docs: add whitepaper blog post (#124)

Same content as on the [Mysten Labs
blog](https://www.mystenlabs.com/blog/announcing-the-official-walrus-whitepaper)
with slightly adjusted links.

Also makes capitalization in titles of the blog part of the docs
consistent.

book.toml

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ exclude = [
   'MystenLabs/walrus-docs',
   'walrus\.site', # No service worker in the link checker.
   'google\.com',
+  'x\.com',
 ]
 
 [preprocessor]

docs/SUMMARY.md

@@ -6,11 +6,12 @@
 
 ---
 
-# Dev blog
+# Dev Blog
 
-- [Blog preface](./blog/00_intro.md)
+- [Blog Preface](./blog/00_intro.md)
   - [Announcing Walrus](./blog/01_announcing_walrus.md)
-  - [2024-08-12 Devnet update](./blog/02_devnet_update.md)
+  - [2024-08-12 Devnet Update](./blog/02_devnet_update.md)
+  - [Announcing the Walrus Whitepaper](./blog/03_whitepaper.md)
 
 ---
 

docs/blog/02_devnet_update.md

@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-# 2024-08-12 Devnet update
+# 2024-08-12 Devnet Update
 
 We have redeployed the Walrus Devnet to incorporate various improvements to the Walrus storage nodes
 and clients. In this process, all blobs stored on Walrus were wiped. Note that this may happen again
 on Devnet and Testnet, but obviously *not on the future Mainnet*.
 
-## Migration and re-deployment of Walrus Sites
+## Migration and Re-deployment of Walrus Sites
 
 You can obtain the latest version of the `walrus` binary and the new configuration as described in
 the [setup chapter](../usage/setup.md).

docs/blog/03_whitepaper.md

@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+# Announcing the Official Walrus Whitepaper
+
+In June, Mysten Labs announced Walrus, a new decentralized secure blob store design, and introduced
+a developer preview that currently stores over [12TiB](https://capacity.walrus.site/) of data.
+[Breaking the Ice](https://info.breakingtheice.sui.io/) gathered over 200 developers to build apps
+leveraging decentralized storage.
+
+It is time to unveil the next stage of the project: Walrus will become an independent decentralized
+network with its own utility token, WAL, that will play a key role in the operation and governance
+of the network. Walrus will be operated by storage nodes through a delegated proof-of-stake
+mechanism using the WAL token. An independent Walrus foundation will encourage the advancement and
+adoption of Walrus, and support its community of users and developers.
+
+Today, we published the Walrus [whitepaper](../walrus.pdf) (also on
+[GitHub](https://github.com/MystenLabs/walrus-docs/blob/main/docs/walrus.pdf)) that offers
+additional details, including:
+
+- The encoding scheme and Read / Write operations Walrus uses to ensure both security and efficient
+  scaling to 100s and 1000s of storage nodes, including interactions with the Sui blockchain which
+  serves as a coordination layer for Walrus’ operations.
+- The reconfiguration of storage nodes across epochs, and how the protocol ensures available blobs
+  on Walrus remain available over long periods of time.
+- The tokenomics of Walrus based on the WAL token, including how staking and staking rewards are
+  structured, how pricing and payments for storage are handled and distributed in each epoch, and
+  the governance of key system parameters.
+- Forward-looking design options, such as a cheap mechanism to challenge and audit storage nodes,
+  options for ensuring reads with a higher service quality, possibly against a payment, and designs
+  that empower light nodes to meaningfully contribute to the protocol’s robustness, serve reads, and
+  be rewarded.
+
+The whitepaper focuses on the steady-state design aspects of Walrus. Further details about the
+project, such as timelines, opportunities for community participation, how to join the network as a
+storage node, and plans around light nodes, will be shared in subsequent posts.
+
+To be part of this journey:
+
+- Follow us on [Twitter](https://x.com/WalrusProtocol)
+- Join our [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/walrusprotocol)
+- [Build apps](../README.md) on Walrus
+- [Publish a Walrus Site](../walrus-sites/intro.md) and share it