Next, in line in the Developers Corner series is a high level overview of a first in the decentralized dApp internet space – the ability to share data (public/private) that was stored in your preferred storage choice.  This wonderful feature is referred to as either multi-reader storage or multi-player storage.  And, up until its introduction by Blockstack, it has not been available in the decentralized application (dApp) space.  This is a first for the dApp space and for Blockstack.

The introduction was the next logical next step for the dApp space on the Blockstack ecosystem.  The first two steps being Blockstack Authentication (SSO and authentication without 3rd parties or remote servers) and Single Player Storage (ability to store all of your app data privately). 

Not to get to deep into the tech – better left to the engineers (see video below), multi-reader storage allows for the data that you write into storage while using a dApp – via the Blockstack browser & ecosystem, to be readable only by you or by others that you give access too (if you so desire).  In other words, you are now able to own and share your data (created when using a dApp) with only people of your choosing, no need for a third party to help you do that. 

A great visual resource (see video below) that provides a more detailed and technical overview of Blockstack’s multi-player reader (storage) was presented a few months back at one of the Meetups – in particular Blockstack NYC during September 2017.  The presentation – by Mr. Jude Nelson, a Blockstack Engineering Partner – provides some excellent information on multi-reader storage and how it works.

The ability of the user – no one else – to own and control access to the user’s (your) data is at the core of the Blockstack vision.  It is a fundamental shift from the internet we use today – centralized versus decentralized.  Imagine the new internet The Decentralized Way^TM in which your data (written word, spoken word, other things internet…) resides with you – only you, is controlled by you and not by anyone (or company) else.  With the introduction of multi-reader storage, it is hard not to be a developer/user/supporter of Blockstack and the Blockstack community. If you have not done so, go give the Blockstack browser a try.

Please find below, some links that might be most helpful as you learn more about Blockstack’s tools for developing a decentralized application for use on Blockstack.

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
• Graphite

And – calling all developers, do not forget about the dApp bounties – Blockstack: $50,000 Bounty for Messaging Applications. Bounties – 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 (e.g., decentralized application(s), dApp, dApps on the Web 3.0).  THE DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 16, 2018 – YOU STILL HAVE TIME.

Additionally, do not miss the next big event/meetup – Blockstack: Event in Berlin – March 2, 2018.

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: Developers Corner… Multi-Reader/Player Storage appeared first on The Stack Cafe™.

Remember – If you have any questions or comments about getting started with the Blockstack Browser, please feel free to post a comment, contact us and/or contact Blockstack directly via its Forum.  We welcome your engagement in The Stack Cafe^TM.

Blockstack Browser Menu – Home|IDs|Wallet| Settings

Ok, you have installed the Blockstack browser and it is running properly (reach out to us if you need help or go here).  Now, let’s do a quick look inside the browser, in particular the Menu Bar (image below is from the Blockstack Browser running on our personal computer).  Now, lets parse through the home page and some of the features of the Blockstack Browser.  The image below and the featured image for this page is the Menu Bar as it is found on the latest version (0.22.1) of the Blockstack’s Browser home page.

As you see, the browser is loaded on your personal computer and it opens under Localhost:8888 (see image above – address line of the browser – localhost:8888) on your computer.  This is a key aspect of the Blockstack Browser on the blockstack ecosystem.  In other words, the users control their data and apps run on their devices (user computer and not on some other server).  There are no centralized servers, no middlemen, no multiple passwords, no massive data silos to breach, and no services tracking us around the internet.  And, the Browser is also where users can go to discover and use apps using Blockstack – the applications used on blockstack’s browser are server-less and decentralized (you control use, i.d., storage, interaction…).

Menu Bar Tabs

• Home – takes you to the page image you see above.
• IDs – this is the unique identification given out during the Blockstack Browser install/setup process (automatically/randomly assigned by Blockstack) or by purchasing an “.id” identification from the Blockstack Naming System (BNS) for .ids (e.g., blockstack.id, john.id…)
  • On This page (see screenshot below), you have the ability to (in order respectively on the screenshot – some blocked out items):
    • add a profile picture/image
    • add a username
    • see your unique I.D.
    • add some bio information
    • see your verified Social Level and links
      • example of a verified social link – Blue arrow on right side
      • verify e.g., your bitcoin wallet address
      • verify others too – Twitter and others

• Wallet – this is a pre-configured Bitcoin wallet and address that comes with the install/setup of the Blockstack Browser
  • On This page (see screenshot below), you have the ability to (in order respectively on the screenshot – some blocked out items):
    • see your pre-configured bitcoin wallet balance
    • see and use your bitcoin wallet image for ease of use
    • see your bitcoin wallet address

• Settings – this is the page you use to:
  • change your storage providers (see screenshot below for more on this)
  • change your password used with your Blockstack Browser
  • backup your keychain phrase – this allows you to enter the password you used so you can view your keychain phrase … (remember the things you should write down, do not lose and do not disclose to anyone (unless you want to)
  • reset browser allows you erase your keychain and settings so you can create a new one or restore another keychain
  • view the api settings that were setup during the install/setup process of the blockstack browser (the items that are unique to your install (kept by you locally) and are used in the decentralized internet experience (e.g., application programming interface (api), gaia hub connection info (storage), and others…) – probably best not to fiddle with this stuff…

Back to your storage provider selection (you control your data and where it is stored, and the encryption and de-encryption – no one else): in this example, and at this writing, we are using the default storage (free storage hub provided by Blockstack PBC).  As the Blockstack system is updated and additional architecture (software) is added, additional storage options will be brought online and made available to all blockstack users (e.g., self hosted storage, dropbox, IPFS, and many others)

If you have any questions or comments about the Browser home page and tabs, or any other item related to Blockstack, the stack, decentralization, dApps, Web 3.0 or …, please feel free to post a comment and/or contact us.  We welcome your engagement in The Stack Cafe^TM.  Go Experience Internet Freedom (“EIF”) with blockchain, distributed ledger and Blockstack.  Let’s make a new internet The Decentralized Way^TM.

Resources re: Blockstack and dApps

• Blockstack
• @blockstack
  • dApps on Blockstack
    • Graphite
    • @graphite
  • Events about 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.

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• Blockstack Auth, which provided you with a single-sign on you could use with apps to privately access them without any 3rd parties involved
• Single-Player Storage, which gave you the ability to store all of your app data privately.(e.g., managing your own private token portfolio app).

Multi-Player Storage will provide the Blockstack Browser user the ability to not only own and control access to the user’s own data, but will also give the user the ability to share the user’s data with the user’s friends without the need for a third party.  Remember, it is the user’s (your) data, and the user (you) and only the user (you) should determine the fate of the data created by the user (you).

Blockstack has provided some helpful items for the developer community as shown below:

• Multi-Player Storage Tutorial

And, once you have been through the tutorial and feel emboldened to create on the Blockstack ecosystem, Blockstack encourages all developers to go and check the latest bounty being offered for decentralized application (s) (dApp, dApps, Web 3.0) in the communications space – Community Messaging App and a P2P Encrypted Messaging App (See also – $50K).

1.26.2018 Update: dApps (dApp, decentralized application, web 3.0) currently utilizing multi-player storage include:

• Graphite – 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).   Please visit our post on it here, and by all means, visit Graphite, Blockstack (@blockstack) and go try out Graphite with the blockstack browser too.

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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