The technology of blockchain is gradually penetrating into all social strata of the planet's population. There are specialists of different professions, political views, nationalities, gender, and, most importantly, different ages in the new industry. Teens are interested in blockchain, as there are examples of eleven-year-old programmers writing books about Bitcoin or mining on money saved from school meals. Things are a bit more complicated with a more mature generation because some people of retirement age do not want to learn even about the Internet. Still, there are those who see the future in cryptocurrencies. We talked with a delegator of the Minter network Alexander Pyzhov, who began to take an interest in the project upon entering retirement age.

Alexander Pyzhov from Yekaterinburg is 67 years old. We spent almost the whole day scheduling this interview since the trader and cryptocurrency enthusiast, despite his age, is constantly busy, as he is the Minter project’s delegator. He sits with his granddaughter, follows the news, monitors technological trends, and even trades at the Moscow Exchange.

"Is it okay if, during our conversation, I look at the monitor? Here I have an option position. I've been doing this for nine years. A friend told me about the exchange and so now I'm trading. This is a nonlinear, very complex instrument. And this is my computer. You cannot touch it, watch video on it, or play with it. You can only trade on it and that's it! Here, I also study the cryptocurrency industry, I follow the development of the technology of blockchain, and that’s where things are interesting," Alexander Pyzhov begins to tell.

The dialog begins with simple questions about how our hero became interested in technology, began to follow the crypto rates, and what exactly he finds appealing about the system.

"I learned about blockchain via the Internet, and I regularly read articles. It all happened somehow. Now I'm looking through different cryptocurrency channels, where young guys talk about the theory of technology, some bosses wave their hands about, they express clever ideas, they show a deep understanding, but in practice, they do not do anything. It's funny to observe all of this," says Pyzhov, adding that the most important goal in his life is to raise his granddaughter so that she is ready for the future technological world where all payments will be made through cashless settlement using digital coins.

During the first five minutes of our conversation, Pyzhov used the phone and Skype several times, sent many messages in chat rooms—another indicator of the man’s business. We posed an indiscreet question about who taught him how to use all those social networks.

"Well, hello! I was born before the advent of the Internet! The global network started being introduced in the 70s. At that time, I was already serving in the Navy in Latvia guarding the border. The Internet, of course, developed, but it seems that I developed faster. No tricks here. I, for example, do not remember how I learned to write or read," Pyzhov answers gaily.

After serving in the Navy, Alexander Pyzhov entered the Ural Polytechnic Institute, now the Ural State Technical University, following the course of "Radio Engineering,” then worked for more than 30 years as a radio engineer at the Urals Optical-Mechanical Plant. It was during training that he began to express an interest in programming, writing in the languages ​​of Fortran (the first high-level applicable programming language), ALGOL, and PL/I.

"Again, I will repeat that I never studied anything purposefully. You just need to apply and produce everything in practice. Life goes on, and I'm not staying behind. At college, during my second year, I started writing programs for the future thesis. All work was carried out at the Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics on a wonderful machine, the BESM-6 (large electronic counting machine). Each hour of calculation on it cost 120 rubles. My tasks lasted for 30 seconds and the data was entered on punch cards. My wife to be at that time hauled all those punch cards. I, for example, corrected mistakes, but she just carried punch cards," remembers Pyzhov.

The photo shows a complex of two BESM-6 in the Computing Center. The room with the machines looks like a modern mining farm. Source.

The fact that training passed without much difficulty is explained by his interest in the Minter project. Alexander Pyzhov describes his knowledge of the functioning of the algorithm by the analogy with the study of the school program.

"I learned about Minter on roughly August 1 via Telegram. I read it, got acquainted with it, and I liked everything. Even at that moment, I was perfectly aware of my level, so now I would like to explain it. When I started delving into the essence of the project, I perceived myself as a child in a younger group in a kindergarten, where children do not know anything. Then somehow, in one day I passed this stage and, as it were, I got to first grade. In the second class, there was already more knowledge to learn. I finished the first quarter in about a week, and the second quarter lasted one and a half weeks. And the third quarter, which is still ongoing for me, is more difficult. I always talk to programmers from the Minter channel and see that I'm pretty dumb. Sometimes I am even ashamed of my own questions. I try to get the maximum out of knowledge," says Alexander Pyzhov modestly. It should be noted that Alexander only asks about technical hurdles that are really difficult to comprehend.

