Today, we will try and provide a brief overview of the new application.  When updates are pushed out, we will try and provide new posts as appropriate.  Kanstack recently launched a kanban board application (an alpha version) that you can use with Blockstack’s Browser (for full functionality).

According to Kanstack, the kanban board application is

• A decentralized Kanban board built on Blockstack.

• Features including:

  • Offline friendly
  • Client-side encryption
  • Open Source

We have logged in to the application and have created a new board as shown in the screenshots below.  We hope to cover future updates at the appropriate time.

Here are some screenshots of a kanban board related to the developer Hank Stoever.

First, make sure you are using the latest blockstack browser and sign in to the kanstack application.

Once signed in (authenticated), the next page you will find is the “New Board” page.

Add a board: Click on the new board button to give the new board a “Name” – here we are just creating a simple board for illustrative purposes – use it for many other ways and purposes, be creative…

Once you have given the new board a name and saved it, you can refresh the page and find the new board we created – “Testing of Kanstack by Hank Stoever”- and if you want to add a new board, the tab is right there too.

Now you have a new board, let’s add some new items – “Add a List” to the kanban board that we may need etc.  Click the “Add a List” button.

Here, we are adding some contact information for Hank Stoever, the developer of Kanstack.com

To add some items, click on “Add Card” and give it a name, add Tasks, Due Date, and some additional notes.

See here – adding a Due date for our card and kanban.

Add some additional notes to the kanban card in the “Notes” section.  Note the editing features e.g., html, etc.

And, to top it all off, you can even add a splash of color to your kanban board if you so desire.

Here you can see the completed kanban board – Testing of Kanstack by Hank Stoever and the additional items e.g. card, notes due date etc.

For more on Mr. Stoever, please visit these pages:

twitter: @heynky

website: Hank Stoever

Hank Stoever’s Github page – HS Github

Looks like a great new dApp from Mr. Stoever.  We will try and provide updates on the dApp as new features etc. are pushed by Team Kanstack. Stay tuned! For more on Kanstack, please visit this link here.  Great new dApp for decentralized, secure, encrypted kanban boards. Very nice Team Kanstack.

Remember, you have to have the Blockstack Browser in order to take full advantage of the decentralized internet from Blockstack.

THE BLOCKSTACK BROWSER

Blockstack harnesses all of the power of the traditional internet and then adds the Blockstack Browser on top. The Blockstack Browser opens the window to a new internet, a decentralized internet that puts the power back in the hand of the users.

To begin your journey into the new decentralized internet designed by Blockstack, you will need to install the Blockstack Browser. The Blockstack Browser is your window/portal into the new decentralized internet for decentralized applications (dApps).

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?

Now that you have the browser installed, visit the Blockstack Browser homepage and try out some of the active decentralized applications – e.g., investment portfolio management, messaging, word processing… More decentralized applications are being added as developed.

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. The New Internet – It Makes The Internet You Use Better!^TM

The post Blockstack: A New dApp – Kanstack kanban boards. appeared first on The Stack Cafe™.

BlockChat has launched a messaging application platform that you can use with Blockstack and Blockstack’s Browser (for full functionality).

According to BlockChat, the messaging application gives you the ability to chat/message without being tracked or censored.

BlockChat:

• is a decentralized encrypted messaging platform built on Blockstack

We have logged in to the application (see below) but have not tried to message anyone at this point.  We hope to open a dialogue with the developers and will post any updates at the appropriate time.

Here are some screenshots of BlockChat

BlockChat offers some great features:

• censorship resistant
• control your data
• authentic identity

BlockChat is built on top of the open source platform built by Blockstack.  Blockstack is an open source architecture for a decentralized internet using applications built for use with the Blockstack browser.

BlockChat’s vision is to be the decentralized “WeChat” platform.

Blockchat’s Team members and developers.

Looks like a great new dApp.  We will have updates on the dApp as new features etc. are pushed by Team BlockChat.  Stay tuned!  For more on Blockchat, please visit this link here.

Below, we have included some screenshots of our visit to the home page and our subsequent login to the BlockChat application.

To login to the BlockChat application, please open the Blockstack browser portal (need the Blockstack browser to use and get the full functionality of the Blockstack architecture) and then go to the home page for BlockChat – this link here and/or here.  Then go ahead and sign-in to the application using the Blockstack browser.

