What does an Ethereum Transaction look like?
The image below shows a record for an actual Ethereum transaction. Your encoded message is in the “Input Data" section.
How is my message stored?
Your message is entered as hexadecimal (HEX). HEX is a base 16 system used instead of the standard alphabet. It uses sixteen distinct symbols, most often the symbols "0"–"9” and "a"–"f". In the image above the message has been entered into the Input Data field of the transaction.
How can I find and read my message?
Your message is stored in the Ethereum Blockchain on thousands of computers worldwide as part of the transaction that created it. In the figure above, the Transmission ID or Transmission Hash is shown below. Clicking on the TxID or Tx Hash will take you to the actual Ethereum Transaction.
0x430cc77d95e8fc70bdad26d8c6dedd77fd506076ac43ba7d642f8daf24841e6b
(Click link above, scroll to Input Data, select View Input As UTF-8 to see the message)
The certificate you receive from Inscribed Forever will have this number displayed prominently.You can enter this number in any Ethereum Transaction Explorer, such as EtherScan.io. The figure below is an example of transaction listings, with a search field to enter a specific transaction ID.
How many transactions are on the Ethereum Blockchain?
There are more than 300,000,000 Ethereum transactions as of the end of 2018. This number grows exponentially as more users engage in activities using the Ethereum platform. Your message is truly scratched into a tree in an infinitely deep forest.
If anyone can find my message, why can’t it be deleted or changed?
Once a transaction is recorded, it becomes a permanent part of the blockchain. All future transactions are based on the overall record. If a retroactive change could be made, it would alter all future transactions, and compromise the system. Fortunately, the Ethereum Blockchain is decentralized and spread across thousands of computers, and more each day. It is simply not possible to make a change on all computers, or even a majority of computers. A change on any one computer would quickly be resolved to its original state as it attempts to sync with the overall blockchain.
Can people find out it was me that posted the message?
The only identifying information in the transaction is the transmission hash, the sending “wallet” or address, and the receiving wallet or address. A wallet or address is real just a HEX string, as with the transmission hash. In the example above, the transaction is sent from wallet 0x9b7c727bbe486a115ba6cfa0ac35b07e17b43228
and to wallet
0xe0974a0b2bb8b1e7324b034b6ed111f43c78353a.
The blockchain is completely decentralized and anonymous, and there is nothing on the blockchain identifying you with any particular transaction. However, there is nothing stopping you from including your name or other identifying information in the message text.
Am I investing in, owning or buying crypto currency?
No. Inscribed Forever is creating a single unique transaction on the Ethereum Blockchain containing your message, identified by the transmission hash. You are buying the display package including your message, and the address of your message as stored in the blockchain. You are not investing in, buying, acquiring or using any cryptocurrency. You do not need to have a cryptocurrency account, own or acquire any cryptocurrency, or be involved in the cryptocurrency market in any way. Inscribed Forever does not promote any cryptocurrency markets, and is not involved in any way in cryptocurrency trade. See the Cryptocurrency Disclaimer below for more information.
Cryptocurrency Disclaimer
Inscribed Forever is not in any way related to cryptocurrency and is not intended to represent or support cryptocurrency trading platforms; initial coin offerings (ICOs); cryptocurrency related products including hardware, services, educational offerings or consumer goods; cryptocurrency news or advocacy. Inscribed Forever does not require or request, encourage or advocate that any customer use, acquire or invest in any cryptocurrency, nor does it offer cryptocurrency services or products in any manner. Inscribed Forever uses the blockchain to store messages as an ancillary part of its message posting service. Blockchain message postings performed by Inscribed Forever do not involve the customer and are transparent to and unrelated to the customer.