Cryptocurrencies are on par with the complexity of artificial intelligence and quantum computing, technologies that people even within the computer field find difficult to understand. See
neural network and
quantum computing.
With the never-ending goal of adding financial functions without centralized control, crypto has become mind numbing with the number of new approaches coming online all the time.
Crypto is a complex field in its early stages, and there is no standard terminology. A platform on one website, an algorithm on another. A protocol on this, a consensus mechanism on that. After reading a half dozen crypto websites, heavy drinking is in order! See
crypto glossary and
crypto misfortunes.
In Contrast
The protocol used to access the first website more than 30 years ago is the same one used today. The Internet exemplifies the power of a "single" standard (see
Internet Protocol). See
single standard.