Once you are logged in, you should find yourself on the application landing page.  Here, you can begin messaging and/or looking up other Blockstack users (via the search and blockstack ID for the user e.g. thestackcafe.id, and other features (upcoming)).  Have fun and message away.

Great new dApp for decentralized, secure, encrypted messaging.  Very nice Team BlockChat.

Remember —

Blockstack is a new internet.

A new internet that is more powerful yet simpler to use.

A new internet that you can trust because it is designed to protect you.

A new internet that gives you control over fundamental things:

• your identity
• your data/information
• your privacy
• your security.

A new internet that provides you a portal/window into a new world of decentralized applications.

Blockstack makes the internet you use better^TM.

Go join Blockstack and take part in the journey into the new decentralized internet, The Blockstack Way^TM.

Remember, you have to have the Blockstack Browser in order to take full advantage of the decentralized internet from Blockstack.

THE BLOCKSTACK BROWSER

Blockstack harnesses all of the power of the traditional internet and then adds the Blockstack Browser on top. The Blockstack Browser opens the window to a new internet, a decentralized internet that puts the power back in the hand of the users.

To begin your journey into the new decentralized internet designed by Blockstack, you will need to install the Blockstack Browser. The Blockstack Browser is your window/portal into the new decentralized internet for decentralized applications (dApps).

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?

Now that you have the browser installed, visit the Blockstack Browser homepage and try out some of the active decentralized applications – e.g., investment portfolio management, messaging, word processing… More decentralized applications are being added as developed.

See Screenshot of Blockstack’s Browser in the center with a white background and some dApps listed to use)

By using Blockstack you now can control how you use and interact with the internet instead of worrying about how the internet interacts with you and controls you. This is a big switch and a seminal tenet of the decentralized internet, dApps and the entire Blockstack design. Blockstack has designed a new internet (distributed, blockchain, bitcoin, decentralized, decentralized internet) that makes the internet you use better.

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: A New dApp – BlockChat appeared first on The Stack Cafe™.

Today, we will try and provide a brief overview of part of the Blockstack ecosystem developed to not only replace the Domain Naming system (DNS), but one that is designed to be better than the DNS.  The Blockstack architecture that is designed to replace DNS is called the Blockchain Naming system or BNS (identity).

The BNS is similar to the DNS in use today (e.g., thestackcafe.com, blockstack.org…).  But, BNS makes this part – the naming system (namespaces (names and domain names – e.g. abc.com and identification (IDs)) – of the internet much better.

Basically, BNS makes the namespaces used on the internet better because the namespaces are not controlled by third parties (namespaces are owned by the user (data and everything)), are less susceptible to manipulation and failure and BNS bakes trust and security into each namespace used on the Blockstack internet. 

Blockstack proposes: The DNS of today has never been able to achieve what BNS has now achieved – namespaces (online identity) that are contemporaneously unique, human-readable and decentralized (ownership, portability, security…).

BNS provides namespaces that are:

• decentralized
• unique
• human-readable
• owned by you
  • portable
  • controlled by the owner (all the data you generate is now yours)
• pre-built with
  • public keys
  • encryption
  • private keys
  • digital certificates
• rooted in the blockchain for
  • consensus
  • ordering
  • transparency
• secure
• trustworthy

Ultimately, in order to achieve the above, BNS roots a small piece – an important piece – of the namespace in a blockchain (this is the decentralization aspect).  By using a blockchain to store a small piece information (note: the information on the blockchain is encrypted) about the namespace, BNS is able to realize agreement (trust, consensus) on what was stored, when it was stored and the ownership of the same.

And, since blockchain(s) by their very nature are transparent and extremely difficult to tamper with and/or change, it makes BNS a better naming environment than DNS since it is more stable and more secure.

By including decentralization in namespaces, BNS appears to have broken new ground in the namespace arena in that BNS namespaces have achieved something DNS never could- overcoming Zooko’s Triangle (re: offering namespaces which are unique, human-readable and decentralized in one package).  BNS namespaces have all three seminal features at the same time – each namespace is at least unique, human-readable and decentralized. 

But, let’s step back and look at DNS and how BNS makes the namespace (names/domain names) better.

