Obyte: Totally new consensus algorithm + private untraceable payments

[kaicrypzen]

Hi,

I am trying to install the Android app and was wondering why it needed access to Photos/Media/Files and Camera/Microphone.

Also, would it be possible to provide an apk file (for those of us who do not (like to) use google play)?

Than you.

[spartacusrex]

Much clearer. Got it.

So, a user can actually send a private txn where the payload and spend proof are gibberish. This would still get in the database, but would be useless as noone would accept it.

[rendiuno]

Much clearer. Got it.

So, a user can actually send a private txn where the payload and spend proof are gibberish. This would still get in the database, but would be useless as noone would accept it.

i agree with your

[tonych]

I am trying to install the Android app and was wondering why it needed access to Photos/Media/Files and Camera/Microphone.

Actually, I don't see mic on the list of requested permissions.
The app is based in Cordova, and some Cordova plugins request permissions that are not actually used by the app.
Of this list, we use only camera to scan QR codes, you can verify that by the source code.

Also, would it be possible to provide an apk file (for those of us who do not (like to) use google play)?

There are services that automatically extract apk from google play, you can google for them.  But remember that you'll have to update manually each time we release a new version.

[tonych]

Much clearer. Got it.

So, a user can actually send a private txn where the payload and spend proof are gibberish. This would still get in the database, but would be useless as noone would accept it.

He can, although I don't see why he would want to do it.

[CryptKeeper]

I've just read the whitepaper and my brain is hurting now! 

Seems like a great project and I will try to get up to speed with this.
It seems that the whole source code is in javascript and the database used is sqlite, correct?

The role of the witnesses is interesting. Could you elaborate on the requirements to become one?

[tonych]

I've just read the whitepaper and my brain is hurting now! 

It also took some brain work to write

Seems like a great project and I will try to get up to speed with this.
It seems that the whole source code is in javascript and the database used is sqlite, correct?

Correct, it is in javascript (or rather node.js), and for database we have a choice between sqlite and mysql.

The role of the witnesses is interesting. Could you elaborate on the requirements to become one?

Anyone can become a witness, if he is chosen by users.  The users would expect from a witness to waive his anonymity, at a minimum.  Then, among the contenders, users are interested to choose the ones with good reputation, integrity, and long term interest in the health of the network.

Users include the list of their favorite witnesses in every storage unit they post to the network, provided that the list is similar enough to the lists of other users who posted recently.  This last requirement results in near-identity of witness lists posted by different users and slow evolution of an "average" observed witness list.  It also means that any major change to the "average" witness list is impossible without approval of the majority of the present witnesses, one implication of this is that the witness list is immune to sybil attacks.

[spartacusrex]

Much clearer. Got it.

So, a user can actually send a private txn where the payload and spend proof are gibberish. This would still get in the database, but would be useless as noone would accept it.

He can, although I don't see why he would want to do it.

What stops anyone posting a private txn with the unique spend proof of 'some' address, just to block the real owner from spending ?

Since noone will know what is actually in the payload, they can't distinguish the two, and if the fake is closer to the MC at lower block, those funds would be considered spent ?

[kaicrypzen]

Actually, I don't see mic on the list of requested permissions.

I do . I have two lines in requested permissions:
- Photos/Media/Files
- Camera/Microphone

The app is based in Cordova, and some Cordova plugins request permissions that are not actually used by the app.
Of this list, we use only camera to scan QR codes, you can verify that by the source code.

I don't know much about Cordova or Android apps. I checked the code and found some lines that may mean that camera and flashlight are used and found code about scanning QR codes ... Anywhere to look specifically?

There are services that automatically extract apk from google play, you can google for them.

I didn't kown about these services. Thx for pointing that out. I searched for them and found (just) two services:
- https://apps.evozi.com/apk-downloader which gives me an error when I try to use it:

Ops, APK Downloader got access denied when trying to download, Please try again and contact us.

- A Firefox addon https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/apk-downloader (also available for Chrome) which requires me to have Google Play installed to begin with ...

Do you know of any other working service that doesn't require you to have GP installed?

But remember that you'll have to update manually each time we release a new version.

Yep, I'm willing to go through that trouble .

Thank you.

[tonych]

Much clearer. Got it.

So, a user can actually send a private txn where the payload and spend proof are gibberish. This would still get in the database, but would be useless as noone would accept it.

He can, although I don't see why he would want to do it.

What stops anyone posting a private txn with the unique spend proof of 'some' address, just to block the real owner from spending ?

Since noone will know what is actually in the payload, they can't distinguish the two, and if the fake is closer to the MC at lower block, those funds would be considered spent ?

The attack won't work because duplicate spend proofs must be also signed by the same user.  If the same spend proof is signed by somebody else, it is not a double-spend.

