digital realm, turning the Internet into a collection of sites. Just as a book references pages, the Web adopted "web pages." This framework led to structuring the Internet around origins (sites) instead of topics (as in USENET) or functionality (as in FTP). Hyperlinks became akin to library indexes, but site owners controlled these links, creating a self-referential mega-book that spanned the entire library[@tim1994].
 
-Structuring the Web around origins rather than topics (like USENET) or functionality (like BitTorrent) had vast implications. It led to websites' single-origin design, reminiscent of how books have specific authors. Today, multi-domain sites are rare. This design choice profoundly shaped our trust paradigm: We often interact with a site based on the trust we place in its origin. A site isn't just an information repository; it represents its origin's credibility.
-
-This decision, to be explored further in subsequent sections, inadvertently paved the way for the Web's centralisation.
+Structuring the Web around origins rather than topics (like USENET) or functionality (like BitTorrent) had profound implications. It led to websites' single-origin design, reminiscent of how books have specific authors. Today, multi-domain sites are rare. **This site-origin model imbued each website with a sense of credibility anchored in its source.** This subtle, yet pivotal decision laid the groundwork for a more centralised Web, inadvertently setting the stage for *the emergence of focal points* in the web's trust landscape, a phenomenon we explore further in the subsequent sections.
 
 ## The Shift from Information to Applications
 
-Originally influenced by the metaphor of a universal library, the Web was conceived as an information system[^comp.infosystems.www]. Today, such a description feels outdated. A more fitting depiction of the modern Internet is a sprawling network of web applications. Rarely do individuals now describe their online activity as simply "browsing" for information. Instead, they're interacting with dynamic web apps to chat, shop, book hotels, work remotely, network, or for leisure activities. Few draw parallels between the Internet and a Universal Library these days.
-
-[^comp.infosystems.www]: Its USENET topic name comp.infosystems.www accurately captured it.
+Originally influenced by the metaphor of a universal library, the Web was conceived as an information system [@roeber1992]. Today, such a description feels dated. It is, more fittingly described, a sprawling web of applications. Rarely do individuals now describe their online activity as simply "browsing" for information. Instead, they're interacting with dynamic web apps to chat, shop, book hotels, work remotely, network, or for leisure activities. Few draw parallels between the Internet and a Universal Library any more.
 
 The transition from a web of information to a web of applications marked the significant transformation of Web 2.0. This was achieved by expanding the site model into an application model through web services. Key technologies of Web 2.0 include AJAX, RESTful API, and SaaS. Notably, these are application-oriented technologies built atop the traditional site-based information model. Concurrently, HTML evolved from a document format to an application development User Interface description language.
 
-As the Web transitioned from an information repository to an application platform, the concept of trust anchors emerged. These trust anchors - essential services the web ecosystem depends on, are usually provided by a few dominant entities and become the focal points of trust for web applications. This dynamic has inadvertently led to the centralisation of the Web, stifling innovation and competition.
+As the Web transitioned from an information repository to an application platform, the concept of trust anchors emerged. These trust anchors - essential services the web ecosystem depends on, are usually provided by a few dominant entities and become the focal points of trust for web applications.
 
-## Trust Anchors and Web Centralisation: An Unintended Byproduct of Application Shift
+## Trust Anchors and Web Centralisation: An Inevitable Byproduct of Application Shift
 
-The advent of Web 2.0 has given birth to an intricate network of applications, each interconnected and reliant on a multitude of web services. A typical mainstream website might incorporate as many as 10 to 15 mainstream web services, such as Google Login and Google Pay. Unlike traditional applications that depend on system components, these web services have evolved beyond their functional roles, becoming custodians of trust that ensure the secure and reliable operation of web applications. In this paper, we refer to these pivotal web services as Trust Anchors, a terminology borrowed from PKI cryptography expanded to describe a role in the Web 2.0 ecosystem.
+Web 2.0 has created a complex network of applications interconnected through multiple web services. These services, such as Google Login and Google Pay, have become more than just functional components; they are now central to ensuring the security and reliability of web applications. In this context, we refer to them as Trust Anchors. This term, originally from PKI cryptography, is used here to describe their critical role in the Web 2.0 ecosystem.
 
-In this section, we will dissect the concept of trust anchors in Web context, explore their role in the centralisation of the Web, and propose a decentralised alternative through the implementation of Smart Tokens.
+This section examines the role of Trust Anchors in web centralisation.
 
-While a cryptographic Trust Anchor, as per NIST SP 800, refers to an authoritative entity for which trust is assumed and not derived such as root CA certificates in SSL/TLS, in our application, Trust Anchors encompass essential web services that web applications depend on for trust. These services, typically provided by dominant entities, become focal points of trust for web applications, echoing the role of cryptographic Trust Anchors as "an established point of trust", but in a broader web ecosystem context. We define it:
+Traditionally, a Trust Anchor in cryptography is an authoritative entity trusted without external validation [@linn2000], like root CA certificates in SSL/TLS. In the web ecosystem, however, we define the term as following:
 
-#### Trust Anchors
+#### Trust Anchor
 
 Trust Anchors are external web services that web applications depend on for their core functions, even when they possess the code to provide similar functionalities themselves. This dependency arises from the inherent trust that the business logic of these applications places on these services. In essence, Trust Anchors are not just functional; they are trusted.
 
@@ -99,7 +95,7 @@ In essence, the trajectory of Web 2.0 innovation is not solely constrained by th
 
 ## Reimagining Web 3.0: Beyond the Internet of Value
 
-The prevailing vision for Web 3.0 is characterised as an 'Internet of Value' - a platform where value, in its various forms, is distributed more equitably among users and creators, breaking away from the monopolistic tendencies of the Web 2.0 era[@kirsty2021]. This centralisation of value, in this view, is seen as the root cause of many of the issues plaguing the current web ecosystem, from stifled innovation to privacy concerns.
+Web 3.0 is often envisioned as an *Internet of Value*, a platform that distributes value more equitably, breaking away from Web 2.0's monopolistic tendencies [@kirsty2021]. This centralisation of value, in this view, is seen as the root cause of many of the issues plaguing the current web ecosystem, from stifled innovation to privacy concerns.
 
 However, this paper proposes a different interpretation of the evolution from Web 2.0 to the next generation web after it. We argue that it is the democratisation of trust and the creation of public goods that will truly define the next-generation Web.
 
@@ -445,7 +441,7 @@ However, it's important to note that while Smart Cats served as a successful dem
 
 To recap the beginning of this paper:
 
->  The inception of the Web was marked by a significant architectural choice - the selection of 'sites' as its fundamental building blocks. This decision, primarily influenced by the prevailing metaphor of a vast digital library, shaped the Web's evolution and its *trust paradigm*. As the Web transitioned from an information repository to an application platform, *trust anchors* emerged. These trust anchors, representing essential services that the web ecosystem relies on, inadvertently led to the centralisation of the Web, stifling innovation and competition.
+>  The inception of the Web was marked by a significant architectural model - the use of 'sites' as its fundamental building blocks. This model, primarily influenced by the prevailing metaphor of a vast digital library, shaped the Web's evolution and its *trust paradigm*. As the Web transitioned from an information repository to an application platform, *trust anchors* emerged. These trust anchors, representing essential services that the web ecosystem relies on, inadvertently led to the centralisation of the Web, stifling innovation and competition.
 
 However, as we look forward to the next-generation Web, this paper proposes a paradigm shift. Instead of sites, we envision 'Smart Tokens' as the new foundational building blocks. By decentralising trust and turning it into a public good, Smart Tokens can potentially unlock a new wave of innovation, foster a more equitable and participatory Internet, and amplify user experience.