As mentioned previously, one aspect of promoting the Blockstack ecosystem is to provide a platform to help support the global community of developers, designers, and others to submit their ideas and products for a chance to win a prize.  Over the last quarter or so and into 2017, Blockstack’s Signature Fund has held several bounties – see these links, here, and here (winner of portfolio app). 

Well, once again, the Blockstack Signature Fund — a $25 million dollar fund used to help support teams to build applications for the new internet has yet again announced another bounty for a dApp.  And, once again, Blockstack has partnered with a another project – ShapeShift – to bring the open source world a new wallet platform – Universal Wallet.

April 25, 2018

$50,000 Signature Bounty to Build a Universal Wallet

Blockstack Partners with ShapeShift (leading instant digital asset exchange) to build a universal wallet

Details

• Build an open source wallet app using Blockstack for
  • Authentication
  • Storage
  • Encryption
• Must support custom tokes
• Must use the ShapeShift API for token exchange
  
  • Shape Shift
    • Describes itself – leading instant digital asset exchange – “We Buy and Sell Digital Assets” and “the safest way to buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and many other blockchain tokens.”

Register for the bounty at Blockstack

Other Bounties announced so far (completed):

2018

Blockstack: $50,000 Bounty for Messaging and Communication Applications…

2017

• Encrypted Token Portfolio app – Coins (winner of bounty)

Blockstack: A New Decentralized App – Coins

Blockstack Signature bounty for a new universal wallet is open and waiting for the Community. Go to this link for more details from Blockstack re: $50,000 Signature Bounty.

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 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 (e.g., building a new internet, a decentralized internet, a new decentralized internet, re-decentralizing the internet) 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 new decentralized internet | The Way The Future^TM.

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Apparently, Mr. Thomas Osmonson created a starter kit to help developers to get up and running with authentication on Blockstack.  It may be barebones but it uses the latest versions of react, babel, webpack and others.  And, for developers that need a more robust application to manage state in an application, the starter kit is using Redux bundler, redux and reselect.

It is all there for anyone interested in learning about and developing applications for Blockstack.  Go check it out on github and get up and running with blockstack authentication and code away.

And, for more on Mr. Osmonson – a self proscribed independent designer, developer, and creative director, please visit his website here.

Additionally, don’t forget Mr. Osmonson is the developer of a Blockstack dApp – Coins.  Coins was also the bounty winner for portfolio management dApps on Blockstack too.

What a great starter kit to help anyone get started with authentication for a dApp on Blockstack!

Note: If you do not have the Blockstack browser, please see this link (note – to enable the full functionality of any namespace (name/domain name) or dApp built for the Blockstack ecosystem (e.g., building a new internet, a decentralized internet, re-decentralizing the internet, that is distributed via the blockchain, bitcoin), you must use the Blockstack browser).

Download the Blockstack Browser

For help on installing and using the Blockstack Browser, please visit this link Getting started with the Blockstack Browser.

For a more in depth look into the Blockstack Browser, please visit these links – Inside the Blockstack Browser and Blockstack Browser: It does that?

Resources re: Blockstack and dApps

• Blockstack
• @blockstack
  • @blockstackapps
• Developers
  • Introduction
    • • Papers
      • Videos
    • Tutorials
      • (e.g., todo and multi-player storage)
    • Installation
    • Github
      • Javascript
      • Core API
• Blog
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Blockstack Meetups

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 Try out the new internet, The Blockstack Way.^TM Blockstack: The New Internet – It Makes The Internet You Use Better!^TM

The post Blockstack: Coins Developer – Provides a Starter kit with React and Redux Bundler for developing on Blockstack appeared first on The Stack Cafe™.

Along with all of the scheduled speakers, Blockstack Berlin has also invited some dApp developers to debut/demonstrate their new and exciting decentralized application(s) at the Blockstack Berlin event. The dApps to be presented at the Blockstack Berlin event have either been built or are being built for use on the Blockstack ecosystem.  We have attached – for your convenience – a list of dApp developers scheduled to present at Blockstack Berlin.

This is the second installment of our series of profiles on the dApps (developers too) to be presented at Blockstack Berlin.  Our second dApp profile is on Coins.

Coins

The first decentralized encrypted cryptocurrency portfolio management tool created on top of Blockstack.

Developer (s):

• Thomas Osmonson (profile picture no. 6) – Independent designer, developer, and street photographer. Does a lot of work for @plotlygraphs, and maker of @usecoins.
  
• Chase Wackerfuss (profile picture no. 6) – Web Developer & UI Designer, Musician & recent new hire at Blockstack
  

Version No. 1 was a joint development (live on Blockstack)

Version No. 2 (coming soon) will be developed solely by Thomas Osmonson  (Note: We heard from Mr. Osmonson that Mr. Wackerfuss has gone to work* with Blockstack – wonderful job to both of you.)

Social:

• @aulneau_ (https://twitter.com/aulneau_)
• @vackerfoos (https://twitter.com/vockerfoos)

Website: Coins (Coins)

Social: @usecoins (Coins)

Other:

Thomas Osmonson (An independent designer, developer, and creative director.) for Ineffable.co.

The purpose of Coins is to allow the user to manage the user’s token or coin portfolio in a secure and decentralized way.

