Nostr Web Client

Huge thanks to SimpleX's developer for coming through for the event!

Here's what he shared with us about the future of nostr:npub1exv22uulqnmlluszc4yk92jhs2e5ajcs6mu3t00a6avzjcalj9csm7d828:

-Moving off Github this year

-Flatpak support is coming very soon, like 1 week

-iPad Support this year

-Group chat on-board with 2-3 other users will eliminate the need for the admin to be online

-Will be getting rid of the "connecting" on initial sync and increase speed of on-boarding

With the new feature to hide IPs, the user is first sending it to a server they trust, which passes it to the other server. How do users know who to trust?

The app will soon be able to differentiate infrastructure operators in these ways:

-several preset providers in the app next year

-operators can self-identify with certs, it's optional - this year

-using servers of people you are friends with or know - very soon

-A user asked about a directory - but it is not coming due to privacy and trust concerns it would create

To make the network financially sustainable and provide the commercial incentive to the operators they are designing the concept of "infrastructure vouchers" that are planned for 2026.

These vouchers will:

-Will be on a private blockchain maintained by the approved operators together with the app developer(s)

-Work like gift cards, except:

-Vouchers won't be transferable from 1 user to another

-No refunds

-No wallet

-Stays in-app

-Can't be used as external money to avoid compliance requirements

-One can buy vouchers with Monero (or other cryptocurrencies), as long as XMR remains legal

-Government fiat can be used

-Voucher sellers may be different than server operators (collectors)

-It won't be just the SimpleX team selling vouchers, some decentralization

Here's more details on his commercial model:

https://github.com/simplex-chat/simplex-chat/blob/stable/docs/rfcs/2024-04-26-commercial-model.md

And if you haven't already seen the new version with slick UI, head over to https://simplex.chat

Move and Hide 1y ago

SimpleX is quite nice, though still not as reliable as Signal.

This post about project direction concerns me a little as it seems confused. What's all this about "XMR while it's legal" stuff? And accepting fiat payments etc? Gift cards are also regulated.

I suppose you could use Cosmos or Near to build your blockchain and I don't have any strong opinions against that.. but this whole compliance thing just seems plain stupid to me. Are you going to comply with Europe's Chat Control too, and all future versions of it?

Better that you adopt a minimalist blockchain like Grin ツ who's interactive nature seems lille a much better fit for chat.

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Discussion

SimplifiedPrivacy.com 1y ago

I can not speak for the SimpleX dev on this, but nostr:npub1m5s9w4t03znyetxswhgq0ud7fq8ef8y3l4kscn2e8wkvmv42hh3qujgjl3 may potentially have a comment on grin with chat

mister_monster 1y ago

Well, you probably know my general view on that, which is that you don't need to use a blockchain for chat or most things really. Chat doesn't require incentivization or global state consensus. Grin is fantastic and can be used for so much, world changing stuff, but I think chat is mostly a solved thing. SimpleX is working on ways to make it unbreakable, I hope they succeed.

Move and Hide 1y ago

Well, if Signal had adopted an established public blockchain for in-chat payments then, I can assure you, it would of easily became my go-to mobile wallet. But in it's current state with it's own coin, I couldn't care less. Signal argued that no existing coin met their UX expectations, though I profusely disagree on that.

What many people miss is that money is something you earn, spend and save. It has to be all three, not just something you HODL. And then there's the fourth and most important function of money.. money is social. I can pay my cousinr, who can pay his neighbor, who can pay the baker. It's the social aspect that gave bitcoin escape velocity.

Well, chat is social and the perfect rail for payments. No leaving the chat, just tap to pay directly within the chat, whether that's one to one or a family chat room.

But alas, there is this smell of compliance coming through and it's not good. You can't truly innovate in such an environment, rules are for breaking.

Psying service to regulators is ultimately going to push me away.