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Hi HN. Quick comments about this project: * Today is 10 year anniversary to the original bitcoin.pdf release. This pdf is the first document proof I posted, in

by flixic 8y ago

Hi HN. Quick comments about this project: * Today is 10 year anniversary to the original bitcoin.pdf release. This pdf is the first document proof I posted, included in the first release: https://cryptoproof.org/release/2018-10-30-09 https://cryptoproof.org/release/2018-10-30-09 * I’ve recently left a startup and will try to build a bunch of smaller ideas rather quickly and see if any of them resonate. This one took about 10 days to build, and it’s my first “static Vue.js frontend + a separate backend” project. * This is not a very advanced project. It simply collects posted hashes, hashes them together to create a “Release”, and posts that one combined hash to the Ethereum blockchain. I have some useful ideas for the future, but until then it’s just a free and (hopefully) a user-friendly way to post timestamped proofs. * Having a separate API backend means I can offer a developer API quite easily. For now it doesn’t require any authentication, and that probably means it might get DDoSed quickly. Please don’t abuse it. I am interested in building a useful service, so if you have any ideas, let me know! If you have any feedback, please let me know!

desdiv 8y ago
How do you compare to opentimestamps.org? (other than ETH instead of BTC)
- flixic 8y ago
  For now, it's very similar. The main difference is that OpenTimestamps is a bit more opaque. Basically, you get a confirmation, and then you can validate stuff on the site. I try to provide full instructions how to verify everything without CryptoProof site at all, just tracing the transaction.
  - Kinnard 8y ago
    How is it more opaque?
    - flixic 8y ago
      When submitting, you get a binary .ots file, and no idea how exactly the file is submitted to the blockchain. The only way to verify is to re-upload the .ots file and get the yes or no response. Actually tracking the chain of proof is very difficult. Compare: https://opentimestamps.org/info/?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 https://opentimestamps.org/info/?004f70656e54696d657374616d7... vs https://cryptoproof.org/release/2018-10-30-09 https://cryptoproof.org/release/2018-10-30-09
decentralised 8y ago
Have you considered using merkle proofs? This way the data you will submit on-chain will be relatively small and stable and you can provide the proofs directly on the front-end / client side.
- flixic 8y ago
  Merkle proofs sound like a more appropriate tool for the job, but I don't know enough about it. Do you have any tips what to read about for this?
  - decentralised 8y ago
    Sorry for the delay but I'm at Devcon :-) Perhaps the easiest way to get started is with this npm package: https://github.com/ameensol/merkle-tree-solidity https://github.com/ameensol/merkle-tree-solidity If you want to learn more about the theory behind merkle trees and its variants, let me know.
    - flixic 8y ago
      Please send my regards to Mr Buterin. Your profile does not contain any contact information. Is there a channel you prefer to be contacted via if I have some further ideas or questions?
      - decentralised 8y ago
        telegram: @decentralised
  - tromp 8y ago
    Also of interest are Mountain Merkle Ranges as explained here for instance: https://github.com/mimblewimble/grin/blob/master/doc/mmr.md https://github.com/mimblewimble/grin/blob/master/doc/mmr.md These are append-only trees with height only logarithmic in number of appends.
asasidh 8y ago
when you say "hash them together" do you mean concatenate or use a merkle tree ? Merkle tree has the added advantage of being able to prove that a certain hash was part of the root with by a tree traversal.
- flixic 8y ago
  Currently just concatenate but I will switch to Merkle trees.

by flixic 8y ago

desdiv 8y ago

How do you compare to opentimestamps.org? (other than ETH instead of BTC)

flixic 8y ago
For now, it's very similar. The main difference is that OpenTimestamps is a bit more opaque. Basically, you get a confirmation, and then you can validate stuff on the site. I try to provide full instructions how to verify everything without CryptoProof site at all, just tracing the transaction.
- Kinnard 8y ago
  How is it more opaque?
  - flixic 8y ago
    When submitting, you get a binary .ots file, and no idea how exactly the file is submitted to the blockchain. The only way to verify is to re-upload the .ots file and get the yes or no response. Actually tracking the chain of proof is very difficult. Compare: https://opentimestamps.org/info/?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 https://opentimestamps.org/info/?004f70656e54696d657374616d7... vs https://cryptoproof.org/release/2018-10-30-09 https://cryptoproof.org/release/2018-10-30-09

decentralised 8y ago

Have you considered using merkle proofs? This way the data you will submit on-chain will be relatively small and stable and you can provide the proofs directly on the front-end / client side.

flixic 8y ago
Merkle proofs sound like a more appropriate tool for the job, but I don't know enough about it. Do you have any tips what to read about for this?
- decentralised 8y ago
  Sorry for the delay but I'm at Devcon :-) Perhaps the easiest way to get started is with this npm package: https://github.com/ameensol/merkle-tree-solidity https://github.com/ameensol/merkle-tree-solidity If you want to learn more about the theory behind merkle trees and its variants, let me know.
  - flixic 8y ago
    Please send my regards to Mr Buterin. Your profile does not contain any contact information. Is there a channel you prefer to be contacted via if I have some further ideas or questions?
    - decentralised 8y ago
      telegram: @decentralised
- tromp 8y ago
  Also of interest are Mountain Merkle Ranges as explained here for instance: https://github.com/mimblewimble/grin/blob/master/doc/mmr.md https://github.com/mimblewimble/grin/blob/master/doc/mmr.md These are append-only trees with height only logarithmic in number of appends.

asasidh 8y ago

when you say "hash them together" do you mean concatenate or use a merkle tree ? Merkle tree has the added advantage of being able to prove that a certain hash was part of the root with by a tree traversal.

flixic 8y ago
Currently just concatenate but I will switch to Merkle trees.