For example, DNS is:

• centralized and controlled by a few organization(s)
  
  • so it is easier to
    • attack and take offline
    • change the mapping/address of the domain name you are trying to visit (e.g. digital certificates provide a sense of security but susceptible too – green lock sign you see on the website – this is the correct site and you can trust it)
      • by changing the information at the DNS server
      • spoofing the reply from the DNS server

DNS has problems –

• it may have/provide decentralized public keys but the public keys are not human-readable (e.g. 1Bndg7esRTYUefui76TYgh4DW75TJkil09)
  • PROBLEM: no central server needed for public key but hard to read and but it is unique (i.e. it is not very good human readable name)
    • Just try and remember a public key day in day out – (gonna be tough and then when you have many of them, oh my!)
• it may have/provide unique and human readable name(s) but it is not decentralized (e.g. if you use social networks like twitter, twitter owns the namespace, not you so you cannot take the name or data with you if you want to use another social network)
• digital certificate fraud (e.g. bad/malicious certificates, so users of website end up trusting the bad certificate

Just think of all the massive data breaches (stolen identities, bad digital certificates… see also 17 biggest, World’s Biggest, Certificates) on websites and spoofing of websites that have happened in the past and may have happened to you. 

These types of issues are at the center of the problems of centralization and DNS centralization.  Basically, DNS has never been able to provide three seminal features at the same time: unique, human-readable and decentralized namespaces in one package (one of three is always missing).

Well, no more, we now have BNS which is similar to DNS only much, much better.

Blockstack believes that BNS has solved the problems (e.g. offering all three seminal features at the same time and in one package) associated with DNS centralization.  BNS is not susceptible to manipulation (e.g. names are tied to the blockchain (hard to tamper with)) and it does away with the other problems associated with centralization (e.g., bad digital certificates, potential outside attack & mapping/routing problems…).

BNS – in a little more detail – provides:

• decentralized naming system (e.g. no central authority has control)
• unique names
• that is owned by you and no one else (portability features)
• human-readable names (e.g., thestackcafe.id and not something like – 1Bndg7esRTYUefui76TYgh4DW75TJkil09)
• automatically provides public keys, digital certificates and security at the outset of registration
  

• when registering a BNS name(s) and domain name(s)
  • both are associated with public keys by default
    • so all namespaces (names/domain names) get digital certificates
      • and if BNS associates public keys to namespaces (names/domain names) by default
        • all namespaces (names/domain names) websites have security certificates and security from the outset
• all of the above being tied to a blockchain
  • that you can trust (well established blockchain (e.g. bitcoin)
    • since blockchain(s) by their very nature are extremely difficult to tamper with and/or change
      • to change the blockchain – where this is stuff is tied to – one would have to go back and change the blocks in the chain (very very very very very very…hard)
        • So if it ain’t easy, most nefarious types will most likely pass on it and go for the easy

BNS provides names and domain names that have two very unique ownership features:

• names and domain names are owned by cryptographic addresses of the underlying blockchain (from the outset of registration)
  • when you register a BNS namespace (name or domain name)
    • it is registered on the blockchain (e.g. it is owned by a cryptographic address on blockchain)so it is encrypted (secret, unique…) and registered on the blockchain (cryptographic address) (remember – blockchain(s) are very hard to tamper with so security and trust exist automatically at a level that far surpasses the centralized DNS system – it is much better on BNS)
• names and domain names are owned by its associated private key (strong encryption from the outset of registration)for example
  • ECDSA-based private keys used in bitcoin is used to encrypt the namespace (name/domain name) from the outset of registration – Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm
    • (wikipedia – In cryptography, the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) offers a variant of the Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) which uses elliptic curve cryptography.)
      • So the namespace from the get go is owned by a private key with a strong encryption protocol (again hard to tamper with)

Decentralized BNS is much better than the centralized DNS.  BNS is decentralized, unique, human readable, with public and private keys, encrypted and registered on a blockchain which makes it secure, trustworthy and very hard to tamper with.

In a nutshell, when you use BNS to register a namespace (name or domain name), one gets a secure and trustworthy namespace backed by an encrypted blockchain registered address and a very secure encrypted private key.  BNS provides the complete package to give you security, trust and peace of mind when you interact with the internet, the Blockstack internet. 

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: Blockchain Naming System(BNS) – It Makes The Namespace You Use On The Internet Better! appeared first on The Stack Cafe™.

