DIS Weekly #26
DIS Weekly covers developments in the space of decentralized infrastructure solutions.
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//NODE INFRASTRUCTURE//
AVADO | @Avado_DServer
Avado is a pre-configured appliance that provides Web3 access and a personal home server that earns passive income through smart mining.
AVADO announced the alpha release of its new RYO-cloud. RYO-cloud stands for Run Your Own Cloud, which is an offshoot of their tagline “run your own node”. RYO-cloud is formed by pooling together Ethereum nodes. An AVADO owner joins the pool by downloading the AVADO RYO package and providing access through a load balancer. The load balancer functions to check the availability and block height to ensure the nodes in the RYO Cloud are in-synch.
Their goal is to build a decentralized alternative to Infura and AWS. And they’re potentially planning to add an incentive layer. Currently, a developer can connect a DApp to the RYO Cloud with 4 nodes up and running through an SSL or Non-SSL RPC endpoint.
You can check the status of RYO-cloud at https://status.cloud.ava.do/!
Pocket | @POKTnetwork
Pocket is a trustless API layer, providing easy access to any blockchain.
Pocket Network is code complete! And in December, the first blocks were mined in their internal testnet. Pocket has set a firm date for its public testnet launch on February 11th, with the mainnet launch tentatively scheduled for May 4th.
The Arcadia Group built lightweight, dynamic block explorers using the Pocket SDK. It shared that most implementations of block explorers in the industry have been pretty static in their core architecture. They also suffer from similar issues, especially in relation to the handling of forks and block reorganizations. This is due to having a single point of view (ie a single full node) and very similar architectures, in some cases sharing code for large swathes of functionality.
Arcadia used the Pocket SDK to query multiple Pocket Service Nodes running full nodes in order to get multiple perspectives on the best chain tip, as well as, added a Reorganization Handler that uses Pocket as a way to check the integrity of the chain being service and update the information as needed.
This has improved the block data being served to block explorers with minimal cost and effort!
Bison Trails | @BisonTrails
Bison Trails is a premier infrastructure as a service company for launching secure node clusters to participate in blockchain protocols, from one simple interface.
Bison has announced that its infrastructure platform supports running validator nodes on Edgeware.
//LAYER DOS//
SKALE Network | @SkaleNetwork
The Skale Network is a high-throughput, low-latency, configurable byzantine fault-tolerant sidechain network for the Ethereum Blockchain. AKA the Elastic Blockchain Network.
On December 19th, SKALE consensus got a big update, which allows for a developer to run multiple consensus engines with a single C++ program. This provides a solid foundation for easier network simulations and crash-testing.
SKALE recently open-sourced a couple of tools:
The SGXWallet is a next-gen hardware wallet, based on Intel SGX technology, that can store and use proof of stake keys. It currently supports Ethereum and SKALE, with support for Bitcoin planned for the future.
The SKALE Node CLI is a command-line tool for validators to set up, register, and maintain a SKALE node. Docker-lvmpy is a plugin that allows one to easily manage Linux storage volumes from Docker containers. Both are written in Python.
//WEB3 TOOLBOX//
Tornado Cash | @TornadoCash
A mixer for non-custodial anonymous transactions on Ethereum.
Tornado Cash v2 has been deployed to IPFS using the Ethereum Name Service. This means a user can access the decentralized UI at tornadocash.eth.link! If you are running an IPFS node, you can pin it at the QmRvFZwyoJeMDCcdSiK15m7Vn2n1BFnz14WNwVxrhizzX5 hash, which would provide better access for everyone.
//WALLETS//
MetaMask | @metamask_io
Metamask is a Web3 bridge that allows users to run Ethereum DApps in your browser without running a full ethereum node. Also, now available on mobile.
After believers of the open web spoke out in droves, Google has permitted the mobile MetaMask app back on the Google Play store. This experience has made them even more resilient. It also represents an opportunity for a truly crypto-focused mobile OS.
//DEFI//
Sablier | @SablierHQ
Sablier, the protocol for real-time finance on Ethereum, provides a beautiful web interface for continuous, autonomous, and trustless payroll.
On January 3rd, Sablier pushed two highly requested changes to the web interfaces. It made the dashboard page look better on mobile and added a new modal with all the links related to a stream.
And just today, Sablier published a “Building with Sablier” Twitter thread, which is a broad collection of ideas and use cases for real-time finance.
