Hello all! There is so much news! And some new topics of discussion here.
I don't know where to start! I will try my best to keep some direction in the rant upcoming:
I'll start with the rough stuff.
The great news about ProximaX, then Catapult, has somehow turned into FUD. Blame Jaguar's comments, blame the timing of the news release, blame the troll organizations working against us. I'll try to break down my viewpoint.
There is still a lot of confusion for the "average joe" when first reading into NEM. The following topics tend to muddle up the mind:
NEM, XEM, NEM Catapult, Mijin, Mijin Catapult, Tech Bureau, NEM Foundation, Open Source, Commercial License
1. Tech Bureau designed and built Mijin. Mijin is a private blockchain that can communicate with the NEM public blockchain, which is managed by NEM Foundation.
2. Catapult is the codename for major upgrade to Mijin blockchain.
3. NEM public blockchain will upgrade with Catapult code once it is thoroughly tested (Currently only used on Mijin)
4. The code in "Catapult" will be available to the public as open-source software once private testing is completed.
5. Businesses, Banks, Large Enterprise, (or anyone, really) can purchase a commercial license for the software, allowing them to modify it for business purposes, as well as receive setup and support from Tech Bureau.
6. XEM is the unit of measure that the public blockchain, NEM, utilizes.
With that said, I'll address some questions, whether they were asked here or not:
1. Catapult code is not currently available to the public. This prevents others from stealing ideas from it. It does NOT mean that there are problems with it, that it can't fill it's promises, or that it's not being developed, or <Insert Negative Assumption Here>.
2. Mijin is NOT a competitor to NEM. In fact, it lends important strength and function to NEM. Mijin allows businesses to keep private data private, and public data public, and minimizes the block-size and traffic of the public chain, by NOT including private information within it.
3. The availability of a commercial license does NOT mean that one can "buy" better code, or that other "good stuff" is not available on public chain, but only available upon paying for a commercial license. This means that nobody can legally fork the blockchain, or otherwise take the project in a different direction.
The commercial license available for Mijin actually provides important funding for it's development.
4. XEM is NOT going away or changing once Catapult is implemented. There is no swap, airdrop, burn, etc. XEM is XEM.
5. The specs of Mijin on Catapult are not a direct translation to the specs of NEM on Catapult. There is no guarantee of hitting 4k transactions per second on the public ledger, tho the codebase can handle it. 4k TPS is reported to be achieved on private ledger, but if that is not standard on public ledger, it does NOT mean that NEM (public ledger) will be slow or inferior in any way.
6. Transactions on NEM public ledger are already VERY FAST! Compare transaction times to most other cryptos, - I mean real world tests you can do yourself - and you will see that even without Catapult upgrade, sending XEM and/or mosiacs is extremely fast!
Actual transaction speeds on the public ledger will vary with network status: Number of nodes, super nodes, traffic, etc.
Now with that out of the way: Jaguar's comments.
However you feel about them, it does highlight some disconnection.
I used this analogy elsewhere. Although it is simplistic, I think it's fitting enough. There is Development, Management, and the Community. The Brains, Lungs, and Heart.
All parts need to be in sync, or the entire beast suffers. I am NOT saying that the community has no brains, or the management no heart. But that we all play different roles. We need to understand, respect, and encourage those differing roles.
1. Development is coming along nicely with NEM, as well as projects built upon it. Devs are busy Developing. They are not hanging out on the forums or chatting it up with media. This interview with Jaguar is quite uncommon. And I'm sure his comments were more directed towards day traders with no interest in projects, but only in profiting from them.
2. Management has been organizing events all over the world. It seems like everyday I hear about a new blockchain center, Management meeting with another large business executive or government official, etc
NEM Foundation has a planned spending of $40 million in marketing this summer. There hasn't been much marketing happening now, because it really isn't best decision to market something until the timing is right.
3. The community has been banding together and becoming more active. Volunteering for things, organizing meetups, discussing here on the forums, etc.
I don't mean to blather about "good deeds" I've done, but I think talking about my own activities might encourage others. I am not paid. I do everything I do for free, but do accept donations.
(see my signature)
1. In the past 48 hours or so, I helped 6 people set up NanoWallet and make their first transactions. Two of them didn't speak English, so I was using translator. One of them didn't know how to extract files from an archive (requiring extra coaching, beyond NEM stuff)
2. In the same 48 hours, I introduced NEM to a developer who is now learning how to build upon NEM chain instead of ETH. I'm not a developer, but I took the time to find the information that I needed to answer his questions and grow his interest.
3. I've reviewed, rated, recruited for, and promoted projects built on NEM.
4. I share NEM related stuff on social media, and talk about it to friends, family, and nearly anyone who will listen.
5. Myself and others started a small group of like-minded individuals to help promote NEM on crypto media channels.
6. I created a mind-map of NEM projects, giving visual reference to otherwise "boring looking" information.
7. I'm currently working on lots of stuff NEM related. Including typing this long forum response.