Basically, Coins uses the power of Blockstack to bring us a token and coin management application platform that:

• is decentralized, secure and encrypted
• supports multiple currencies, tokens and coins
• provides a powerful metrics UX (user interface)

Coins is the token/coin portfolio management solution – decentralized, secure and encrypted, supports multiple currencies, tokens and coins with a powerful metrics platform and user interface (UX). 

For more on Coins, please visit this link here. For a more personal and close-up look at Coins, please visit with Mr. Osmonson at Blockstack Berlin – go Blockstack Berlin.

So, when you amass a stack of tokens, don’t reach for the piggy bank, think COINS – the secure environment in which to manage those assets. 

Visit the Blockstack Berlin site here.

The post Blockstack Berlin: dApp Developer Presentations – COINS with Thomas Osmonson appeared first on The Stack Cafe™.

Let’s take a quick peek at Coins.  What is Coins?  According to Coins (above screenshot from Coins’ website), Coins is the first encrypted cryptocurrency portfolio management tool (application) created on top of [sg_popup id=”3″ event=”hover”]Blockstack[/sg_popup].   Coins is in beta but fully functional on the Blockstack ecosystem.

The purpose of Coins is to allow the user to manage the user’s token or coin portfolio in a secure and decentralized way.  The Coins application (dApp) provides for both live and historical performance data in a variety of ways: cross-portfolio, by portfolio, by holding, or by token type.  The application also includes multiple views to look over your portfolio – dashboard and activity feed mode for individual portfolios or holdings.  Basically, Coins uses the power of Blockstack to bring us a token and coin management application platform that:

• is decentralized, secure and encrypted
• supports multiple currencies, tokens and coins
• provides a powerful metrics UX (user interface)
  

And, Coins has some exciting new features that will be coming very soon, that include:

• custom reports (e.g., add labels, exchange data, wallet IDs, and more…)
• trading between coins (e.g. to help the user track the performance and opportunity cost)
• custom news (e.g. giving the user insight into current events and investments)
• mobile app interface coming soon too

So, when the user buys those tokens and/or coins and needs a secure environment in which to manage those assets, Coins is the solution – decentralized, secure and encrypted, supports multiple currencies, tokens and coins with a powerful metrics platform and user interface (UX).

And remember, when the user uses Coins in connection with the Blockstack browser (which provides the portal into the Blockstack ecosystem – the new decentralized internet):

1. no one has access to the user’s information (data is encrypted only for the user to see or share…)
2. and the data and storage of the same is controlled by the user (this is done on the storage platform the user selected via blockstack browser (at install or anytime – with multiple storage platforms planned).

To get started with Coins, first make sure you have the Blockstack Browser installed and running (See Blockstack: Getting started… and/or here) along with your Blockstack ID (e.g. thestackcafe.id) you secured in the browser.

Then, navigate to the Coins 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).

As you can see, the Blockstack link will pop-up to make sure that the user signs in with the Blockstack Browser – the portal to the Blockstack internet ecosystem.

The Sign In Request will appear – as you can see the .id appear will be the user’s Blockstack ID – (e.g. thestackcafe.id).  Next, the user clicks approve to sign-in request and launch the Coins dApp.

Once the sign-in request has been approved and authenticated via Blockstack, the user can start creating a new portfolio of various tokens and/or coins.  In this case, we called our new portfolio – Test: Coinapps on Blockstack (see below)

Once the new portfolio has been created, the Coins dApp will land on the confirmation page and then ask the user to add a new holding – coin or token – Create A Holding.

Below, we see the landing page for the data entry related to the new holding that is being created in our new portfolio Test: Coinsapp on Blockstack.  For illustrative purposes, we will add a bitcoin holding into the appropriate fields and then click – Create Holding.

The next screen – All Portfolios and Holdings, is the place to view the portfolios created and all holdings – coins or tokens – in each portfolio that was created.  In addition, the user can add additional portfolios, view performance metrics – hourly, daily,… and view the portfolio in either a Dashboard view or an Activity Feed as shown below in the respective screenshots.

Activity Feed (see Edit, sell or Delete the coins/tokens) or click Dashboard view to return to the previous screen view.

The Coins dApp also provides some additional settings criteria on the Setting page – e.g., delete or destroy all data (no going back from there).

And, when you are finished managing your token or coin portfolio, and the user signs out, the user will be directed to the initial Login with Blockstack landing page as shown below.

Using Another Browser (not Blockstack’s Browser) – Another way to access the Coins dApp, is by starting on the Coins website.  If the user is on the Coins website, the user can find the login button there too – Log in with Blockstack (see the below screenshot). 

The user will follow similar login procedure as shown above.  The only difference in this instance is that the user could be using another browser on the internet and may want to access the Coins app to manage a particular coin or token portfolio created on the Coins dApp. 

If this is the case, once the user clicks on the Log in with Blockstack tab, the user will be asked via a pop-up page to open the Coins dApp with the Blockstack Browser (the appropriate and only way for the user to avail itself of the full functionality of the Blockstack internet (security, encryption, …).

What a great dApp! Coins has brought the blockstack community the first working decentralized secure and encrypted portfolio management platform for coins or tokens. Go check out Coins and try out the portfolio management application and begin creating some new coin or token portfolios.  Add those tokens and coins.

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.

The post Blockstack: A New Decentralized App – Coins appeared first on The Stack Cafe™.