[ANN] 'foo' and 'bar' coins--a "how-to" guide for cut+paste cryptocurrency

[jnada]

Thank yu for the wonderful guide, but i need to do something very specific, i'd like to change the algo in use. I'd like to know how to put a totally different algo. your assistance would be greatly appreciated. This coin will be for testing only to see if the algo works as planned maybe i'l release it to the public.

This recipe should be attached to last Jamie Olivier cookbook, is really wonderful - This should faster announcement of AbbaCoin which I was planning to launch this autumn, counting 2-3 months for research, test etc. And now , suddenly all on one plate... Shakezula- you making people lazy...

BTW I would like to ask same question as barwizi did.
How to change algo?
Why to not let people consolidate their digital wealth on coins with SHA256?
Just for any case.

[wtfvanity]

Compiling binaries with step by step instructions will remain a hurdle for some.

However, this ought to quadruple the amount of alt coins, not like we weren't getting them already.

[pixel]

Im a little confused here (no complaints though, really thank you for the guide!). It appears that the guide basically shows you how to re-brand litecoin or any other scrypt based coin, not create changes to the coin on top of that (amount of coins, difficulty, etc.). Is this right or am i missing somthing? Thanks again for the guide!

[shakezula]

Im a little confused here (no complaints though, really thank you for the guide!). It appears that the guide basically shows you how to re-brand litecoin or any other scrypt based coin, not create changes to the coin on top of that (amount of coins, difficulty, etc.). Is this right or am i missing somthing? Thanks again for the guide!

Coins per block, ports, block retarget time, and max coins ever are in there too, check the "Cut and Paste" section.

Otherwise, yes, I've just made it easier (with the changes to the foocoin makefiles and qt.pro file) to compile, and laid it all out in black and white.

[barwizi]

and adding a new algo?

[JahPowerBit]

great job. +1 shakezula.

[shakezula]

and adding a new algo?

Its a tad out of the purview of a cut+paste tutorial and something I've only begun to figure out. Rest assured this has become my new obsession so if I figure it out reliably I will update the Devtome with the new info. The bottom most section is already to get a few new things soon--when I get the itch to do a bit more writing.

[barwizi]

and adding a new algo?

Its a tad out of the purview of a cut+paste tutorial and something I've only begun to figure out. Rest assured this has become my new obsession so if I figure it out reliably I will update the Devtome with the new info. The bottom most section is already to get a few new things soon--when I get the itch to do a bit more writing.

much appreciated

[palm12341]

I'm trying to make a version of YaCoin, does anyone here know how I might be able to mine the genesis block?
It isn't quite as because it is different from the scrypt coins in the guide

[Blindfolded]

Thanks for this. I was able to get it working, but I couldn't have done it without you. 

[owsleybeatsbigcartel]

THIS IS NOT REALLY A NEW COIN TO MINE!!

Its actually a tutorial, step by step, with source code provided for two coins: foocoin is empty and ready to be customized; barcoin is the finished product of following the step by step guide found here:

http://devtome.com/doku.php?id=scrypt_altcoin_cloning_guide&#how_to_clone_scrypt_based_altcoins_for_fun_and_profit

and knowing Devtome is a Wiki, here is an unfiltered .pdf version of the guide (will be updated as I add new items):

https://mega.co.nz/#!HFlzgCSb!SqWmpBux9BEUZwiX8o0XGGeEY08fPC76LdIIL91pQq0
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B49exKIsGBn5ajhqSjJyVDR6STQ/edit?usp=sharing

Now a bit about the project in bullet points:

*Its based on Litecoin source, and uses examples found in the SmallChange repository

*Its not designed to be a primer on C or C++ programming, its a "change this and make it work" kind of guide

*The foocoin sources are customized to be as easy as possible to build on Mac, Linux, and Windows and the guide contains the steps needed to install the software and build each wallet.

*It is a tad tongue-in-cheek; the product of about a month's worth of reading and trial and error.

*I will not/can not do tech support for this; I've tried to compile as much info as I could and my experiences building GeoCoin and
Doubloons in to this guide. NEARLY all of the info came from other amazingly helpful people on this board--the rest is from trial and error, google, and various programming snippet websites. I am willing to have casual discussion about coins and coin creation though!

Foocoin Source: https://github.com/foocoin (blank, ready to be customized)
Barcoin Source: https://github.com/barcoin (really more for information and comparison)

I also took the time to build a pacakge of all the MinGW32 dependencies which can be retrieved via git and placed in c:\deps. The Foocoin source -qt.pro file is customized to look for these dependencies in c:\deps but the guide also shows you how to build them yourself and customize the -qt.pro file. The dependencies are here:

Foocoin MinGW32 Dependencies Bundle: https://github.com/foocoin/deps.git

Last but not least, I also included the Windows-Qt addins in another repository so you can bundle them with your newly made coins:

Foocoin Windows Qt Addins: https://github.com/foocoin/windows-qt-addins.git

Whew, ok, one last note--I haven't mastered the redistributable Mac-Qt yet, so consider that section a work in progress. Finally, please consider donating a few bits if you find this useful, my BTC and LTC addies are in my signature. This guide took me nearly 30 hours to compile and my wife would be ever so happy if something came of it  

imo i'd be carefull anything Devtome related! ~ scammers all we need is like more scammy "nu-coins!?

