Just to report running very smooth in my two nodes so far. Happy as a bee

23936      4747512364439223888      12/24/2013 11:22:59 AM   
1      0 + 1      157 B   
1      17951185355863918673      188 %

In one computer when I used 0.4.4 and the new nxt file, it worked well so far

23889      4747512364439223888      12/24/2013 10:15:42 AM   
5      10 + 5      701 B   
1      5022080755391688954      1263 %   

In another computer, I used 0.4.4 but started from the scratch, it stopped at 19879 block and keep spitting out "Generated an incorrect block", so it is not all roses.
Bit it did not seem to drift anymore.

Looking good with 0.4.4 and new nxt files

23881      2584657662098653454      12/24/2013 10:03:36 AM   
4      0 + 13      580 B   
1      10334294215406683681      1084 %

Thanks CfB. I am has been always super impressed with your abilities to spit out update.
Am I on the correct branch now. Latest block

23643      3067445265769414038      12/24/2013 6:53:42 AM   
112      225'177 + 154      15'902 B   
1      5828505993898962467      941 %   


It took more than 1 hour for this block to appear. Th blockchain explorer is drifting.

I start the client from the scratch. And here is where I am stuck.

23642      4986291754133470191      12/24/2013 5:47:59 AM   
200      258'300 + 218      28'488 B   
1      184310077466507214      470 %

No block get created in the last 15 minutes.

Did you ever sell your Bitcoin/ Nxt to a stranger asking to pay you by PayPal ? In the last couple of days, quite a number of people offered me a good dollar price for Nxt. They could only pay by Paypal since they can get Bitcoin easily. I refused most of them as you all know the risk that Paypal can reverse the transaction at will up to 30 days.

I think that's sensible decision since I cannot trust these strangers to negate his words and ask Paypal to reverse the transaction. In this case a lack of trust has destroy a market transaction opportunity.
It would also apply in the future Nxt asset exchange, the lack of trust would destroy all market transaction. So to make the market works, we have to have the trust. Trust in the buyers is easier since Nxt transaction is non-reversible. But trust in the asset issuers need to be established. And one way to do it is to create a mechanism in which who breaks the trust will be punished. When an IOU is issued, that is a promise/ a social contract is being written. An issuer who breaks his social contract should have consequences. The loss of reputation is one consequence. There can be more mechanism designed by the community.

Here I want to point out the need to force the asset issuer to announce a clear social contract attached to his asset before the issuance. That social contract should be announced in public such as in a dedicated sub-forum of Nxt community. The social contract should clearly point out why such asset having a value and What are the responsibilities of the issuers to the assets. We can compile and publish a common form that all asset issuers are advised to follow. There should be a period of Q&A which happens after the announcement of asset issuance and before the actual listing of the asset.

This also implicates that  the existence of the asset exchange associates with the existence of a public forum in which all the assets being announced, documented at least in the first phase of asset issuance.  

We need to test on all these issues before the actual launch of the exchange and all the name tag squatting.

Reputation doesn't work unless you have a history and convention. In early days, we have neither history or convention. You won't even sell Bitcoin to a stranger paying by Paypal. So you won't buy bitcoin tag from a stranger who promise to deliver you a Bitcoin after n days in the future.

I feel like we have too much going on too early. The alias system has an incredible potential as it could be a totally new gateway people using to get to the Internet. But most people even already owing Nxt still don't understand what it is.

Now throwing in the mix the asset exchange which is a much more complicated system. I am an economist by profession and I have been teaching classes of Money and Banking at college level here is U.S for the last 3 years. This asset exchange could be very exciting but is is very wild and it could be very misleading for users. A name tag like Microsoft or Bitcoin means NOTHING without a real assets backing it. In real life, a Microsoft share represents a percentage of ownership of Microsoft and entitles its owner dividend from Microsoft profit. In order for Nxt asset exchange to work, each type asset here would have to represent some values assigned by the the asset name tag owner. There need to be a clear social contract that the asset issuer have to announce to the public before they issue the asset.
I believe we need to compile the documentation of rules and protocols for the asset exchange. Don't let it just happen without few people understand what they are into.

We are already got blamed for initial distribution of Nxt which I think is just a moot point but you have to admit that the initial distribution does not look like it has a well-thought out plan at all. The alias system launch has been very exciting but all the documentation of the system usage and potential for new users still need to be done.
On top of that is the paramount question of network stability. We need to have a stable network going. If computer stopping very 30 minutes because the bockchain is out of sync, no advance features will be useful. I would suggest that the stability issue need to be number one concern right now. We need a more resilient system. Asset exchange should be tested, documentation and how to for it should be compiled before an official launch.

I plan to have a series of articles done for alias system and I could also write rules and protocols for the upcoming asset exchange. But I suggest that BCnext and Cfb need to slow down in rolling out features to get the groundwork done first. Done it right the first time so nobody get hurt during the process. That also give time for works on network stability.

I am going to launch my client now, hopefully it sync with the main blockchain this time.  

Who and what mechanism can enforce that the issuers would keep his promises to redeem his IOU/ assets ?

Could we implement that a node can only be connected to the network if an account is opened and has at least 1 Nxt ?

