After watching Dan's presentation yesterday, I've been spending all day trying to comprehend the significance of EOS in the blockchain space. How different is it exactly, compared to so many blockchains out there? To begin with, I think it's best to first understand what an Operating System is:-
the software that supports a computer's basic functions, such as scheduling tasks, executing applications, and controlling peripherals.
It may take a while to appreciate this - EOS, essentially being the Operating System for blockchains will mean that it's quite like Windows / Linux / MacOS with built-in cryptoeconomic incentives. In short, a Windows with its own version of a frictionless Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System. It will also be able to host any app-coins asynchronously - just like the list of stuff running "at the same time" in your computer, looking at Task Manager.
A decentralised operating system is somewhat a more focused product compared to Ethereum's decentralised computer. After all, computers can be installed with multiple OSes. App-coins running on EOS may be hardforked (or in traditional software terms, updated) without affecting EOS itself. The DAO incident back in 2016 may have been avoided if Ethereum was indeed designed more like an Operating System, instead of an all encompassing state machine.
Just like Windows, Linux, MacOS, etc, EOS may be on its way to becoming the most widespread consumer product that works. It hasn't proven itself in any capacity at all, but I think Dan has good experience and might've been onto good design philosopies with BTS and STEEM. Looking at the history of computing, I think the OS-perspective could be what it takes to truly bring blockchains to the masses.
The approach I propose for Smart Contracts can eventually support many different languages in parallel. The choice of language has more to do with getting a minimal viable product to market in a timely manner than anything else. Other languages will come in time if the platform proves successful.
by @dantheman on a scripting language called Wren
Wren is a scripting language. Wren is intended for embedding in applications. It has no dependencies, a small standard library, and an easy-to-use C API. It compiles cleanly as C99, C++98 or anything later.
part description of Wren
But all this is just me yapping away about something I don't know much about. The whitepaper is yet to be revealed. Anyway, looks like EOS is being back by strong confident hands, considering the EOS jumbotron in Times Square and being one of the almost-whalelike sponsors for Coindesk's Consensus 2017.