@freebliss
Great to see this. It's something I'd love to put on #autonomi (ex #SafeNetwork) but first we have to get some APIs and a browser app sorted! Hopefully they'll be there as your project matures.
Visiting the repo I'm curious why AGPL rather than GPL? Being static I'm assumming no server side code. I'm not sure it matters but still curious. I don't understand all these licensing options and just make all my code GPLv3, and never do anything on a server.
Me: “After a long consideration, I’ve decided not to defederate Threads from my personal instance, because the benefits of being able to reach out to my friends and relatives using the open tools that I’m contributing to build and run outweigh the risks, but I’ll keep an eye on it, I may reserve the right to block Threads later, and I respect and understand those who prefer to block them instead“.
Easily triggered strangers: “You self-entitled privileged cis tech bro, you are not doing enough to protect vulnerable minorities from the fascist harassers in the world out there, I hope you die from a gut infection“.
So much for “the Fediverse is an open place that embraces diversity and mutual respect where everybody should feel safe”.
@fabio
They launched the Autonomi brand only a couple of weeks ago and things are still changing over, so you will find info searching for the previous name #SafeNetwork, and MaidSafe.
The forum at https://forum.autonomi.com is a great resource and the entry to trying out the beta test networks, and the code is at https://github.com/maidsafe/safe_network API documentation is partly on the rep and API detail is on https::/docs.rs as the project is written in Rust.
With a #DID derived from a secret key you can truly own your identity. Unfortunately, key rotation is not supported, and if you lose your key, you lose everything. This can be partially mitigated with distributed key generation techniques that make key recovery possible if only M of N shards are available, but they are complicated.
Servers can rotate keys, but they can also suddenly disappear, and again you lose everything.
Blockchain-based systems support key rotation and don't have a single point of failure (if done right). Sometimes they are called "servers with superpowers". However, popular ones are not suitable for the job because writing to them is very expensive and their clients need powerful computing devices and a lot of storage.
Is there a way around that? Yes. Blockchains can be very lightweight and they don't actually need a cryptocurrency, miners or stakers in order to work. There is a simple consensus algorithm known as Proof of authority, and one of the Fediverse competitors, Bluesky, seems to be planning to build such system:
>We are actively hoping to replace it with or evolve it into something less centralized - likely a permissioned DID consortium.
They are afraid to say the B-word, but "permissioned consortium" is exactly what it is. Of course, their identity #blockchain doesn't have to be the only one in existence. I think in the future we might see quite a lot of "identity cooperatives" of different shapes and sizes. Perhaps even a universal client, curl for identity, can be developed.
@silverpill
Maybe also look at how #SafeNetwork can provide this. It uses BLS keys (so M of N) to access encrypted account data stored on a permissionless (autonomous, p2p storage network) that stores data forever.
I'm investigating use of human readable decentralised identity for a DNS type system on this network, but these identities will be usable for anything of course. So details are up to anyone wanting to build an identity system on Safe Network, but it is going to be interesting.
Let's say you have a file you want people to be able to access for free on the internet in 2044.
The file is in the OpenDocument format and less than 10 MB in size uncompressed.
Where and how would you host it?
This is not a "test" or "experiment" - I'm genuinely asking! The only ideas I've had so far are dumb or obvious stuff like "puT iT oN gOoGle dRiVe" or host it on my website. But who can guarantee my hosting provider will be around in 20 years? Or even Google Drive, for that matter 🤔
What if there was a truly #p2p network where running a node was possible on a mobile or any device, and doing so would earn you anonymous encrypted storage on that same network forever?
Secure, anonymous storage for anyone with an internet connection. No gatekeepers, just you and a global network of nodes running on almost any connected device.
With Google already dominating web browsers with #Chrome and now attempting to lock it down to access only approved websites using #DRM...
...before long secure open internet will mean not only hosting your own services like Mastodon, email etc, but hand rolling your own apps and web browser.
Unless...unless somebody can build a truly open peer-to-peer storage and communications platform that has no gatekeepers.
I just started looking at it because MaidSafe are implementing support for it in #SafeNetwork and I'm wondering if it would be possible to implement support for #ActivityPub on top of #gossipsub.
It would be amazing if this potentially widely used library were a way to link Safe and other #p2p networks to the #fediverse
Yes, fedi admins have been in secret talks with Meta. Now confirmed, but don't worry, they aren't selling out we are told. 🤷♂️
The ease with which humans are intoxicated by power is a recurring theme, and one of our greatest weaknesses.
They think they can resist, that they can go into the dragon's lair and not be deceived or corrupted because they are the heroes of ancient legend. 🤦♂️
Humans are the weak point, the base vulnerability. So we must build #p2p tech like #SafeNetwork.
You'd think after nearly a decade following a project in depth every day, that there wouldn't be much left to learn but 🤦♂️
TIL 1: the big flaw of #blockchain and its derivatives is consensus. It was seen as essential but is its Achilles' heel because having every node in agreement comes at great cost (energy, computation, throttling, centralisation).
TL 2: you can create a #p2p robust economic system without consensus.
#fedi is a big step in the right direction for now, but self hosting will always be vulnerable to centralisation because it is hassle.
In addition, putting your data in hands you don't control is risky, but by joining the #fediverse we've just ended up with more hands rather than solving that problem.
Compare self hosting every service you use with peer-to-peer: all your data, apps and services available anywhere on any device with no hassle.
@paul Hi Paul, after a quick look at your profile and blog I realise you may already know about it, but just in case, I think you would be interested in #SafeNetwork
ICYMI: MaidSafe (remember them) have appointed a new CEO to take Safe Network from beta to launch and are starting communications today, with online events starting tomorrow (Xitter spaces), and new roadmap this week.
New CEO is @forthebux who helped take Gala Music and Gala Games to massive success in a few months.
Right now I'm all in on #vdash but that will mature before long so today I wondered what next.
I wondered, how can we stop small businesses and self hosters shutting down services like #Mastodon, unable to meet unrealistic moderation requirements of UK law.
I think we can do this with #SafeNetwork or another #p2p platform.
My ideas are very raw and won't fit in a few toots, so not for now.
In the Roadmap we promised to unveil a fresh white paper and new branding next week, and we will deliver. The white paper is all there bar the i-dotting and t-crossing, and we’re really looking forward to sharing our new public face with the world.
Good progress on folders and mnemonics this week too.
I'm looking again at static website builders now that Safe Network is happening (beta this month, launch in October).
I was set up to deploy my #dWeb blog simultaneously to web and Safe Network using #ReactStatic but sadly that is no longer maintained (but still works).
So I'm working on one using my favourite #Svelte. Also trying #Publii, a WYSIWYG site editor which looks interesting. Not the best UX but could help a lot of folks get online, on web and the #decentralised#p2p#SafeNetwork.
Our new CEO Bux will be taking many of the partnership and commercial activities off David’s hands, leaving him free for some serious thinking and able to really get his hands dirty once again.
Bux has masses of experience in Web 3 projects, most recently Gala, and is a perfect fit for our project.
New staff members will join soon to help us with the AI aspects of the vision.
This week has seen us working on the remaining tasks to be tidied up before beta and the next testnet. Plus there’s been lots going on with comms behind the scenes.
So here we have it folks. A path to guide us through the final turns of the journey and across what to some might feel like a finish-line, but is the start of a new future.
On top of what our expanding team is working on, you’ll have lots of opportunities to be involved directly in this roadmap—and be rewarded for getting stuck in.