[Passed] Proposal for creation of macosx builds

[tomjoad]

Based on what I’ve read, I will support this proposal.

There is risk involved with third-party releases, but @backpacker has an established track record on other projects as far as I can tell. The primary risk seems to be BlockShareholders losing their cryptoequity if the MacOSX client secretly transferred wallet data to an external server. It is unlikely that, even in the event the MacOSX release was malicious, the attacker could accumulate enough BKS to vote in corrupt signers.

[Sabreiib]

BACKPAcVxFXfRXCmUBFWZjcAw79ZyJAAUA

I am going to send you 30NBT, Is this NBT address correct? I found no transaction till now from Nuexplorer.

BTW, can you program for iphone app?

[ChrisS]

@backpacker

I have some concerns for only trusting one person to do the build. I know about 5 lines of HTML to give you an idea how smart I am when it comes to the things inside the box. My concern in security.

I am curious if you think it is a good idea for the shareholders to entrust such a task to one person.

[backpacker]

Address is freshly generated for this proposal.

I have some experience with mobile app development for apple, however it was done using cross platform tooling, not native iOS objective c stuff. I am better with Android to be honest

What did you have in mind?

[backpacker]

In my opinion, if you must trust someone to make the binary executables for you, it’s better to stick to one person rather than chance it every next time with new builder who would have to secure his environment and apply necessary updates.

Of course, best thing would be to educate yourself, but it is not always possible.

[Nagalim]

Security is indeed the issue.

Do you want to create OS X builds?

The nature of the problem is that creating a build requires quite a bit of trust. It would be easy to add code to the build that sent private keys to a remote database, for instance. We can’t seem to coordinate the work of experts like @backpacker with people we trust like sigmike in a way that produces secure builds.

Do you want to create OS X builds?

the responsibility for creating OS X builds should be outsourced beyond the team.

There is risk involved with third-party releases, but @backpacker has an established track record on other projects as far as I can tell. The primary risk seems to be BlockShareholders losing their cryptoequity if the MacOSX client secretly transferred wallet data to an external server. It is unlikely that, even in the event the MacOSX release was malicious, the attacker could accumulate enough BKS to vote in corrupt signers.

[Mandatory Upgrade] All minters need to upgrade to B&C Exchange 4.0.1

We should have someone [who is not necessarily trusted] validate the program before release

^I agree with @ChrisS there

[ChrisS]

I do not know what a binary executable is. I do not want to educate myself on programming, though interesting, other things are more productive for my time.

Clearly, you are not doing this for your needs by your generous offer. I assume you are here for the equitable reasons I am but it just seems that the nature of your contributions require prudent scrutiny.

[Sabreiib]

30 NBT sent. It may cost hours to withdraw from the exchange.

1. There is always the first step to become a trusted developer in our community, so please continue.

2. Being a regiestered apple developer is good because your credit card, real ID information etc are collected by Apple inc. Our community may feel better.

3)If you are interested in develeping an iphone app, that’s a big deal for B&C, it opens the door to the public! Breadwellet is an good example. You may issue your iphone app on app store and upload your project to bitbucket/github, where your GUI files designed by u and core codes linked to Jordan Lee’s project. Compiling an iphone app on Mac with Xcode is quite easy if some people wanna build their own app(signed by themselves)from your project.

I believe B&C shareholders may raise fund for iphone app.

BTW, unlike Objective C, the SWIFT language is quite easy to learn, and like C/C++ style. Both swift and LLVM are open source, u may try them on ubuntu. It is said that google plans to use swift for andriod developement. really? LOL

[backpacker]

The way I would approach untrustred build would be to run it in the sandbox, on the machine connected to the network via transparent proxy with extensive logging enabled. After period of some time, I would look at network activity of the machine, what ports and protocols were used and compare it to reference activity of trusted application.

But even then, a malicious party could implement some sort of hidden command in the base protocol, that would leak out the information when queried in a way known to perpetrator. Difficulty of creating such backdoor is immense though.

