Zcash + Start9Labs’ EmbassyOS Grants brainstorm

Grants
#1

I would like to start some discussion around getting Zcash open source software easily available on Start9Labs’ EmbassyOS, which is a graphical operating system for running self-hosted software.

Quick description from their website:
-‘It offers one-click installation of powerful, open-source services like Bitcoin, Lightning, data storage, password management, instant messaging, social networking, and more. There is no command line involved, and no technical expertise required”

-‘You use your Embassy and its installed services in total privacy, right from the browser, from anywhere on Earth, and there are no trusted 3rd parties. What you do with your Embassy is your business; it cannot be monitored or accessed by anyone - not even Start9, not even your ISP. It is your sovereign territory in the land of the Internet”

I feel this product/company is a perfect fit for the Zcash community & a no brainer for ZOMG funding of some sort. Imagine a one click install of Zcash nodes & apps for people with no technical experience hosted on either DIY or prebuilt hardware. Not only will this help onboard new users, but will be a valuable tool for current Zcash users.(including myself)

I would love to see the @ZOMG fund individuals &/or teams & possibly even the Start9Labs team itself to make Zcash open source software easily available to host on their EmbassyOS product.

To learn more, listen to the founders of Start9Labs on the CoinCenter podcast - https://coincenter.simplecast.com/episodes/matt-hill-and-keagan-mcclelland

6 Likes
#2

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4 Likes
#3
#4

Is anyone running zcashd on rpi 4? Not only building but actually running it. 24/7

#5

I think this is a fantastic idea, I would even support someone making a plug and play hardware solution (Pi, Arduino, Rock64, etc…) that is dedicated to Zcash.

Think if it came pre-installed with a Zcash Node, Tor, easy connections to services like Zbay Zboard, and Zecpages, personal lightwalletd server to connect ZecWallet lite to, etc…

The only issue I have ran across when building on ARM is the need to constantly cross-compile on a separate PC in order to update the ARM Node. This is a pain because it has to happen every 16weeks when it auto-depreciates. There is currently an open issue for native ARM64 support which would help with this problem. Native aarch64 build support · Issue #4930 · zcash/zcash · GitHub

Perhaps someone would like to apply for a grant to quash that issue and that would open up more possibilities for ARM?

3 Likes
#6

“ A service in this context is any open source project that has been bundled into the appropriate format to run on EmbassyOS. By configuring and packaging a project according to this guide, it can be installed on EmbassyOS with no command line or technical expertise required. This opens up an entire platform for self-hosted software to run independent of third parties in a completely private and sovereign way for all individuals.”

https://docs.start9labs.com/contributing/services/index.html#

#7

Maybe the Zomg could offer bounties for this type of work?

2 Likes
#8

This is a great idea! There are several security/privacy focused OSes that bundle applications favorable to their users. Maybe ZcashZeal can reach out to them and provide bounties to add Zcash apps on:

Tails https://tails.boum.org/
Graphene https://grapheneos.org/
/e/ https://e.foundation/
Copperhead https://copperhead.co/android/

@NighthawkWallet has Fdroid release pipeline on the roadmap, which should make it easier to integrate/package the wallet app on Android OSes.

1 Like
#9

I used to have it running on an Odroid C2 for weeks until the old external drive I used for blockchain data broke… I didn’t replace it so far. Just to day it is possible and quite stable.

#10

Cool but EmbassyOS is specifically for RPi4.

Edit: It works fine.

#11

I like the idea of bounties for specific goal projects like this.

What I and others on ZOMG struggle with is what is a “good” bounty? How to we make it worth while for someone to tackle while not having too high a bounty that the community feels we are wasting ZEC? How many hours should something take? And what rate per hour is appropriate?

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#12

You could still go through the community review process as if the bounty was a proposal. Kinda treat it as an internal proposal. It would have the benefit of being “pre-approved” by the zomg and therefore be faster to execute.

I’d suggest a bidding system then. Start low so that the community won’t feel it is wasting ZEC and let the market settle.

I think it is more important to evaluate the value it brings to the zcash community. For example, I would value the task of packaging for EmbassyOS at ~1-2k usd but I’m biased so you could ask the community for feedback too. Then if someone can do it in 30mn that’s great for him. We don’t care as long as the result is there.
In fact, having bounties for small and well defined tasks could benefit the community in several ways:

  • transparency about the funding process: bounties are offered and evaluated by the community in advance, no surprise,
  • more coverage: anyone can propose a bounty. Today, proposals are made by the teams who are going to work on them. They look like investments as they usually ask for money to: “make improvements to their project”.
  • more open, since anyone can work on them. With time, you would build a set of reliable “bounty hunters”.
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