[announce] Namecoin - a distributed naming system based on Bitcoin

[vinced]

First, PLEASE BACKUP YOUR WALLETS on a regular basis.  Also, experiment on test names, not valuable ones.

A new release is up on github.  This release includes:

* Name transfers can now be performed using name_update
* The first namecoin seed node has been added
* Addresses (getnewaddress) now start with the letter 'N'.  Old addresses starting with '1' will continue to work indefinitely.
* Version number bumped to 0.3.21.50
* Handling of names in wallet has been revamped
* Only one pending name operation at a time, per name
* name_clean and deletetransaction rpc calls, for those of you that created transactions that cannot be completed due to name clash or double spend

Earlier in this thread there were several posts with solutions for bridging Namecoin to DNS.  Thank you for making progress on this front.

I am not distributing binaries right now and cannot vouch for binaries I don't build myself.  You'll have to judge for yourself based on the reputation of the posters.

[JackSparrow]

Some days ago I found a Block, this morning I found another one.

05/02/11 20:07 generated 50.00
05/04/11 07:53 generated 50.00

Still my balance did not change. How can I check if my block has "matured"?

How much blocks are produced per hour? Can I do some checks with the info out of the debug.log?

JackSparrow

[grue]

And that link with the binary didn't work for me.  OK I tried it again and it gives me ikRzdi.zip  that can't be right?

min.us doesn't like file names, it just eats it up   anyways, if it contains namecoind.exe, and a dll, it's the right file.

Still my balance did not change. How can I check if my block has "matured"?

when you get a block, use "namecoin getinfo" to get the block count. note that number. when that number has increased by 100, your block will mature, and it will show up in your balance.

[grue]

win32 binaries (32150)
http://min.us/mvtpJW
SHA-1: 1E24AE15200EBA151FAE1D8514027666D4A2135D

[Timo Y]

Can't believe diffuculty is already 512. It took Bitcoin almost two years to reach this.  

I guess I'll just have to buy them...

clarified, should have read the whole thread...

[Ricochet]

Can't believe diffuculty is already 512. It took Bitcoin almost two years to reach this. 

I guess I'll just have to buy them...

I believe it's always been permanently set to 512, and doesn't dynamically change as Bitcoin's does.

Also thanks grue for the binaries.  I finally got it working with my limited knowledge.

[caston]

Can't believe diffuculty is already 512. It took Bitcoin almost two years to reach this. 

I guess I'll just have to buy them...

What did bitcoin start at?

[Ricochet]

Bitcoin started at 1, the minimum difficulty, and stayed that way for several months/years until enough people joined the network that blocks cleared more often than once every 10 minutes, prompting the first difficulty change.

[Alex Beckenham]

For easy reference when you're perhaps out and about: http://bitcoindifficulty.com

[gigabytecoin]

* We need proxies, browser plugins and DNS servers created to act as a bridge between Namecoin and users.

By this, do you mean TOR and/or similar? I have access to 100mbps that I generally don't use! (PM me if so, this thread is freaking huge...)

[Timo Y]

I'm a bit confused.

I've re-read thread and the github page but couldn't find an answer for this:

When is a domain name definitely tied to a namecoin address?

after ./namecoind name_new  ?
or after ./namecoind name_firstupdate ?

how much does each of those actions cost?

[grue]

I'm a bit confused.

I've re-read thread and the github page but couldn't find an answer for this:

When is a domain name definitely tied to a namecoin address?

after ./namecoind name_new  ?
or after ./namecoind name_firstupdate ?

how much does each of those actions cost?

updating is free, i believe.

[gsan]

ns.bit is up. It is a DNS bridge for Namecoin. Make 78.47.86.43 your primary DNS server to start using it right away. Note that khal is also running a DNS bridge.

The server can resolve ICANN and OpenNIC (.geek, .glue, etc.) domain names too, so it should be a drop-in replacement for whatever server you're using, though currently it's in an experimental state so you can experience downtimes. It maps Namecoin names to .bit, .c, .b and .n TLDs (i.e. ns.bit, ns.c, ns.b and ns.n are the same). This behavior will probably change as soon as there is a community decision on the standard TLD though, since it's not automatic in the case of DNS delegation (if you host your own DNS).

