This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.
Both sides previous revisionPrevious revisionNext revision | Previous revision | ||
what_is_the_qortal_project [12/04/2021 16:30] – gfactor | what_is_the_qortal_project [01/27/2023 18:25] (current) – [Account Levels & Rewards System] gfactor | ||
---|---|---|---|
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
====== What is the Qortal Project? ====== | ====== What is the Qortal Project? ====== | ||
- | PDF Version: {{ : | ||
+ | **PLEASE NOTE:** this is a publication from July 2021. A lot of development has happened since and some of the info below may be outdated! The [[Qortal Status Updates]] page will have latest info on development! | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | PDF Version: {{ : | ||
+ | f | ||
{{: | {{: | ||
Line 31: | Line 35: | ||
contribution measured on-chain) | contribution measured on-chain) | ||
+ | |||
● Infrastructure for ethical third-party public or private projects to be built securely | ● Infrastructure for ethical third-party public or private projects to be built securely | ||
Line 51: | Line 56: | ||
The world as we know it is full of corrupt leadership and inexcusable censored control over our lives. The time is past due for the people of the world to unite, live in harmony, and regain control of their lives on an individual basis. Qortal aims to put the power back in the hands of the people worldwide when it comes to value transfer, free trade, freedom of speech, freedom of information, | The world as we know it is full of corrupt leadership and inexcusable censored control over our lives. The time is past due for the people of the world to unite, live in harmony, and regain control of their lives on an individual basis. Qortal aims to put the power back in the hands of the people worldwide when it comes to value transfer, free trade, freedom of speech, freedom of information, | ||
- | Qortal’s goal is to focus on a true democratic system and as much decentralization as reasonably possible. Qortal’s official codebase is officially released by the ‘Dev Team’ which anyone can become part of by proving their intent by contribution (submitting pull requests and code to be reviewed for implementation via GitHub until we can host our repo on our own network). The current | + | Qortal’s goal is to focus on a true democratic system and as much decentralization as reasonably possible. Qortal’s official codebase is officially released by the ‘DevTeam’ which anyone can become part of by proving their intent by contribution (submitting pull requests and code to be reviewed for implementation via GitHub until we can host our repo on our own network). The current |
- | Outside of Qortal’s core development, | + | Outside of Qortal’s core development, |
- | The current | + | The current |
The Founders pay homage to the founding concepts behind the original blockchain project which brought this technology to the world’s attention - Bitcoin. To briefly recap, the original concepts behind the white paper of Bitcoin were to: | The Founders pay homage to the founding concepts behind the original blockchain project which brought this technology to the world’s attention - Bitcoin. To briefly recap, the original concepts behind the white paper of Bitcoin were to: | ||
Line 79: | Line 84: | ||
We the People of the Qortal Blockchain Project (‘Qortians’), | We the People of the Qortal Blockchain Project (‘Qortians’), | ||
- | **Section 1.** We will structure a platform that puts the power back into the people’s hands with a fair system for all and an on-chain group with group-approved transactions that allow automatic updates of the chain. Qortal will not infringe upon your right to free speech, free trade, right to information, | + | **Section 1.** We will structure a platform that puts the power back into the people’s hands with a fair system for all and an on-chain group with group-approved transactions that allow automatic updates of the chain. Qortal will not infringe upon your right to free speech, free trade, right to information, |
**Section 2.** Qortal will have its own decentralized trade portal that features true peer-to-peer transactions by way of utilization of the CIYAM AT SmartContract system, and the ACCT SmartContract, | **Section 2.** Qortal will have its own decentralized trade portal that features true peer-to-peer transactions by way of utilization of the CIYAM AT SmartContract system, and the ACCT SmartContract, | ||
- | **Section 3.** Qortal will never be empowered to censor nor force a political agenda upon its people. The argument for the Dev Team having a limited power of governance over censorship has been discussed, but is impossible due to the nature of blockchains. Any modification of ANY part of the blockchain retroactively invalidates the entire chain. Therefore, ‘removal’ of accounts or even the smallest transaction is impossible. As we have seen in the current world with censorship from big tech and political agendas, censorship simply doesn’t work overall. Qortal will never have any sort of censorship oversight from the Dev Team level! It is up to the Group admins and individuals themselves to decide what content they wish to see and engage. | + | **Section 3.** Qortal will never be empowered to censor nor force a political agenda upon its people. The argument for the DevTeam |
**Section 4.** Qortal will enact a system where the Voting by leveled users allows the project to be community-driven giving voted decisions priority. | **Section 4.** Qortal will enact a system where the Voting by leveled users allows the project to be community-driven giving voted decisions priority. | ||
Line 93: | Line 98: | ||
The beauty of blockchain technology and Qortal is that the chain cannot be stopped and the project will carry on without hardware dependency of any single person! Qortal is intended to outlive us all and become an unstoppable infrastructure for the world to adopt. Qortal will provide an opportunity for anyone in the world to get involved and be rewarded for their contribution to the network regardless of technical expertise, geographical location, or financial status. In theory, virtually any type of ethical community group, online service, and operating system could utilize the backbone infrastructure of Qortal. | The beauty of blockchain technology and Qortal is that the chain cannot be stopped and the project will carry on without hardware dependency of any single person! Qortal is intended to outlive us all and become an unstoppable infrastructure for the world to adopt. Qortal will provide an opportunity for anyone in the world to get involved and be rewarded for their contribution to the network regardless of technical expertise, geographical location, or financial status. In theory, virtually any type of ethical community group, online service, and operating system could utilize the backbone infrastructure of Qortal. | ||