At the moment, Alexander Pyzhov does not own any cryptocurrency, but in the near future, if the rate goes down, then altcoins will necessarily appear in the pensioner's crypto wallet. The presence of digital coins is not particularly interesting to our interlocutor. After all, now he is engaged in motivating his acquaintances to get engaged in the Minter project.

"I'm already connecting all the guys I know, but people are very lazy for some reason. I tell them that you can safely earn minties (MNT is the coin used in the test network), but they do not want to. These are promising digital assets. The massive launch of digital money, it seems to me, will begin in five to seven years. We must be ready. After all, it is convenient to use cryptocurrency even in social terms. Even pensions can be credited in some coins. They should be marked, and it should be indicated that, for example, a person cannot buy 10 bottles of vodka or something else that is harmful, or maternity capital should be used only for the purposes that the state allows," says Alexander Pyzhov, adding that not all of his friends are carefree and not interested in cryptocurrency.

A friend of our interlocutor, who graduated with a math degree and can "describe the behavior of a spherical horse in a vacuum," got interested in the topic of cryptocurrency thanks to the stories of Alexander Pyzhov and also became interested in the Minter blockchain.

"My friend went to teach mathematics at school. In secret, I will tell you that through him, I want to connect students. Let the guys learn about the cryptocurrency from their teacher. They are quick, so they will quickly understand it. You can, for example, generate your wallets and get minties, and whoever will advance further can register in the Console and so on. I can even send them bonuses for this. That would be great, yes! With them, the youth, I will develop faster," says Alexander Pyzhov enthusiastically and immediately supplements that he will soon connect members of his family with the project.

A few days ago, a significant event happened in the family of Alexander Pyzhov. They went with their granddaughter to the bank and issued the first debit card for the girl, which will be used for pocket expenses. The money will be received from the grandfather in the event that the granddaughter creates a Minter wallet and receives 1,000 MNT coins, or "1,000 minties," as Pyzhov calls them.

"When Alisa (granddaughter) saves up the minties, she will get 100 rubles. Now, my primary task for Minter is to attract the interest of my granddaughter in the project. This is to ensure that she will be confident in life. Through one cryptocurrency, she will understand the rest of the industry. I believe that the DPoS protocol is very promising. It is the future. If this consensus algorithm is implemented in four to five years during our life, then my granddaughter will be ready for it," as Alexander Pyzhov assesses the prospects for the development of the industry and advises the youth to be more active, bolder, interested in all technologies, and know that blockchain and cryptocurrencies are not as complex as they seem.

Most of the representatives of the current generation, according to our interlocutor, are very slow and reluctant to perceive technological trends. But still, there are those who evoke admiration and make us hope for the best.

"I have been trying for about ten years to find a skilled enough programmer who would help with the architecture of applications and programs. I could not find one. Now, in the Minter chat, there are such wonderful professionals. It's a miracle! Whatever you tell or ask them, they will answer everything. Just start to develop your thoughts, and they will already understand and give advice. Everybody knows everything. With them [Minter programmers], I will master not only two elementary classes but also the high school curriculum. After all, all of these cryptocurrency experts in other chats and channels are fake. They write that they know something only in their statuses. And when you start asking them, they cannot answer anything. If you position yourself as a cryptocurrency expert, you should know everything: both the technology and the essence," as Alexander Pyzhov believes.

In the future, all private companies should use simple digital technologies to expand their businesses rather than heavy blockchain networks with high energy costs, Pyzhov believes.

"Bitcoin and Ether have no prospects. They do not appeal to the proletariat, or the broad masses of the people. In addition, these projects spend a lot of electricity. Well, who wants to go broke on them and spend money on money? After all, from the point of view of entropy in general, both mathematical and informational, the existence of Bitcoin and Ether completely contradicts its essence. These are huge resource costs, and for what? Only to confirm one transaction! When making a consensus, thousands of computers are involved, and Minter, for example, now has 16 validators. The development of the industry depends on light coins. The smaller the asset, the better. We need mass character. Minter is a gold mine for retailers and everyone there, such as the holder of the node, the validator, and the delegator. It is very convenient to release your coins and pump your business," sums up Pyzhov.

When asked about any possible shortcomings in the Minter network, Alexander Pyzhov responds with irony: "As I move into another class, I will raise the level of my knowledge, and then I'll tell you. In the meantime, I do not see them, but I will continue my observations."