As shown above, the update offers a fresh, new and nice layout with easy access to the tabs used to create a new Document or Sheet, add a new Contact and open a conversation (feature is an alpha version) with someone (one of your contacts – peer to peer “P2P”).  And it is all completely decentralized, encrypted, and secure thanks to Blockstack’s ecosystem.  Next, we will take a look at one of the new features – how to add a contact while using Graphite’s dApp. 

Note: If you do not have the Blockstack browser, please see this link (note – to enable the full functionality of any dApp (including Graphite) built for the Blockstack ecosystem (e.g., building a new internet, a decentralized internet, re-decentralizing the internet) you need to use the Blockstack browser).  And, if you need more information on Graphite and how to use it, please visit this link.

Now, let’s take a look at the new Contacts feature and how it works.  Once you are signed into the Graphite dApp via your blockstack browser using your blockstack ID (e.g., abc.id), you should see the landing page shown above.  From that page, choose the Contacts tab and you will be directed to the contacts page data entry field as shown below.

At this juncture, you will then be able to type in the name of the person that you want to add to your contacts database.  In this overview, we are going to try and add the developer of Graphite, Justin Hunter.  We found a couple of ways to search for a particular person to add to your contacts tab – by full name or by the Blockstack ID (e.g., justin hunter or jehunter5811.id, respectively).

The first way we tried was by the person’s name – e.g. Justin Hunter.  And, as you can see from the image below, as you type in the name of the person you are trying to add, the search feature in Graphite kicks in and begins to search/auto-fill in names that might be the closest match to the name you are trying to find.  The results turned up a couple of choices, one being Justin Hunter (the search polls/searches the Blockstack naming system registry).

The second way we tried was by using the person’s Blockstack ID – e.g. jehunter5811.id (this was already known to us).  Again, as you can see from the image below, as you type in the Blockstack ID of the person you are trying to add, the search feature in Graphite kicks in and begins to search/auto-fill in names that might be the closest match to the ID you are trying to find.  In our example, the results turned up one choice, Justin Hunter (jehunter5811).

Now, we can select the appropriate name and it will be added to our secure and encrypted contact name database. As shown below, we selected the preferred profile – click the “+” button – and it was added to our contacts page.

Remember, all information or data you create or store using a dApp via your Blockstack Browser is encrypted and securely stored in a decentralized manner.  And, it is only accessible by you and only those you give access to your data and information.

And, you can delete the contact too.  To delete a contact, navigate to the Contacts page and find the contact you wish to delete.  Once you have located the contact, select the garbage can icon (see image above), and a pop-up will appear asking if you are sure if you want delete this contact (you cannot undo a delete) as shown below.

Hit the delete button and the contact is removed from your contact listings page.  As that was the only contact in our contacts, we are now back to add a new contact page (deleted contact removed).

We have successfully added and deleted a contact in the Graphite dApp. 

Graphite has brought the blockstack community a decentralized, secure and encrypted dApp that offers word processing, spreadsheets, storage and a Peer-to-Peer conversation/messaging platform.  Go check out Graphite and try out all of the great features it has to offer.  And, check back here for our next overview – a look at the public alpha version of the new conversation/messaging feature offered by Graphite.

Thanks again for visiting The Stack Cafe^TM and we look forward to hearing from you. Please help us put out the word on Web^3.0 by posting a comment below and signing up for e-mail notifications for future updates (right side-bar).  Let’s help build the new internet | The Decentralized Way^TM.  A decentralized internet | The Way The Future^TM.

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Update – 1.25.2018: Just off the Grid[dle]^TM – Team Graphite just pushed out an update for Windows users related to the multi-player storage functionality.  Now Windows users should be able to share documents and sheets.

UPDATE – 1.30.2018: Just off the Grid[dle]^TM– We heard that the developer of the multi-player storage dApp Graphite will be joining the Blockstack team in Berlin to exhibit the Graphite dApp during the show.  Great news for Graphite and Blockstack.