Also, Sablier has chosen Discord as their primary channel of communication, aside from Twitter. Here’s an invite to the Sablier Discord server. Tell them your real-time finance ideas!
Roll | @TryRollHQ
Roll is blockchain infrastructure for social money. It provides content creators with the means to mint branded digital tokens and launch a social money economy.
Today, Roll introduced Open Communities. They argue that social money enables open communities because they are economically aligned with the creators and members of a community. I’d have to agree with that statement as social money serves as an extension of the emerging Passion Economy.
Roll behaves as both an application and an infrastructure for open communities. By its very nature, it can act as a bridge between Web2 and Web3 spaces. As Roll illustrates in its blog post “Using Social Money to Build Open Platforms”, anyone can issue their own social money and seed it to their online community existing in Web2 platforms such as Twitch or Discord, then engage that community to create spendable opportunities (ie subscribe, donate, buy, follow) and propose a market value for their social money using Web3 tools like Roll, Uniswap, and Ethereum. Maybe, even a Moloch v2 DAO?
//DOGR 👹 TECH//
Democracy Earth | @DemocracyEarth
Democracy Earth is a non-profit building open-source and censorship-resistant democracies via token-based community participation that can be deployed anywhere with an internet connection.
Democracy Earth deployed a new feature “basic DAO stats” to moloch.democracy.earth. This represents another step towards being a client able to explore and compare multiple DAOs.
It’s like an Etherscan for blockchain-based organizations.
Moloch | @MolochDAO
Moloch is a community DAO focused on funding Ethereum development. Moloch V2 is designed to support legally compliant for-profit DAOs.
Moloch v2 is an upgraded version of MolochDAO that allows the DAO to acquire and spend multiple different tokens, instead of just one. It was recently announced that the v2 contracts have been completed, which includes new features such as multi-token support, guild kicks, and loot (ie non-voting shares). Both Meta Cartel and Open Law collaborated with Moloch on the new v2 standard. Each organization is launching a for-profit DAO (MetaCartel Ventures and The LAO) using the same smart contract, but with unique legal instantiations.
In 2020, we’ll definitely see two legal DAO experiments running in parallel.
//MESH NETWORKS//
Althea | @AltheaNetwork
Althea is a system that lets routers pay each other for bandwidth, which allows people to set up decentralized Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in their communities.
Althea community organizers have launched four new Altheahoods:
Fracture Net in Woodbury, Tennessee
Tarantula Wireless in Denver, Colorado
WisperLuxe in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Anderson Island Internet Co-op in Anderson Island, Washington
If you are interested in launching a decentralized ISP in your local neighborhood, submit a proposal at https://republic.co/althea.
HOLO | @H_O_L_O
Holo is a distributed P2P hosting platform for Holochain applications (happs).
HoloPorts and HoloPorts+ are shipping, and many of those that pre-ordered them on Indiegogo have already received them. New HoloPort owners are encouraged to participate in HOLO’s closed alpha testing.
The hardware has a sleek aluminum finish. Check out this official unboxing video for a first look!
//PODCASTS//
Software Engineering Daily | @software_daily
Kubernetes at Cruise with Karl Isenberg
Epicenter | @epicenterbtc
Monetary Systems in an International Context
Zero Knowledge | @zeroknowledgefm
Base Layer | @DavidJNage
Crypto 101 | @CRYPTO101Pod
Behind the Scenes w/ Facebook's Libra Association Founding Member Bison Trails Joe Lallouz
Chain Reaction | @ChainPodcast
Matic’s Sandeep Nailwal: Leveraging Plasma To Top Other Layer-2 Scaling Projects
//DIS MOMENT//
No. 19 https://twitter.com/i/moments/1189971717919260672
No. 20 https://twitter.com/i/moments/1192888260311355398
No. 21 https://twitter.com/i/moments/1195357142393507840
No. 22 https://twitter.com/i/moments/1197923209640894465
No. 23 https://twitter.com/i/moments/1200513792209240065
No. 24 https://twitter.com/i/moments/1203118761567510529
No. 25 https://twitter.com/i/events/1205607447899070465
No. 26 https://twitter.com/i/events/1208496142524264449
No. 27 https://twitter.com/i/events/1210651270555541505
No. 28 https://twitter.com/i/events/1213149941411045376
For more Twitter moments and tweets, follow DIS Weekly on Twitter at @DISWeekly.
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