user41513: We use "micro-payment channels" such as "Bitcoin Lightning Network" or "Duplex Micro-Payment Channels" for saving transaction fee, accelerating payments, supporting better micro-payment and scaling blockchain.
Is there any difference between "state channel" v.s "micro-payment channel"? and if so, what are differences?

user176: Payment channels are a specific form of state channels used for forwarding payments (as in the Lightning network). State channels are a more abstract idea: In theory you could use the ideas of cryptographically securing a state between two or more participants (the balance in payment channels) backed by a blockchain for something else than payments (like games). But, just as with blockchains, it is highly doubtful if this actually makes sense economically for anything else than money itself.

41513: <p>We use "<code>micro-payment channels</code>" such as "<a href="https://dci.mit.edu/lightning-network/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Bitcoin Lightning Network</a>" or "<a href="https://www.tik.ee.ethz.ch/file/716b955c130e6c703fac336ea17b1670/duplex-micropayment-channels.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Duplex Micro-Payment Channels</a>" for saving transaction fee, accelerating payments, supporting better micro-payment and scaling blockchain.</p>

<p>Is there any difference between "<code>state channel</code>" v.s "<code>micro-payment channe</code>l"? and if so, what are <strong>differences</strong>?</p>
 176: <p>Payment channels are a specific form of state channels used for forwarding payments (as in the Lightning network). State channels are a more abstract idea: In theory you could use the ideas of cryptographically securing a state between two or more participants (the balance in payment channels) backed by a blockchain for something else than payments (like games). But, just as with blockchains, it is highly doubtful if this actually makes sense economically for anything else than money itself.</p>
