Using the Glossary When Evaluating Projects
Whitepapers reuse words — "coverage," "proof," "oracle" — with project-specific meanings. Confusion leads to bad hardware orders. Our glossary standardizes language across Solana DePIN categories. This article shows how to use it as an active checklist.
The three-column method
Create a simple table while reading any project doc:
- Term as used — copy the exact phrase from the whitepaper.
- Glossary definition — paste our definition or note "no entry — flag for research."
- Match? — write Yes, Partial, or No, with one sentence explaining drift.
Partial matches are the dangerous ones. A project may say "proof-of-coverage" but implement a simplified heartbeat check without radio verification. Mark that explicitly.
When definitions conflict across documents
Token pages, blog posts, and Discord FAQs often lag technical specs. Priority order: on-chain program documentation > audited specs > marketing pages. If two primary sources conflict, record both and ask the project — or bring the question to a briefing session.
Terms worth highlighting first
New readers should nail down emission schedule, density threshold, BOM, and freshness window before any purchase decision. These four drive most surprise losses we hear about in reader stories.
Workshop alternative
Prefer live study? Our two-hour glossary workshop walks through twenty terms with cross-project examples. Request a date or see rates.