It isn't. The miner who gets to update the blockchain also gets to process new transactions.
"You need a simple device with a disk that holds a copy of the blockchain, there's currently 11 000 of them."
This seems completely wrong. There are many more than 11,000 nodes and only the node that updates the blockchain processes transactions (a different one roughly every ten minutes).
The miners ARE the transacation processors.
The whole "powered by greed" spin is there to turn people against cryptocurrency. They perform an essential service, which is to uphold the integrity of the system which helps ensure the money is valuable in the first place..
"Processing transactions is a two part job."
It isn't. The miner who gets to update the blockchain also gets to process new transactions.
"You need a simple device with a disk that holds a copy of the blockchain, there's currently 11 000 of them."
This seems completely wrong. There are many more than 11,000 nodes and only the node that updates the blockchain processes transactions (a different one roughly every ten minutes).
The miners ARE the transacation processors.
The whole "powered by greed" spin is there to turn people against cryptocurrency. They perform an essential service, which is to uphold the integrity of the system which helps ensure the money is valuable in the first place..