Reimagining Data Ownership with Urbit

Galen Wolfe-Pauly, CEO of Tlon, the company behind Urbit, joined us to discuss one of the most radical and curious projects to come on the podcast. In development for 15 years already, Urbit aims to unravel the cloud computing paradigm that led to the creation of internet monopolies like Google and Facebook. Instead, in Urbit, each person has a personal server, a kind of digital sovereign entity, where applications are run, which leaves control and data in the hands of users.

Galen joined us to discuss what the philosophy and ideas driving Urbit, how a radically different internet could look like and what our path is to get there.

Topics covered in this episode:

• The 15 year long history and evolution of Urbit
• Understanding Urbit through the metaphors of a personal server, a personal blockchain, a republic or an operating function
• The main Urbit components Nock, Hoon and Arvo
• How Galaxies, Stars and Planets create Urbit’s hierarchy
• The Urbit namespace and why it has value
• How Urbit aims to radically reengineer how the internet works

Episode links:

• Urbit - Website
• Urbit - An Overview
• Urbit - Beliefs and Principles
• Urbit - Interim Constitution
• Urbit and the Blockchain Wars

This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain and Meher Roy. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/205