Configuration examples:

Simple address mapping (example.bit → 1.2.3.4, www.example.bit → 4.3.2.1, etc.):

Code:

$ namecoind name_update d/example "{\"map\": {\"\": \"1.2.3.4\", \"www\": \"4.3.2.1\"}}"

Delegating the entire domain to a DNS server (like a DNS registry):

Code:

$ namecoind name_update d/example "{\"map\": {\"\": {\"ns\": [\"ns1.example.net\", \"ns2.example.net\"]}}}"

Delegating a subdomain to a DNS server:

Code:

$ namecoind name_update d/example "{\"map\": {\"\": \"1.2.3.4\", \"www\": {\"ns\": [\"2.2.2.2\"]}}}"

As discussed on the IRC, nameserver addresses can be IPs or canonical names. IPv6 support is in an experimental state, you're welcome if you can help me test it.

A more capable scheme is in the works, so please contact me if you are working on a similar thing.

[grue]

can we have a different irc boostrap channel? right now, it's #bitcoin. change it to something else, like namecoin

Code:

hooks.cpp, line 110:
string CStandardHooks::IrcPrefix()
{
    return "bitcoin";
}

[doublec]

can we have a different irc boostrap channel? right now, it's #bitcoin. change it to something else, like namecoin

It should be 'namecoin' already. See CNamecoinHooks in namcoin.cpp.

[2Fast2BCn]

I'm a bit confused.

I've re-read thread and the github page but couldn't find an answer for this:

When is a domain name definitely tied to a namecoin address?

after ./namecoind name_new  ?
or after ./namecoind name_firstupdate ?

how much does each of those actions cost?

name_new & name_update costs 0.01 namecoins.
name_firstupdate costs 45,27 namecoins and reserves the name for you.

[Tril]

Simple address mapping (example.bit → 1.2.3.4, www.example.bit → 4.3.2.1, etc.):

Code:

$ namecoind name_update d/example "{\"map\": {\"\": \"1.2.3.4\", \"www\": \"4.3.2.1\"}}"

This is so hard to read with individual backslashes...you can use single quotes around the entire string:

namecoind name_update d/example '{"map": {"": "1.2.3.4", "www": "4.3.2.1"}}'

[khal]

This is so hard to read with individual backslashes...you can use single quotes around the entire string:

namecoind name_update d/example '{"map": {"": "1.2.3.4", "www": "4.3.2.1"}}'

Much better indeed :p

I've launched the dot-bit project to spread .bit domains by providing ressources and tools for the developpers and the end users :
http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=7412.0

[grue]

any idea on how to get unconfirmed blocks to show? i've been looking through the source code, but it's super hard to read, and i can't find the part where the block's maturation status is checked.

[vinced]

Lets split this thread into topic specific ones.  See TLD poll here: https://www.bitcoin.org/smf/index.php?topic=7459.0

Can't believe diffuculty is already 512. It took Bitcoin almost two years to reach this. 

I guess I'll just have to buy them...

I believe it's always been permanently set to 512, and doesn't dynamically change as Bitcoin's does.

Also thanks grue for the binaries.  I finally got it working with my limited knowledge.

Namecoin difficulty varies using the same algorithm as bitcoin.  I started the difficulty at 512 to account for GPU mining being available.

* We need proxies, browser plugins and DNS servers created to act as a bridge between Namecoin and users.

By this, do you mean TOR and/or similar? I have access to 100mbps that I generally don't use! (PM me if so, this thread is freaking huge...)

I was talking about software rather than a service, although a DNS service makes sense.  A public proxy has some privacy and abuse concerns.

any idea on how to get unconfirmed blocks to show? i've been looking through the source code, but it's super hard to read, and i can't find the part where the block's maturation status is checked.

I will merge with the latest bitcoin master branch in the next few days.  As far as I know, that will give us this feature.