Go to the Graphite landing page to learn more about the application and to sign into the application via your Blockstack browser (a user will need the Blockstack Browser to avail yourself of the full functionality of the Blockstack ecosystem).

The update includes a refreshed user interface along with a great new feature – Vault.  The Vault gives the user of the application the ability to encrypt all of the his/her/its files with the encryption protocol provided by the Blockstack ecosystem and infrastructure (we will provide more on encryption via Blockstack in a subsequent post). 

Not only can you now encrypt images, videos, .pdfs, and other files, the user can now download files and share the encrypted files with other users of the application and the Blockstack ecosystem (internet).

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 with someone (one of your contacts – peer to peer “P2P”) and now use the vault storage.  And everything done through the use of the Blockstack browser and application is decentralized, encrypted (user control), and secure thanks to Blockstack’s ecosystem.  Next, we will take a look at the new feature – Vault.

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 Vault 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 below.

From that page, choose the Vault tab and you will be directed to the “Your Files” (vault) page as shown below.

At this juncture, you will then be able to upload a file to be stored securely with encryption (only for users access).    As shown, we have already upload a file that has been encrypted and securely stored in our storage environment (note: for now it is storage provided by Blockstack – but it is encrypted and only we can access it).  Below you can see the file – a screenshot image – we uploaded to our vault.

Now, if we want to share that file, we can click on the share icon (see above and not the cloud download arrow icon), and the next screen to appear is the sharing screen as shown below.  At this point, we can add a contact, or choose one of our existing contacts that we want to share the file with.  For example, we could select the developer of Graphite – jehunter5811.id. 

As shown in the screenshot below – Once we have clicked the “share” button, the user will get a pop-up screen confirming the item has been shared or it might say to tell the user to sign-in to access the new shared file.  Success and sharing has now been completed between users of the application – securely and encrypted (only for those two IDs – thestackcafe.id shared with jehunter5811.id). 

And, you can see that we also downloaded the file too by selecting the cloud with the down arrow (see bottom of this screen shot below – Blockstack1.png file downloaded and ready to be saved or whatever…)

Remember, per Blockstack – 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.

We have successfully accessed the Graphite application via the Blockstack browser, opened the Vault, downloaded a previously uploaded file, and shared a previously uploaded file with Graphite developer Justin hunter (jehunter5811.id).  Hey, Justin Hunter, go check out the file we shared with you.  Way to go Team Graphite and go Blockstack!

Other helpful links for more information on Blockstack include:

Blockstack – the new decentralized application platform and ecosystem for the decentralized/re-decentralized internet (dApp, dApps, blockchain, bitcoin, distributed and Web 3.0)

Blockstack’s Forum

@Blockstack

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, decentralized, a decentralized internet, distributed, bitcoin, distributed, blockchain, re-decentralizing the internet) you need to use the Blockstack browser).

For more on All things Developer^TM, see this link here. For more on the engineering meeting at Blockstack, please visit the forum. Blockstack makes the internet you use better!^TM

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: Graphite dApp Update – New UI and Feature: Vault Storage 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™.

Even in today’s world with so many powerful browser choices, you may find yourself, for instance,  using multiple passwords or being distracted by the constant message that this site uses cookies and so on…  The cookie message is annoying and the multiple password landscape is frustrating almost to the point of making using the internet not fun.  If we just had a little more control over passwords, cookies, tracking…

Well, we think Blockstack has not only taken the browser to the next level by making it better, more powerful and simpler, but it has also given the user more control over the internet experience.  When the Blockstack Browser is coupled with [sg_popup id=”3″ event=”click”]Blockstack’s ecosystem[/sg_popup], it allows the user to control how they use and interact with the internet.  For instance, some of the items that the Blockstack Browser gives the user control over include:

• the user’s information/data
• the storage of user’s information/data
• access to the user’s information/data
• encryption of the user’s information/data.

The bottom line is that the blockstack browser allows the user to control many more things than the other browsers when those browsers are used on the traditional internet.

Along with being, not only the window – main portal or access point – into the Blockstack internet, the Blockstack Browser is a one stop shop tool to help the user control the user’s identity, wallet and all settings (guide for browser) that the user may need to make the new internet experience very powerful, simple and enjoyable. 