[Bannedseller]

I installed Byteball-test-win64.exe on Windows 10 64-bit without error. but when it open, it close right away without error. Could you please help
Thanks

[tonych]

Actually, I don't see mic on the list of requested permissions.

I do . I have two lines in requested permissions:
- Photos/Media/Files
- Camera/Microphone

I checked both on my phone and on the GP web page https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.byteball.wallet, neither lists the mic.  I'm guessing you see some broad groups of permissions rather than individual ones.

The app is based in Cordova, and some Cordova plugins request permissions that are not actually used by the app.
Of this list, we use only camera to scan QR codes, you can verify that by the source code.

I don't know much about Cordova or Android apps. I checked the code and found some lines that may mean that camera and flashlight are used and found code about scanning QR codes ... Anywhere to look specifically?

If you found this line https://github.com/byteball/byteball/blob/e1e29620587d4a8744777af3e713c53940e1773a/src/js/directives/qrScanner.js#L13, this where we call the cordova plugin that works with the camera.

There are services that automatically extract apk from google play, you can google for them.

I didn't kown about these services. Thx for pointing that out. I searched for them and found (just) two services:
- https://apps.evozi.com/apk-downloader which gives me an error when I try to use it:

Ops, APK Downloader got access denied when trying to download, Please try again and contact us.

- A Firefox addon https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/apk-downloader (also available for Chrome) which requires me to have Google Play installed to begin with ...

Do you know of any other working service that doesn't require you to have GP installed?

But remember that you'll have to update manually each time we release a new version.

Yep, I'm willing to go through that trouble .

Thank you.

I googled for "byteball apk" and "google play apk" and found a few.  Not sure how trustworthy they are, and some list the old version that was replaced yesterday.

Just curious, what are you so averse of google play?

[tonych]

I installed Byteball-test-win64.exe on Windows 10 64-bit without error. but when it open, it close right away without error. Could you please help
Thanks

Try deleting the app data: navigate to c:\Users\<your user name>\AppData\Local and delete byteball-test folder.  Then restart the app.

[biggernugs]

This looks solid AF. Still reading through some things but I like what I'm seeing. Distribution is cool also. Gonna get back into the info and keep an eye out here

[davide72]

sounds good dev! if i understood correctly we will not loose the testnet coin?

You can keep it but testnet coin is worthless by definition.

It is ok dev! i started to test and play around to see if any bug or strange thing come on! So, i will keep with my test for the community!

[yvv]

Nice project. Linux client seems to work well, but after clicking some buttons, I feel myself lost. Some user guide on what to do with those blackbytes, devices, bots, seeds etc would be nice to have.

[CryptKeeper]

I've just read the whitepaper and my brain is hurting now! 

It also took some brain work to write

Seems like a great project and I will try to get up to speed with this.
It seems that the whole source code is in javascript and the database used is sqlite, correct?

Correct, it is in javascript (or rather node.js), and for database we have a choice between sqlite and mysql.

The role of the witnesses is interesting. Could you elaborate on the requirements to become one?

Anyone can become a witness, if he is chosen by users.  The users would expect from a witness to waive his anonymity, at a minimum.  Then, among the contenders, users are interested to choose the ones with good reputation, integrity, and long term interest in the health of the network.

Users include the list of their favorite witnesses in every storage unit they post to the network, provided that the list is similar enough to the lists of other users who posted recently.  This last requirement results in near-identity of witness lists posted by different users and slow evolution of an "average" observed witness list.  It also means that any major change to the "average" witness list is impossible without approval of the majority of the present witnesses, one implication of this is that the witness list is immune to sybil attacks.

Thanks.
Another question: there are many app types listed in the whitepaper. I'm wondering how many of them are already available in the current release? How many devs are working on this?

[Bannedseller]

I installed Byteball-test-win64.exe on Windows 10 64-bit without error. but when it open, it close right away without error. Could you please help
Thanks

Try deleting the app data: navigate to c:\Users\<your user name>\AppData\Local and delete byteball-test folder.  Then restart the app.

It's working now: Sync ...
Thanks

[Bannedseller]

I see 65,000 bytes and 53,923 of ... why two please: Is it one for Bytes and the other for ByteBalls?
How to link my byteball to the bitcoin addresses please

[tonych]

Thanks.
Another question: there are many app types listed in the whitepaper. I'm wondering how many of them are already available in the current release? How many devs are working on this?

All the app types are implemented in the core library https://github.com/byteball/byteballcore but only payments are available through the GUI wallet.  The rest can be invoked directly in javascript, see samples at https://github.com/byteball/headless-byteball/tree/master/play.
One dev so far (me).