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Copy editing introduction 

Not sure how else to comment, but I'd encourage keeping the content timeless rather than an update. So don't talk about recent releases or next we're doing X. (just a suggestion ;)
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# What is Solana? # What is Solana?
Solana is the name of an open source project that is implementing a new Solana is the name of an open source project that is implementing a new,
high-performance, permissionless blockchain. Solana is also the name of a high-performance, permissionless blockchain. Solana is also the name of a
company headquartered in San Francisco that maintains the open source project. company headquartered in San Francisco that maintains the open source project.
# About this Book # About this Book
This book describes the Solana open source project, a blockchain built from the This book describes the Solana open source project, a blockchain built from the
ground up for scale. The book covers why to use it, how to use it, how it ground up for scale. The book covers why it's useful, how to use it, how it
works, and why it will continue to work long after the company Solana closes works, and why it will continue to work long after the company Solana closes
its doors. The goal of the Solana architecture is to demonstrate there exists a its doors. The goal of the Solana architecture is to demonstrate there exists a
set of software algorithms that when used in combination to implement a set of software algorithms that when used in combination to implement a
blockchain, removes software as a performance bottleneck, allowing transaction blockchain, removes software as a performance bottleneck, allowing transaction
throughput to scale proportionally with network bandwidth. The architecture throughput to scale proportionally with network bandwidth. The architecture
goes on to satisfy all three desirable properties of a proper blockchain: that goes on to satisfy all three desirable properties of a proper blockchain:
it not only be scalable, but that it is also secure and decentralized. it is scalable, secure and decentralized.
The architecture describes a theoretical upper bound of 710 thousand The architecture describes a theoretical upper bound of 710 thousand
transactions per second (tps) on a standard gigabit network and 28.4 million transactions per second (tps) on a standard gigabit network and 28.4 million
@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ solicitation for investment.
# History of the Solana Codebase # History of the Solana Codebase
In November of 2017 Anatoly Yakovenko published a whitepaper describing Proof In November of 2017, Anatoly Yakovenko published a whitepaper describing Proof
of History, a technique for keeping time between computers that do not trust of History, a technique for keeping time between computers that do not trust
one another. From Anatoly's previous experience designing distributed systems one another. From Anatoly's previous experience designing distributed systems
at Qualcomm, Mesosphere and Dropbox, he knew that a reliable clock makes at Qualcomm, Mesosphere and Dropbox, he knew that a reliable clock makes
@ -41,19 +41,19 @@ resulting network can be blazing fast, bound only by network bandwidth.
Anatoly watched as blockchain systems without clocks, such as Bitcoin and Anatoly watched as blockchain systems without clocks, such as Bitcoin and
Ethereum, struggled to scale beyond 15 transactions per second worldwide when Ethereum, struggled to scale beyond 15 transactions per second worldwide when
centralized payment systems such as Visa required peaks of 65,000. Without a centralized payment systems such as Visa required peaks of 65,000 tps. Without a
clock, it was clear they'd never graduate to being the global payment system or clock, it was clear they'd never graduate to being the global payment system or
global supercomputer they had dreamed to be. When Anatoly solved the problem of global supercomputer most had dreamed them to be. When Anatoly solved the problem of
getting computers that don’t trust each other to agree on time, he knew he had getting computers that don’t trust each other to agree on time, he knew he had
the key to bring 40 years of distributed systems research to the world of the key to bring 40 years of distributed systems research to the world of
blockchain. The resulting cluster wouldn't be just 10 times faster, or a 100 blockchain. The resulting cluster wouldn't be just 10 times faster, or a 100
times, or a 1,000 times, but 10,000 times faster right out of the gate! times, or a 1,000 times, but 10,000 times faster, right out of the gate!
Anatoly's implementation began in a private codebase and was implemented in the Anatoly's implementation began in a private codebase and was implemented in the
C programming language. Greg Fitzgerald, who had previously worked with Anatoly C programming language. Greg Fitzgerald, who had previously worked with Anatoly
at semiconductor giant Qualcomm Incorporated, encouraged him to reimplement the at semiconductor giant Qualcomm Incorporated, encouraged him to reimplement the
project in the Rust programming language. Greg had worked on the LLVM compiler project in the Rust programming language. Greg had worked on the LLVM compiler
infrastructure, which underlies both the Clang C/C++ compiler as well as the infrastructure, which underlies both the C lang C/C++ compiler as well as the
Rust compiler. Greg claimed that the language's safety guarantees would improve Rust compiler. Greg claimed that the language's safety guarantees would improve
software productivity and that its lack of a garbage collector would allow software productivity and that its lack of a garbage collector would allow
programs to perform as well as those written in C. Anatoly gave it a shot and programs to perform as well as those written in C. Anatoly gave it a shot and
@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ Anatoly recruited Greg, Stephen and three others to co-found a company, then
called Loom. called Loom.
Around the same time, Ethereum-based project Loom Network sprung up and many Around the same time, Ethereum-based project Loom Network sprung up and many
people were confused if they were the same project. The Loom team decided it people were confused about whether they were the same project. The Loom team decided it
would rebrand. They chose the name Solana, a nod to a small beach town North of would rebrand. They chose the name Solana, a nod to a small beach town North of
San Diego called Solana Beach, where Anatoly, Greg and Stephen lived and surfed San Diego called Solana Beach, where Anatoly, Greg and Stephen lived and surfed
for three years when they worked for Qualcomm. On March 28th, the team created for three years when they worked for Qualcomm. On March 28th, the team created
@ -81,13 +81,13 @@ Solana.
In June of 2018, the team scaled up the technology to run on cloud-based In June of 2018, the team scaled up the technology to run on cloud-based
networks and on July 19th, published a 50-node, permissioned, public testnet networks and on July 19th, published a 50-node, permissioned, public testnet
consistently supporting bursts of 250,000 transactions per second. In the most consistently supporting bursts of 250,000 transactions per second. In a later release in
recent release, v0.10 Pillbox, the team published a permissioned testnet December, called v0.10 Pillbox, the team published a permissioned testnet
running 150 nodes on a gigabit network and demonstrated soak tests processing running 150 nodes on a gigabit network and demonstrated soak tests processing
an *average* of 200 thousand transactions per second with bursts over 500 an *average* of 200 thousand transactions per second with bursts over 500
thousand. The project was also extended to support on-chain programs written in thousand. The project was also extended to support on-chain programs written in
the C programming language and run concurrently in a safe execution environment the C programming language and run concurrently in a safe execution environment
called BPF. Next step: going permissionless. called BPF.
# What is a Solana Cluster? # What is a Solana Cluster?
@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ organization that launched it.
A sol is the name of Solana's native token, which can be passed to nodes in a A sol is the name of Solana's native token, which can be passed to nodes in a
Solana cluster in exchange for running an on-chain program or validating its Solana cluster in exchange for running an on-chain program or validating its
output. The Solana protocol defines that only 1 billion sols will ever exist, output. The Solana protocol defines that only 1 billion sols will ever exist,
but that the system may perform micropayments of fractional sols and that a sol but that the system may perform micropayments of fractional sols, and that a sol
may be split as many as 34 times. The fractional sol is called a *lamport*. It may be split as many as 34 times. The fractional sol is called a *lamport*. It
is named in honor of Solana's biggest technical influence, [Leslie is named in honor of Solana's biggest technical influence, [Leslie
Lamport](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Lamport). A lamport has a value Lamport](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Lamport). A lamport has a value