Some examples of these new and key features that are part of the Blockstack Browser include:

Identity: When the user installs the browser, the user is provided a unique identity that the user owns.  The Id is used for everything and is:

• unique
  • meaning there is no situation where two people can independently create and use a unique name – e.g., thestackcafe.id or blockstack.id, (manipulate your bio, add a picture, verify social level, add a username, see your non-human readable id…)
    
• human-readable
  • a name should look – e.g., The Stack Cafe or John and not like the non-human readable part – e.g. 1A1zP1eP5QGefi2DMPTfTL5SLmv7DivfNa
    
• decentralized
  • names are chosen and owned by users and not by a central authority – creating decentralization of identities
    • The names/IDs are created via the Blockstack Naming System (BNS).  This is very similar to DNS (domain naming system) except the naming system created by Blockstack (more on BNS in a later overview) provides that the names are owned by the user via a cryptographic address that is secured by the underlying blockchain and their associated private keys – further decentralization).
      

A quick recap – the browser is installed locally on your device (e.g., computer, phone…) and stores the user’s human-readable decentralized identity (ID) (e.g. username for all applications) and the private key (cryptographic/encrypted) that you received when you installed the browser.  The private key is never sent to any remote servers and is meant to stay on your device.  The private key is what is used to control your data and ID while you use any of the applications – dApp(s)- when you use the Blockstack Browser on the decentralized internet.  The Blockstack Browser is a very powerful but extremely easy to use tool.  For more on the browser, visit here.

Storage: When the user installs the browser, the user is provided control over how data/information is stored.  Some of the key features of the decentralized storage options that are part of the Blockstack Browser include:

• control by user (user id) 
  • your personal data and storage is built around the ID (all stored data values are signed by an owner key (encrypted)
    • all applications can request permissions from users and then gain read and write access to user controlled storage – applications that want to access your data use your permission and identity to find it.
      
• simple
  • data storage is simple, reliable and uses existing cloud infrastructure or a personal storage device
    
    • use Dropbox, Google Drive, S3, etc…
      • data is automatically synced from the user’s local device up to cloud or the user’s local storage device
        
• decentralized –
  • users should be able to use decentralized storage systems where they can store their data without revealing it to any remote parties.
  • using a new unstructured peer network, called the Atlas network powered by Gaia (covered in later overview), that uses peer-to-peer (P2P)network
  • multiple choices of storage platforms to use
• portable
  • if you don’t like your present storage provider, change it out for another one or use your own
  • store encrypted and/or signed data on the storage providers
  • users can take their data with them if they leave the application
    • data is the user’s data and is owned by the user, not the application
• unlimited choices
  • the system was designed to avoid centralization and provide decentralization of storage
  • store encrypted and/or signed data on the storage providers
  • provides/allows for multiple storage providers to coexist, including both cloud storage and P2P systems
    • it basically treats cloud storage providers (e.g., Dropbox, Amazon S3, and Google Drive) as “dumb drives” 
      • available storage providers just host user data
        • Blockstack ensures that all data is signed and verified and (optionally) encrypted end-to-end
          • no-one (e.g., applications, storage providers, blockstack…) except the user can only read it with the user’s consent
            
            • the storage systems are not trusted to serve data
• store data/information that is encrypted and/or signed
  

A quick recap – the browser helps the user take full advantage of a decentralized storage system that is controlled by the user, simple, decentralized, portable, encrypted and provides unlimited storage provider choices.  Whew, this is good stuff.  The Blockstack Browser is a very powerful but extremely easy to use tool.  For more on the browser, visit here.

Wallet:  When the user installs the browser, the user is provided a secure Bitcoin wallet-

• pre-configured bitcoin wallet
  
• use a bitcoin wallet QR code image for ease of use
• instant display of your bitcoin wallet balance

A quick recap – On the traditional internet, when you use a website (e.g., twitter, facebook, amazon and others), you establish a secure connection to that website, log in to that website and you are given no choice other that to keep all of your data/information with that website.  In the Blockstack internet, Blockstack harnesses all of the power of the traditional internet and then adds the Blockstack Browser on top.  The Blockstack Browser opens the window to a new internet, a decentralized internet that puts the power back in the hand of the users.

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, and re-decentralizing the internet) you need to use the Blockstack browser).