What is Graphite?  According to Graphite (screenshots from Graphite’s website), Graphite is the decentralized application (dApp) that empowers you to create and write something new (documents or sheets) without giving up your privacy (think of Graphite as a privacy-focused replacement for Google Docs—something that lets you own your writing).  The purpose of Graphite is to allow the user of the application on the blockstack internet architecture to create, store and share any document or sheet in a secure and decentralized way.

When a user creates documents or sheets with Graphite, the user:

• Owns its data

• Owns its documents

• Owns its workflow

• Can control access to its files (share (documents and sheets) at its discretion)

Graphite firmly believes that when you create something, the creator:

1. should own it
2. should be able to store it where the creator wants
3. should be able to access it when the creator wants to
4. should be able to use it how the creator wants to use it
5. should be able to share it (control on who to share it with).

And, when you use Graphite in connection with the Blockstack browser (provides the platform for encrypting (saving) and decrypting the data (loading it)), Graphite (or Blockstack):

1. never has access to your information (data is encrypted only for the user to see or share…)
   
2. does not store your data (this is done on the storage platform the user selected via blockstack browser)

Graphite lists some of the applications features including auto-save, preview, printing and many others.

To get started with Graphite, first make sure you have the Blockstack Browser installed and running (See Blockstack: Getting started… and *CAVEAT below).  Then, navigate to the Graphite login button (icon) which will start the application using the Blockstack browser on your local machine (screenshots may be slightly different depending on updates to blockstack browser).

Now, the user chooses to Login with Blockstack and is then redirected to the “Welcome” screen from Graphite in which the user has to approve the sign-in request.  At this juncture, the user is taken to the Graphite home page (redacted and may be appear a little different for the user):

Graphite home page for document and sheet creation (below) –

As shown below, we have created a couple of test documents and saved them only for our use (unless you want to give someone else access in order to share or collaborate – see multi-reader below and *Caveat).  For example, we created and saved a couple of encrypted files (e.g., GRT and Test of Graphite) to one of our chosen storage platforms (e.g., in this case we are using the default storage provided by Blockstack).  As shown below, the “Your Documents” page appears as follows with the above mentioned file(s).

Multi-Reader Access: Blockstack – via the blockstack browser – introduced/enabled the multi-reader storage capability which will allow users to share documents sheets with other users (e.g., user A may give access to its data to user B)(See this link from the developer of Graphite – Graphite too).

ONE *CAVEAT – YOU WILL NEED A BLOCKSTACK I.D. PURCHASED FROM THE BLOCKSTACK NAMING SYSTEM (BNS) IN ORDER TO USE THE SHARING FEATURE OF GRAPHITE AT THIS TIME…

Some screenshots of an example of multi-reader in action using Graphite:

• Right hand side – SHARED FILES in drop down menu

• Choose a file to share and then click the Edit button.  A pop-up will open up asking for the I.D. of the person – who is also using the Blockstack Browser – that you want to share the file with.  Enter the I.D. and select SHARE.  Now, that person with that I.D. on blockstack will be able to access the document, edit it etc.  Go try it out and begin creating and/or sharing your creations with others.

What a great dApp!  Graphite has brought the blockstack community the first working decentralized secure and encrypted word processing application (sheets too).  Go check out Graphite and try out the word processing application and begin creating and/or sharing your creations.

Note: If you do not have the Blockstack browser, please see this link (note – to enable the full functionality of any dApp built for the Blockstack ecosystem (e.g., building a new internet, a decentralized internet, re-decentralizing the internet) you need to use the Blockstack browser).

Thanks again for visiting The Stack Cafe^TM and we look forward to hearing from you. Please help us put out the word on Web^3.0 by posting a comment below and signing up for e-mail notifications for future updates (right side-bar). Let’s help build the new internet | The Decentralized Way^TM. A decentralized internet | The Way The Future^TM.

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