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https://docs.blockstack.org/browser/ids-introduction.html#create-an-initial-blockstack-id https://docs.blockstack.org/browser/ids-introduction.html#cr... AFAIC

https://docs.blockstack.org/browser/ids-introduction.html#create-an-initial-blockstack-id https://docs.blockstack.org/browser/ids-introduction.html#cr... AFAICT, You can't use the platform without authenticating to the centralized servers of blockstack. That runs against the whole idea of decentralized. With Beaker/IPFS/ZeroNet, you just need the software. It's been a while but last I checked, you had to register a domain (with $$$) to blockstack in order to run an app. Has this changed? Can I download the software and make my own X-Net with Blockstack now? (Not being snarky, I'd love to.)

jude- 8y ago
> AFAICT, You can't use the platform without authenticating to the centralized servers of blockstack Nope, this is not true. You can authenticate to an application without a Blockstack Core node; the only thing the Blockstack Core node does in the authentication flow is to pull up someone else's public key and storage routes. You can choose which node to use for this; both the blockstack.js library and authenticator give you the option. I use my locally-running node, for example. > It's been a while but last I checked, you had to register a domain (with $$$) to blockstack in order to run an app. On-chain names are not free, but only because they require Bitcoin transaction fees (and shorter names require an additional Bitcoin "burn" to dissuade squatters). If you send two properly-formatted Bitcoin transactions, then all Blockstack Core nodes everywhere will process them once they confirm and register your name to your public key. Off-chain names can be given out for free, and do not require the user to wait for any transaction confirmations before using them to authenticate (this is what the product offers now by default). Off-chain names are first-class names like on-chain names, and have the same safety properties (they have slightly different liveness properties though -- details here: https://docs.blockstack.org/core/naming/subdomains.html https://docs.blockstack.org/core/naming/subdomains.html). Today, if you register a Blockstack ID via Blockstack's authenticator product's onboarding flow, it will be an off-chain name that ends in `.id.blockstack`. Your signed state for this name, as well as other names registered at around the same time, will be hashed and anchored to an on-chain "name update" transaction for the "id.blockstack" name and replicated to all Blockstack nodes once the transaction confirms. Until it confirms, other nodes will redirect lookup requests on it to the registrar for id.blockstack (but once it confirms, any node will be able to handle lookups). > Can I download the software and make my own X-Net with Blockstack now? You can absolutely do this! Happy to help you out on our forum at forum.blockstack.org.
- explorigin 8y ago
  Thanks for setting the record straight. I'll take another look at blockstack.

jude- 8y ago

> AFAICT, You can't use the platform without authenticating to the centralized servers of blockstack Nope, this is not true. You can authenticate to an application without a Blockstack Core node; the only thing the Blockstack Core node does in the authentication flow is to pull up someone else's public key and storage routes. You can choose which node to use for this; both the blockstack.js library and authenticator give you the option. I use my locally-running node, for example. > It's been a while but last I checked, you had to register a domain (with $$$) to blockstack in order to run an app. On-chain names are not free, but only because they require Bitcoin transaction fees (and shorter names require an additional Bitcoin "burn" to dissuade squatters). If you send two properly-formatted Bitcoin transactions, then all Blockstack Core nodes everywhere will process them once they confirm and register your name to your public key. Off-chain names can be given out for free, and do not require the user to wait for any transaction confirmations before using them to authenticate (this is what the product offers now by default). Off-chain names are first-class names like on-chain names, and have the same safety properties (they have slightly different liveness properties though -- details here: https://docs.blockstack.org/core/naming/subdomains.html https://docs.blockstack.org/core/naming/subdomains.html). Today, if you register a Blockstack ID via Blockstack's authenticator product's onboarding flow, it will be an off-chain name that ends in `.id.blockstack`. Your signed state for this name, as well as other names registered at around the same time, will be hashed and anchored to an on-chain "name update" transaction for the "id.blockstack" name and replicated to all Blockstack nodes once the transaction confirms. Until it confirms, other nodes will redirect lookup requests on it to the registrar for id.blockstack (but once it confirms, any node will be able to handle lookups). > Can I download the software and make my own X-Net with Blockstack now? You can absolutely do this! Happy to help you out on our forum at forum.blockstack.org.

explorigin 8y ago
Thanks for setting the record straight. I'll take another look at blockstack.