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
  • Blockstack NYC Meetup

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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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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And, as you know (or see this), the bounty window closes in about two (2) weeks.  So, if you or your team have the dApp for the new communication reality, there is still plenty of time to submit applications for both dApps before the window closes – February 16, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. eastern.

Along with the Bounty participants, we wanted to also provide a brief overview about one of the open source platforms – Rocket.Chat – a Slack alternative, that is collaborating with Blockstack to help bring the new community messaging dApp to fruition. 

Rocket.Chat – in a nutshell – is an open source web based chat platform (server) that offers both companies or general communities the ability to privately host its own chat/messaging service.  In addition, it allows the developer community the ability to build custom chat platforms (web based chat platform (server)). 

The collaboration (generally) is about Blockstack providing its single sign on feature (no need to rely on any outside servers or third parties) and Rocket.Chat providing its open source web based chat platform (server) so that a team can figure out how to integrate (build) both into a new decentralized messaging platform.  The ultimate goal is to have a team build a new messaging platform that enables users to access Rocket.Chat with their Blockstack identity for secure login and identity verification (e.g., single sign on feature).  The team with the best decentralized messaging platform wins the bounty – $25,000.

Resources

• Blockstack
  • Build a Community Messaging App – Register for the bounty at Blockstack
  • Build a P2P Encrypted Messaging App – Register for the bounty at Blockstack
• Rocket.Chat
  • Collaboration w/Blockstack
  • Forum on Rocket.Chat re: Collaboration w/Blockstack
  • @RocketChat re: Collaboration w/Blockstack

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: Signature Bounties – Two Weeks to go… appeared first on The Stack Cafe™.

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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The grid above shows the inter-connected nodes or computers connecting to each other to form the decentralized internet network/grid to send/receive information or data in the early 1970’s.  The images below show how computers talk to one another (via the layer or protocol stack and packets). (See – “How The Internet Works?” – published on Stanford University’s website.)

TWO COMPUTERS CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET

PROTOCOL STACKS AND PACKETS

Today, the modern internet (some 20+ years old from the introduction of “www”) is far more complex in its size and implementation.  Presently, some parts of the internet are decentralized (hardware, IP and TCP) while the application layer (stack) – in particular, has become more and more centralized (e.g., more data controlled by fewer and fewer companies – think social media, search, devices, online commerce, walled-gardens…). The current system with all of the good things is not completely fulfilling its original vision – full decentralization (i.e., we should own our data…). And, apparently, some other people and companies believe the same thing.

One company in particular – BlockStack, and the people involved with Blockstack – its team, its investors, its open source community of developers, its users and its open support community – appear to believe in a fully decentralized internet (read the Blockstack documents e.g., white paper…).

Basically, it appears that Blockstack wants to re-decentralize the internet, in particular – the application layer (stack) of the internet (e.g., see – Blockstack and its documents e.g., white paper…). Blockstack’s team and others, are working tirelessly to bring us new tools, infrastructure and applications – with a tie-in to the distributed ledger or blockchain.  And with these new tools, Blockstack enables the user to own his/her/its data and maintain and protect his/her/its privacy and security (e.g., encrypted decentralized storage, authentication & identity).  How is Blockstack doing this?  Well, not to go to far into the stack, Blockstack is developing key tools and infrastructure so that software developers and programmers (coders) can build single-page applications (dApps – (e.g., in javascript) in which the user controls not only his/her identity & authentication (e.g., think encrypted identification) but is also in control where and how his/her information (data) is stored on the decentralized internet.

So one might envision – one universal form of encrypted identification that is unique to the user that allows the user to securely participate in a decentralized internet and control his/her data that is generated from using the decentralized internet (e.g., imagine an internet with no middlemen, no passwords, and no massive centralized data repositories to breach).

Just imagine, if you have control (e.g., identity, data, storage and it is secure) and not the centralized companies, the possibilities appear to go on and on…  And, just like the early days of the network/internet (see above image from 1973), Blockstack is at the early stage of building the re-decentralized internet.

Please go see for yourself – visit Blockstack – and visit here again for updates and information on, among other things, Blockstack’s vision for the re-decentralization of the internet and the stack.

Here is a screenshot of Blockstack’s home page at www.blockstack.org.

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.

^* Licklider 1960’s

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