Network Based Replacement for Server-Side Processing?

So here’s a thing, I’ve been reading a lot into various decentralized networks, and have been utilizing a lot of cloud-based architecture at my work. I saw Urbit, and it’s made me wonder about how the SAFE network could potentially be utilized for compute resources, and if that is possible with the design of the system.

Basically, my understanding of the system (which is - granted - limited), is that if you were for example making a web app - because of the decentralized nature of the system, you would not be able to do any kind of processing “server-side”, ie: PHP. You must do everything “locally” using JavaScript… or at least that’s how I understand it.

However, reading about things such as Urbit, and Ethereum, and so on make me wonder, would it be possible to potentially have distributed compute workloads that are paid for via safecoin in order to support SAFE network apps?

IE: You want to make a site that needs to do “back-end” processing, so you write something up in PHP, and then have it run on the network, in service of your web-app, rather than having to work around the fact that you don’t really have a server.

I’m not sure if I’ve explained all this correctly, but I hope you get what I’m trying to say here. Is this something that is supported by the SAFE network, or is it outside scope?

2 Likes

Compute is far down in the roadmap for maidsafe but @dirvine has talked about it before if you search the forum. I’m not sure that it shows up on the most recent simplified roadmap but it has been mentioned many a time to be a feature. Ill start looking for some links to add to this post

4 Likes

Yes … [20 chars ]

ok I won’t do that. But yes compute is possible, use zksnark type tech to confirm “length” of computation (i.e. solve the “halting problem”, use snarks), then as a group do the calculation and agree (consensus) on the answer it can be sent back to the consumer.

This is far from simple and probably requires a DSL (Domain Specific Langage) that is not turing complete at least to start with, but must allow formal analysis (SPARK type) so it’s a lot of work, but the foundations are there.

21 Likes

Ethereum employed 20 developers with $250,000 salary each. What are you expecting to accomplish?

About 10 times more bang for the buck…lol.
These guys are Scottish! DIrvine will be now be frantically trying to edit your post to knock a zero off before the devs see it! … :smile:

I’m trying to put things into perspective for you as a maidsafecoin holder. I don’t like how much joking is happening and not perspective is taken. So much mismanagement for so important project.

I don’t know if I’d characterize this as “mismanagement”. Compute seems to be a secondary objective rather than a primary. It’s not like Ethereum couldn’t be used in tandem with the SAFE network.

As a MAID holder, you should be able to understand from that response that you shouldn’t count on compute being available at release, but it’s potentially a long term goal, unless I’m misrepresenting @dirvine’s response.

6 Likes

Well, firstly, thanks for putting things into perspective for me.

Right… :smile:

What mismanagement?
You come on here to tell us how many devs Etherium employs and how high their salary is then demand to know what Maidsafe expect to accomplish? Your most basic error appears to be assuming that you can’t do more with less or that throwing money at devs guarantees success - so what exactly do you expect anyone to say.
If you want to get serious, then have a serious look at the whitepaper/roadmap if you want to know what Maidsafe expect to accomplish - that was what you wanted to know wasn’t it?

6 Likes

You are a joker, you make me laugh. I think my issues not addressed at all.

How are they not?

The SAFE network is about achieving goals, not being a good financial investment so you can make madd gainz with cryptocurrency.

The answer is that it’s not a direct part of the spec, but is feasible, and potentially on deck for development.

3 Likes

I am interested in this success as anyone should be. I see a lot of new competition and smart people entering the space, it won’t be long before we are left behind. I still think I will make a profit, or at least get my money back. Being finished with the launch is what matters and I think that the team needs to step it up in quality and delivery. Honestly I’m disheartened that I have to participate in this forum to get access to the testing to see if there is any flame to the smoke all of you are fussing about. I’m a long term holder and heavily investor.

You also didn’t answer what mismanagement you were referring to, so I assume you don’t have an answer, more of a troll like baseless accusation?
I think I was also pretty clear as to where you can find your answer as well as pointing out your flawed premise.
If you don’t know what to do with this information then you probably need somebody much more qualified than me to help address your issues tbh…sorry. :smile:

Mismanagement because the people in charge seem to think that paying gummy bears and oreos to un qualified developers is going to make this sensitive project happen. I think maidsafecoin needs a new ICO for 20 million dollars asap like storj.

The dev updates make it pretty clear what’s going on. No other project tackles the same issues that the SAFE network does right now. At least not in the same way.

Once again, the purpose of the SAFE network is to make a functioning network, not to make you madd monie via cryptocurrency.

2 Likes

You seem like someone who simply isn’t paying attention. There was a crowdsale.

Also I don’t know what you mean by “paying gummy bears and oreos” either - MaidSafe has plenty of funding right now.

3 Likes

This is good though, very good. Our vision is Privacy security and Freedom for all the worlds people. This means we want that to happen and work towards it. If another party achieves it then our goal is met. I think it’s easy to vastly underestimate the innovation required here, I have and also underestimated the difficulty in recruiting Engineers. We have done much better at that recently and are still improving. This is not a python script type project, it requires some pretty heavy systems programming and an awful lot of consideration. This mean rewrites of parts, improvement in others as we move along. So our approach is incremental advances and it works. It will never be fast enough though for everyone.

While we do this our Engineers are not on social media screaming about it all, they are hard at work doing what needs to be done.

It’s easy to critique though and we do hear folk say mismanagement, bad marketing, lousy PR etc. These are all pretty subjective though so there is no substantive measurement and nothing for us to gain by trying to defend it. It’s like saying I am too tall or too short, I probably am both :wink:

26 Likes

@dirvine is too tall, I can’t support this project any longer!

9 Likes

Or too Scottish and not Scottish enough :slight_smile:

David, I love the way you respond to criticism. Thank you so much. :man_student:

9 Likes

Thanks, in my opinion… get fatter and get the job done!

Or too optimistic sometimes, but I guess if you aren’t you don’t even start with a crazy ambitious project like this.

4 Likes