Eric for MGRC

8/25/20 Update

Summary of Campaign Pitch

MGRC has a prime opportunity to help build more projects that make Zcash easier to use. Human-readable addresses. Payment network integrations. Website checkout plugins. I would like to help guide MGRC funds in that direction.

Some development projects I’d like to see tackled through major grants:

  • Systems that use and build on human-readable accounts. i.e. ZECpages or tools on par with Ethereum’s ENS domains. PayPal processed over $700 billion in 2019 just because they use human-readable accounts.

  • Integration with payments networks, such as the Flexa payments network. Imagine instantly paying with shielded ZEC at mainstream retailers like Dunkin Donuts, Lowe’s, and GameStop.

  • Easier ways to purchase ZEC. i.e. more cryptoATMs like Lamassu that support Zcash.

  • Friendlier ways for merchants to accept Zcash on their websites. i.e. a checkout plugin that lets a buyer select ‘Pay With Zcash’ instead of CoinPayments or Coinbase Commerce.

  • Anything else I’m not thinking of that helps normal people use Zcash so that this technological treasure can truly empower everyone with economic freedom.

Cheers, Eric

22 Likes

@_eric I have added a link your thread to the top post in the Megathread. I also adjusted your post category to be under “governance” with the other candidates. Good Luck!

2 Likes

The idea of Zaddress Flexa payments sounds mouth watering to say the least. LOL housewives beware. But on a serious note I like your application.

Do you have any work experience in relative work to this?

Full Disclosure : I have a simple cryptoATM design and will be one of those applicants in that field in my area.

1 Like

Thanks @PhusionPhil. Yes, totally mouth watering. Flexa has said their network is designed for both custodial and non-custodial wallets, so why not an integration with z-addresses?

My value proposition isn’t so much my work experience, but rather my promise to direct MGRC funds toward adoption, especially adoption that makes Zcash easier for all to use.

Best of luck with the cryptoATM! From my perspective, there aren’t nearly enough of those.

2 Likes

I like this application a lot.

And the funny thing is what you are describing here mostly already exist in the BCH ecosystem.
I’d definitely think you should reach out to all the disgruntled Bitcoin Cashers for help here !

My 2 cents

3 Likes

Absolutely. There’s a lot to love about other projects and their efforts toward adoption. And it gets really exciting when you think about applying Zcash’s privacy tech to usability tools like human readable names or the Flexa network.

2 Likes

Hi @_eric … the Rust community is undergoing a seismic shift:

Any thoughts on how the MGRC might be involved in the process?

1 Like

Hi @zancas … could you explain how Rust might make Zcash easier for an average person to use?

1 Like

Straight to the point - this is what we want to fund! I think it is up to the board to define their funding areas and I am totally with you on these!

Human-readable names for z-addresses have a long way to go, and we can guide developers along (not the other way around)!

From there, we can easily co-opt all other messenging platforms and introduce our shielded tunnel! Still focusing on integration and adoption elsewhere

Bravo!

2 Likes

Interesting question!

I think that systems developed in Rust are unlikely to have significant classes of bugs (unintended behavior). I think this in turn will make the average users experience less likely to have surprises.

For example, the average user might expect their funds to “go” to a specified address that they entered into their UI. I think that if the system supporting that UI is implemented in Rust, it’s more likely that this will occur.

My understanding is that Rust provides a strong set of correctness guarantees (particularly with respect to resource management). These guarantees, translate into relatively secure systems. I think secure systems are likely to be highly prized by average users of Zcash.

Does this address your question, or am I off the mark?

3 Likes

I’ve updated my post at the top with answers to the MGRC Open Questions.

You could check out what Turtlecoin has done in this regard. https://dns.turtlecoin.lol/

It isn’t a domain that is registered by whatever centralized authority is in charge of it, but they set up this on their own. Money paid for purchase of domain then goes back into miner pool and get circulated back in. Pretty neat idea if you ask me :smiley:

2 Likes

You would be surprised at what those devs can do. I know it sounds like a funny named coin but they are no joke. Prob a lot that other coins can learn from them. I know I have learned a lot.

1 Like

Eric, I agree that this is a huge usability gap. Keen to hear your thoughts on FIO.

DC

1 Like

Hi DC. I love what I see so far. Human readable addresses that integrate into wallets. Open source. Decentralized. Self-sovereign. So for example, if Nighthawk adopted the FIO protocol, dc@nighthawk could be your address that anyone could send to, or even invoice. I’d be curious to hear what the @NighthawkApps and Zecwallet @adityapk00 developers think about FIO? Is it doable?

2 Likes

Yes. It’s also my understanding that the FIO team has reserved the .zcash domain, so that users could be alchemydc@zcash and _eric@zcash, aditya@zcash, etc. if the community chose to move forward with lighting that up.

Keen to hear thoughts from the wallet devs too.

DC

3 Likes

If there is one identity for all my crypto, i would prefer it to start with zero address. For that reason, I’m out :stuck_out_tongue: #allinonzec

Update, fixed it:

Hello @_eric For my vote, please answer my questions frankly:

  1. Are you pro BTC? If yes, Why? If not, Why?
  2. What is the largest account size you’ve handled in USD? How many end users did it impact?
  3. MGRC will control 8640 ZEC per month or 25920 per quarter, how will this be roughly spent? (provide napkin calculation).
  4. MGRC announcement attracts 100s of applicants from all over the world with all random ideas, all matching your goals, how would you evaluate them?
  5. KPIs aren’t entirely possible on a privacy preserving payments protocol project’s level, it’s all z2z, how will you evaluate funded team’s impact?
  6. DeFi fever made ETH run 2x compared to every cryptocurrency this year, thoughts?
  7. What locals, regions, languages, ethnicities, educational backgrounds of people have you worked with? What are your preferences of assembling teams that deliver?
  8. We live in a remote world now, how do you evaluate applicants for grants?
  9. Projects in Zcash are going to go through a huge change beyond the handful, driven teams funded via Zcash Foundation, thoughts?
  10. Zcash is a protocol at its core, ZEC price is volatile. How will you handle a single digit ZEC? ($9 x 8640/month = $77,760) How will you handle a 5 digit ZEC? ($21,000 x 8640/month = $181.44MM) Thoughts…
2 Likes

Good Luck Eric!

1 Like