Ethereum and Bitcoin have almost become household names. Although they are often mentioned in succession, they are far from the same. Bitcoin was created as a decentralized alternative currency. Ethereum is inspired by Bitcoin, but has bigger ambitions: to create a software platform that supports not only cryptocurrencies, but any kind of decentralized application that can be run without the need for a third party, giving people more control over their data. What is Ethereum? Ethereum is an open source decentralized computing platform network. The Ethereum network works like the Bitcoin network, built with blockchain technology, essentially a digital public account, where financial agreements can be verified and stored solely by software, without the participation of a third party. The easiest way to view the Ethereum network is as a secure database that everyone can access. When new "blocks" of data are added, they are cryptographically "chaine...