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Bitcoin Magazine recently sat down with Lisa, founder of Bitcoin++ and the Base58 Bitcoin Developer course, to discuss her work and vision for structured education in the Bitcoin space.
Lisa’s Bitcoin journey has been multi-faceted. She currently works part-time with Blockstream on basic Lightning projects, and also runs Base58, a platform designed to provide mid-to-senior level developers with in-depth knowledge of Bitcoin technical development. This initiative stems from its belief that structured education can significantly enhance the capabilities of the Bitcoin development community.
“Structured education is hard, like a good curriculum,” Lisa said. “The paths that someone shows you to your information landscape are really important, I think, in terms of your success.”
Bitcoin LARP Game: Making Learning Fun
One notable initiative under Lisa’s leadership is the Bitcoin LARP game. This innovative educational tool is designed to make learning about the technical aspects of Bitcoin accessible and fun for people of all ages and backgrounds. The game breaks down complex concepts into interactive, hands-on activities, allowing participants to gain confidence and a deeper understanding of Bitcoin.
Lisa shared her experiences facilitating the first ever Bitcoin LARP in Mexico, highlighting how it brought people from different regions and countries together. The success of this initiative underscores the potential of interactive and immersive learning experiences to demystify the complexities of Bitcoin.
“Bitcoin LARP is a great educational tool for experienced engineers,” she explains. “It’s so fun to see people’s faces kind of light up as all the pieces start to build as a model in their heads and they realize, ‘Wait, I’ve got this. This is something I can do.'”
Understanding Mempool
Lisa’s vision for Base58 includes expanding the curriculum to include advanced topics such as Taproot, Lightning Network, and charters. One important element in Bitcoin transaction processing that Lisa highlighted is the memory pool. Her research and insights into mempool mechanisms reveal the subtle and often surprising ways in which they work, which is vital for developers aiming to improve transaction efficiency.
“The memory module works in surprising ways,” Lisa noted. “There are many gray areas that can significantly impact how transactions are processed and prioritized.”
Lisa explained that understanding the memory pool is crucial for developers who want to improve the efficiency of transactions and fee management.
The importance of good curricula
Throughout the interview, Lisa reiterated the challenge and necessity of developing a good curriculum. A well-structured educational path not only provides learners with basic knowledge, but also builds their confidence in navigating the Bitcoin technical landscape. Base58 aims to be a platform where anyone can run Bitcoin-related tutorials, fostering a community of knowledgeable and skilled developers.
“It’s interesting how hard good education can be. A good curriculum is really important,” Lisa stressed. “Spotting the scene and charting the course for others is essential to successful learning.”
Future plans for Base58
Looking to the future, Lisa plans to strengthen Base58’s presence as a leading educational platform in the Bitcoin space. This includes launching new classrooms, securing non-profit status to provide scholarships, and enhancing the online learning experience. The goal is to create a strong structure where both experienced developers and newcomers can find valuable resources to enhance their understanding and contributions to the Bitcoin ecosystem.
“Ideally, I want Base58 to be a place where, if you have a class, you can run it here without worrying about finding students,” Lisa
to explain. “Helping people get their classes together, whether in person or online, is a key goal.”
Lisa’s work in Bitcoin++ and Base58 paves the way for a more educated and capable Bitcoin development community. By focusing on structured education and innovative learning tools like the Bitcoin LARP game, it helps ensure that the next generation of Bitcoin developers is well-equipped to build on and evolve the protocol.
