Honestly, if I was going to make some calls to Bitcoin, then I would just include libbitcoin, I wouldn't bother coding it myself. (It'd just be duplicating work.) I seriously doubt that I could make a better implementation of Bitcoin than what Genjix is already doing with libbitcoin.
OT is a useful tool in conjunction with Bitcoin, and the best way to use them together (in your own software) would be to include the OT library to do the OT stuff, and include libbitcoin to do the Bitcoin stuff, and all cross-over transactions between the two is the job of YOUR software, which is connecting the two.
Sure, OT + libbitcoin +
GUI. At this point, it's too abstract for me, and 99% of people here. In the very least if there were a bunch of utilities, then I could bash script some stuff, slowly getting into it. By Google Wave analogy, you can't just build a beautiful palace underground and expect its brilliance to be self-evident. I know it's much to ask, but that's the way with software. We need to feel it, touch it, see it, use it, before we 'get it'. As it is right now, I can only smell OT, though it smells delicious.
Accounts, Cash:
http://vimeo.com/28141679Markets, Bitcoin:
http://vimeo.com/28142096I should warn you that a "real" GUI will have a completely different interface than the test GUI, so please don't read too much into the UI "design" since its primary purpose is for protocol testing.
Here's a sample UI design that is probably more accurate for a "real" GUI (left side):
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=31032.msg399675#msg399675-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is the output of
ot -?OT CLI Usage:
ot --stat (Prints the wallet contents) ot --prompt (Enter the OT prompt)
ot [-h|-?|--help] (Prints this help) ot --script (assumes script until eof)
The '|' symbol means use --balance or -b, use --withdraw or -w, etc.
The brackets '[]' show required arguments, where default values are
normally expected to be found in: ~/.ot/command-line-ot.opt
ot --balance | -b [--myacct <acct_id>] (Display account balance)
ot --withdraw | -w <amount> [--myacct <acct_id>] (Withdraw as CASH)
ot --transfer | -t <amount> [--myacct <acct_id>] [--hisacct <acct_id>]
ot --cheque | -c <amount> [--myacct <acct_id>] [--hisnym <nym_id> ]
ot --voucher | -v <amount> [--myacct <acct_id>] [--hisnym <nym_id> ]
ot --depositcheque [--myacct <acct_id>] (Deposit a cheque.)
ot --depositpurse [--myacct <acct_id>] (Deposit a cash purse.)
ot --deposittokens [--myacct <acct_id>] (Deposit individual cash tokens.)
ot --inbox | -i [--myacct <acct_id>] (Display the inbox.)
ot --sign | -s [--mynym <nym_id> ] (Sign a contract.)
ot --verify [--mynym <nym_id> ] (Verify a signature.)
ot --purse | -p <arguments> (Display a purse.)
Arguments: [--mynym <nym_id> ] [--mypurse <asset_type_id>]
ot --refresh | -r [--myacct <acct_id>] (Download account files from server.)
ot --refreshnym [--mynym <nym_id> ] (Download nym files from server.)
ot --marketoffer [--mynym <nym_id> ] (Place an offer on a market.)
Also, [--server <server_id>] will work with all of the above.
Recurring payments:
ot --proposeplan <arguments> (Merchant)
Arguments: [--mynym <nym_id> ] [--myacct <acct_id>] (continued.)
Continued: [--hisnym <nym_id> ] [--hisacct <acct_id> ]
ot --confirmplan <arguments> (Customer)
ot --activateplan <arguments> (Customer again)
Arguments: [--mynym <nym_id> ] [--myacct <acct_id>]
There is also an
OT> prompt, which you can activate like so:
OT Prompt instructions (scroll down):
https://github.com/FellowTraveler/Open-Transactions/wiki/Test-Wallet-commands-----------------------------------------------------------
Here is
the entire client API, with explanation for each function:
https://github.com/FellowTraveler/Open-Transactions/wiki/APIBetter yet, here are
clear instructions for USING the API, for each
use case:
https://github.com/FellowTraveler/Open-Transactions/wiki/Use-Cases------------------------------------------------------------------------
FYI, the
OT client API is fully-scriptable. If you would like to make your own
shell scripts, just put
#!/usr/local/bin/ot --script at the top of any text file, and then feel free to use any of the API calls. Here are some sample scripts:
https://github.com/FellowTraveler/Open-Transactions/blob/master/scripts(As I just released the scripting code within the past few days, you can expect more sample scripts to start appearing soon. Eventually there will be scripts for every use case.)------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is a test server, if you want to try out the GUI:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/galacticmilieu/files/(Related thread):
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=53329.0OT comes with a "localhost" test server, so the easiest way to get started is to just run the server yourself, and then run the GUI against your own local server. I have also provided builds of everything, if you don't want to have to deal with compiling:
https://github.com/FellowTraveler/Open-Transactions/downloadsTo start up the server (after make install) type this: ot_server
If you need any support, you can email me: fellowtraveler at rayservers dot net.
I can also often be found on #opentransactions at irc.freenode.net and there are others there who run servers, if you need questions answered and I'm not around.
-----------------------------------------------------------
I don't think I can do any more hand-holding than I already am.
FYI, I am not going to write a nice Mac OSX GUI, for these reasons:
1) I do OT in my free time and I can't take on any more projects.
2) There are more projects needing to be done than I could possibly ever code myself. We need a
QT client,
Android client,
iOS client,
Mac OSX client,
Windows client,
Magneto integration,
i2p integration,
Tahoe-LAFS integration,
POS system,
Tor integration. ETC!
(I cannot possibly write all of these although I am willing to try, if you are willing to fund me.)
3) As businesses, gamers, investors, forward-thinkers, early-adopters, etc are already popping up to take advantage of OT, I feel confident at this point that the base will only continue to grow, even if I get hit by a bus tomorrow. The
aura of inevitability has set in.
-----------------------------------------------------------
I am sorry to say, if you expect me to produce more than I am already producing, you will probably be disappointed. I've already contributed more free code in the past year than probably most people on this board. (And not finished yet...) But there is only so much I can do.
However, there is good news: Others ARE popping up and taking on these sorts of projects. OT clients are being meddled with, businesses are starting to pop up, etc. So while I can't do it all myself, the open source community is nevertheless beginning to step in. That's the way it always works: some people get in faster than others. Bitcoin was the same way. But if the technology is good, it WILL get integrated where it adds value, and that's where the potential benefit lies for all of you out there.
-----------------------------------------------------------
OT is probably more comparable to something like
OpenSSL, than to something like
Google Wave. Asking for an "OT GUI"
(although I have paid out of my own pocket to produce the one linked above) is like asking for an "OpenSSL GUI". OpenSSL is more of a
library than an application -- and in fact it is used in thousands of different applications. OT is the same way.
Each OT application will be entirely different than the others, because the range of uses, similar to OpenSSL, is so wide-open.
-----------------------------------------------------------
One more thing: My primary purpose in writing OT was purely moral. I already have a form of success in life and I do not work in any technical field. This is a side project I made because I had a very clear and powerful vision of what it needed to be, and because I watched over ten years pass by, where no one else was writing it. I wanted to see it exist, and to see it go into the world to make its mark, and to spread the concepts like a mental virus--like a meme, basically with an experimental, reference implementation, and I already feel as if I have been successful at my goal.
I hope you find the links above useful; I encourage you to read the other articles on my wiki as well, as I've been pretty comprehensive about describing all the pieces and their operation. Perhaps you will find your calling :-)
-FT