[owsleybeatsbigcartel]

cut+paste coin =sweet!

[pixel]

Is this the source of all these new altcoins?

[The_Catman]

Is this the source of all these new altcoins?

Quite a few of them yes, definitely xencoin and 6coin were built off this. 6coin even still had foocoins copyright info in the QT.



Some other coins were built and sold by hazard.

[bananenplukker]

Awesome guide, shakezula! But, I'm having a bit of a problem here, under the "first build" section. Github shell doesn't recognize the command "make". I think this problem occurs because of the deps. Your link to the deps doesn't work. Is there another way to get these deps?

Thanks in advance!

[shakezula]

Awesome guide, shakezula! But, I'm having a bit of a problem here, under the "first build" section. Github shell doesn't recognize the command "make". I think this problem occurs because of the deps. Your link to the deps doesn't work. Is there another way to get these deps?

Thanks in advance!

I rolled all my projects in to a single Github, though the foocoin github *should forward you. Here's a direct link:

https://github.com/geocoin/deps

[bananenplukker]

Awesome guide, shakezula! But, I'm having a bit of a problem here, under the "first build" section. Github shell doesn't recognize the command "make". I think this problem occurs because of the deps. Your link to the deps doesn't work. Is there another way to get these deps?

Thanks in advance!

I rolled all my projects in to a single Github, though the foocoin github *should forward you. Here's a direct link:

https://github.com/geocoin/deps

Thanks! I hope I'll be able to compile them now.

Edit: Nope, still errors. Recipe for target obj/checkpoints.o failed. Error 1. Does anyone know a solution to this problem?

[Cryddit]

Interesting guide.  Thanks to Shakezula. 

Not worth making new coin, unless do something new.  Cut and paste for starting point, but must write code to make new coin worthwhile.  Could try solve problems. 

Biggest problem cryptocurrencies scalability.  When billions use coin, block chain bigger faster than network can carry.  When billions of tx have every machine repeat each tx to check for agree need faster machines than exists.  You have idea to fix scalability, is worth doing altcoin.

Another big problem, cryptocoin anonymity isn't.  Blockchain records every tx.  Information mining, easy trace users through blockchain even with no names associated accounts.  Like able see all money moving around everywhere, becomes obvious who carrying.  Zerocoin has very clever way to solve, but makes scalability problem even worse, 40 kilobyte transaction premium.   Make coin with better anonymity, at least interesting.  Maybe never allowed to succeed, maybe illegal in future.  Interesting, anyway.  Learning how is worth doing.

Third problem, mining.  Convert electricity into coins, wasteful.  Waste keeps money cost up, means no point mining for most people, concentrates mining/chain verification in smaller number of people -- eventually probably one, and currency die.  Also money cost is transaction cost, and cryptocurrency strength in larger economy is minimize transaction cost.  Minimize transaction cost, easy transactions, is main reason for being better than official currency.  Minimize mining cost minimizes tx cost.  Custom ASICs, expensive GPUs, etc. were mistakes.  Bad direction for development.  Figure out way to not need, way to keep chain verification in many hands, be fair everyone, is worth doing. 

Fourth problem, maybe, what happen when mining reward ends?  People mine for money, what happen next time reward is halved?  Time after that?  Time after that?  Never tested.  Don't know.  Will any coin survive end of rewarding miners?  Will few remaining "transaction processers" be enough to keep secure, or will become vulnerable to attack, 51% takeover?  Remember powerful people want cryptocurrency stop.  Make $Billions off transaction fees now, cryptocurrency system would eats business.  What cost doing 51% attack on coin not reward miners by credit card toll troll?  Less than cost not doing it.  Figure out how mining.  Solve this problem and one before, definitely make new coin. 

Fifth problem, speed transaction clearing.  Find way to make instant transfers, not wait for blocks to close and block chain to deepen.  Many kinds of business cannot do otherwise.  Consider vending machine.  Scan QR code, transfer .0005 btc or whatever, then ... wait a half hour?? NO.  Just not work most people.  Fix it, worth doing.  Many altcoins attempt fix by making short block time, but short block time limits number tx per minute or network overwhelmed and chains diverge.  Destroy coin first or second time are too many tx per minute.  Short block times make first problem far worse.  Must find different way to speed tx clearing.  If figure out, very worth making altcoin.

Could also try add new capability.  Many possibilities.  Think of one or two or three, make altcoin with new ideas.

Big one right now, Prism proof email.  You have widely distributed database of public keys (accounts).  If leverage for real private mail from account to account, worth doing an altcoin. 

Another, what calls 'Colored Coins.' Make something take full advantage, keep track colors, definitely worth doing.  Could take advantage script transactions for contingent contracts in different kind assets; could do futures, etc. 

Cut and paste coin, nothing new, is foundation material.  But nobody want move into foundation.  Must build house on top.

Edward.


 

[uMMcQxCWELNzkt]

How long roughly should this take to build from start to finish?

[CaptChadd]

How long roughly should this take to build from start to finish?

On your first time give yourself a day off and have plenty of breaks and always get the testnet up and running, a lot of developers do not do that.

After a few coins, you should be able to make one and release it within 60 minutes.