Also, don't laught since i have no coding background. Zombie node is the node connected to the network but having no account, right ? I understand that they could overwhelm a hall mark node, but do they pass on any information ? Educate me before BCNext and Cfb come in and release an update.

If I understand 2Kool4Skewl correctly, your hallmark node can help the network by sharing a part of the attacks caused by zombie nodes. Non hall-mark node does not help since no peer sync the blockchain from a non-hallmark node and non hall-mark node can actually cause more stresses to the existing hall-mark nodes.

I think 2Kool4Skewl made a very good point here that no node should bear a over-sized responsibility to keep the network running since it would become a prime target for attackers. Now we have only a few hall-mark nodes bear major responsibility of spreading the blockchain. No wonder the network crumbles when they become targets.

Let me send the warmest thank to all that has been actively setting up nodes and and fighting attacker. I am proud of Nxt community. I am going to do my part soon when I can re-set up my client properly.
What don't make us die can only make us stronger !

After all the public nodes just having been set up, I still went off to a short blockchain even when I started from scratch. I used client 0.4.0
Really hope for a new update tomorrow from BCNext and Cfb.

What is the difficulty level now ? probably went off the main branch 

Why does it not correct itself ? I thought when I collide with a peer with longer blockchain, I would correct my blockchain to the longer one ? Why it it not the case here ?

Just back to computer.

Here what my node is

23228      12019999407875732451      12/23/2013 4:16:42 PM   
6      2'464 + 6      864 B   
1      1761442247203437178      5956273 %

Active peers

46.19.137.116      46.19.137.116      25'915'990      420'163'613 B      1'155'145 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
scum2.bounceme.net      scum2.bounceme.net      790'789      303 B      671'327 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
192.241.208.133      192.241.208.133      0      1'229 B      578'427 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
84.45.201.142      84.45.201.142      0      204 B      33'221 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
87.230.14.1      87.230.14.1      2'930      523 B      64'355 B      NRS (0.4.0)   
88.198.142.92      88.198.142.92      1'999'106      2'140'936 B      550'557 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
146.185.129.54      146.185.129.54      0      129 B      19'356 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
162.243.214.183      162.243.214.183      217'504      9'293'964 B      661'171 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
99.105.6.193      99.105.6.193      14'592      2'406 B      639'406 B      NRS (0.4.0)   
nxtsrv01.nxtnode.net      nxtsrv01.nxtnode.net      14'592      111'677 B      650'629 B      NRS (0.4.1e)   
46.28.111.249      46.28.111.249      0      201 B      33'098 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
94.125.128.45      94.125.128.45      0      255 B      54'277 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
121.199.12.227      121.199.12.227      0      40 B      650'479 B      NRS (0.4.3e)   
162.243.117.63      162.243.117.63      0      1'875 B      650'479 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
64.120.180.110      64.120.180.110      0      39 B      650'479 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
54.249.101.252      54.249.101.252      8'736      2'235 B      455'157 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
80.86.92.30      80.86.92.30      0      40 B      650'479 B      NRS (0.4.3e)   
scum.bounceme.net      scum.bounceme.net      790'789      301 B      659'794 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
162.243.234.30      162.243.234.30      55'850      758'518 B      624'432 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
nxtcoin.ru      nxtcoin.ru      250'100      4'506'541 B      583'397 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
mt01.no-ip.org      mt01.no-ip.org      0      1'804 B      641'274 B      NRS (0.3.20)   
88.80.188.72      88.80.188.72      33'205      15'117 B      334'856 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
162.243.145.83      162.243.145.83      999'996      17'346'943 B      649'283 B      NRS (0.4.0)   
198.211.127.34      198.211.127.34      0      40 B      638'688 B      NRS (0.4.3e)   
37.209.120.192      37.209.120.192      0      57 B      11'276 B      NRS (0.4.0)   
87.236.209.14      87.236.209.14      0      1'749 B      634'104 B      NRS (0.4.0)   
85.112.205.156      85.112.205.156      627      295 B      73 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
node17.nxtbase.com      node17.nxtbase.com      98'000      567'372 B      458'670 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
95.85.22.142      95.85.22.142      13'200'386      38'799 B      193'926 B      NRS (0.4.0)   
scum6.bounceme.net      scum6.bounceme.net      79'078      303 B      75'997 B      NRS (0.4.2)   
82.161.210.240      82.161.210.240      0      111 B      11'005 B      NRS (0.4.0)   



I thought if I am connected to a peer with correct blockchain, then I will get back to that correct blockchain, Does not seem to be the case here. or are all of
my active peers in the short branch ? Help Cfb

I am on this short branch for an hour so far

      
23143      11057458782203389948      12/23/2013 1:57:37 PM   
2      0 + 2      290 B   
1      16020047322910513998      10600 %

Still keep it working as CfB suggests. I have to step outside a couple of hours. Will report when I come back.

We probably need thousand of these well-known peers to fight against the attackers.

I did.

I think this is the main branch. Here is my short branch that still keeps on going

23115      3231774856984709013      12/23/2013 1:16:49 PM   
4      15'499 + 4      512 B   
1      1838435351270100965      12184 %

Main branch difficulty should be less than 1000% if you have very low difficulty, it is likely you have gone off main branch.