[Nagalim]

I want to point out that B&C is getting this service for free and BKS holders should consider taking Nu’s good faith to heart should this pass.

[JordanLee]

Events have unfolded quickly regarding OS X builds. Three days ago (the 8th) @woodstockmerkle, currently our most active developer on the NuBit project, told me that he had just succeeded in creating OS X builds. He mentioned he would like to purchase a used Mac and make builds for NuBits and B&C going forward. Prior to this, I had stated on the forum that I am stepping back from OS X builds personally, but would facilitate payment to someone who would commit to be responsible for them. Naturally, I was pleased with this development as I regard woodstockmerkle as trustworthy and told @woodstockmerkle that he could invoice for OS X builds and the used Mac, splitting the cost of that between NuBits and B&C.

With the proposal @backpacker has made, I am concerned that backpacker will feel that what has just unfolded is unfair. I can see why. I didn’t want to alienate backpacker. I would rather have him join the community and work with us.

Perhaps the best way to deal with this is just reveal all that has occurred (as I just did) and ask forum participants how they want to move forward with OS X builds. I will do whatever consensus indicates should be done, so long as it doesn’t require me to violate agreements that I have made (like those I just made with woodstockmerkle which I described above).

[PinkyAndTheBrain]

I have tipped backpacker for his work in peercoin and forks builds. No voting required. I thought thats why he posted 2 address for you to tip him.

[Nagalim]

We need to encourage @backpacker. Could we have @woodstockmerkle check @backpacker’s builds, or vice versa? As far as I’m concerned, backpacker did everything right here and wires just get crossed sometimes. @JordanLee posted a request for dev help, Backpacker responded in a very fair and reasonable way, even going so far as to hash a grant proposal and everything.

[JordanLee]

Could we have @woodstockmerkle check @backpacker’s builds

I like that idea.

[MaVo]

I have no clue whether a code review is as challenging as writing the code itself (in terms of time). If a review is not that much work and backpacker’s offer is strongly competitive in terms of price and quality, it is a necessity for me to get backpacker on board. If he asks for better rates from a shareholder perspective, how can we decline his offer if we have someone to review his code to make sure everything is fine. If woodstockmerkle doesn’t like it and aims at charging higher rates than backpacker does for the same work, how are we ever going to expand our skillset if whenever that situation occurs, we must stick to the one charging the higher rates because he has been part of the inner circle for a longer time?
We will definitely need to find a balance for those situations because it is bad to dismiss someone who really has good intentions. Of course, we need to make sure those intentions are real…
Apart from that, I would really like to know what the price will be for that used mac.

[masterOfDisaster]

I wasn’t aware of this development when I updated my Nu data feed a few minutes ago.
I don’t intend to remove this grant of @backpacker from my data feed, because what he offered was very welcome or even necessary when he offered his services.
Even if the next months will have OSX builds from @woodstockmerkle I’d like to honor @backpacker’s work and the offer to continue the services for months by keeping that grant in the data feed hoping that it passes.

Obviously @backpacker didn’t start his support only for the money - at least that’s my impression.
And even if one could argue that voting for this grant is wasting money for services that are not required any more (making OSX builds) or are not part of the grant (co-operating with @woodstockmerkle, checking the builds) my stance on supporting what he already did and maybe will do will not be moved easily.

[MaVo]

my stance on supporting what he already did and maybe will do will not be moved easily.

100% agree. We certainly need to establish trust through reasonable measures when it comes to new contractual relationships, but just dismissing shouldn’t be an option considering his offer.

[ChrisS]

Just sent @backpacker 60 PPC. I hope we can keep him involved.

[Sabreiib]

@backpacker, have u recieved my NBT? That exchange handles withdrawal slow? Or the Nuexplorer goes wrong?

[Nagalim]

https://svr1.nubitsexplorer.nu/tx/969ebce2d6709f87f2b9b952a0ec2adcca486bbb7653f6672d02f306ca2734bc#o1