- | With a vision of a platform designed to outlive us all, the current | + | With a vision of a platform designed to outlive us all, the current |
===== Truly Decentralized P2P Trade Portal ===== | ===== Truly Decentralized P2P Trade Portal ===== | ||
Line 99: | Line 104: | ||
The Trade Portal was initially the main service for the Qortal blockchain in a COMPLETELY DECENTRALIZED peer-to-peer (P2P) trade platform. The Trade Portal is built inside the Qortal User Interface (UI) and utilizes portions within the Qortal Core to accomplish its goals. | The Trade Portal was initially the main service for the Qortal blockchain in a COMPLETELY DECENTRALIZED peer-to-peer (P2P) trade platform. The Trade Portal is built inside the Qortal User Interface (UI) and utilizes portions within the Qortal Core to accomplish its goals. | ||
- | Qortal’s Trade Portal aims to remove the need for centralized exchanges and ‘decentralized exchanges’ which riddle the blockchain space with all sorts of flaws. That is not to say that all exchanges which claim to be decentralized are flawed, but surely a majority are. The idea of the Trade Portal is to provide true peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions between buyers and sellers without the need of the middle man by utilizing cross-chain trades in the form of the ‘ACCT’ SmartContract (Atomic Cross Chain Trade). The only authority over a trade taking place is solely between the buyer and seller! The custom trade bot for the buyer and seller automates the multiple stages involved in a true cross-chain trade so that the Trade Portal is as simple to use as any centralized service but without any of the associated risks such as 1) historically these exchanges have been prone to hacks and failure, 2) depositing assets into a wallet or temporarily releasing control of assets during a trade, 3) any need for ID verification or KYC/AML. | + | Qortal’s Trade Portal aims to remove the need for centralized exchanges and ‘decentralized exchanges’ which riddle the blockchain space with all sorts of flaws. That is not to say that all exchanges which claim to be decentralized are flawed, but surely a majority are. The idea of the Trade Portal is to provide true peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions between buyers and sellers without the need of the middle man by utilizing cross-chain trades in the form of the ‘ACCT’ SmartContract (Atomic Cross Chain Trade). The only authority over a trade taking place is solely between the buyer and seller! The custom trade bot for the buyer and seller automates the multiple stages involved in a true cross-chain trade so that the Trade Portal is as simple to use as any centralized service but without any of the associated risks such as 1) historically these exchanges have been prone to hacks and failure, |
- | How can Qortal guarantee no theft can occur within the Trade Portal? Simple. The fact is, the Trade Portal utilizes LOCAL wallets to make trades. At the time of this publication, | + | How can Qortal guarantee no theft can occur within the Trade Portal? Simple. The fact is, the Trade Portal utilizes LOCAL wallets to make trades. At the time of this publication, |
- | The Trade Portal makes use of the ACCT system by the CIYAM developers (http:// | + | The Trade Portal makes use of the ACCT system by the CIYAM developers (https:// |
Initially, native support for only BTC was implemented but found to be too expensive and slow for the time being. LTC was then implemented and has replaced BTC. In other words, BTC trades have been deactivated while the BTC wallet feature remains. There are currently only LTC/QORT markets as of July 2021. Native BTC and LTC support in Qortal allows users to store BTC and LTC in their Qortal UI wallet, just as they would in any other local BTC wallet. Without the need for installation of a separate BTC or LTC wallet! | Initially, native support for only BTC was implemented but found to be too expensive and slow for the time being. LTC was then implemented and has replaced BTC. In other words, BTC trades have been deactivated while the BTC wallet feature remains. There are currently only LTC/QORT markets as of July 2021. Native BTC and LTC support in Qortal allows users to store BTC and LTC in their Qortal UI wallet, just as they would in any other local BTC wallet. Without the need for installation of a separate BTC or LTC wallet! | ||
Line 119: | Line 124: | ||
Qortal will eventually have its own social media platform that allows the world to speak freely and not have their voice censored (unless users are in a certain group and the admins of that specific group wish to censor). No longer will Big Tech’s political agendas dictate and censor the content within our social media outlets. Qortal already offers a basic version ‘Q-Chat’ messaging system which provides anonymous and encrypted communication. This is the tip of the iceberg! | Qortal will eventually have its own social media platform that allows the world to speak freely and not have their voice censored (unless users are in a certain group and the admins of that specific group wish to censor). No longer will Big Tech’s political agendas dictate and censor the content within our social media outlets. Qortal already offers a basic version ‘Q-Chat’ messaging system which provides anonymous and encrypted communication. This is the tip of the iceberg! | ||
- | Qortal also is not looking to compete with other projects and aims to welcome ethical public and private projects of any kind to the chain. Qortal will be able to provide a more secure and ethical backbone for current and future projects to consider building on. Especially with the ability to create tokens for new projects built on-chain or accept payment for services with Qortal’s QORT service coin. Yes, you read that right. Qortal will provide a platform where projects can be built on-chain and also be able to create their own tokens. The creators and admins of these projects will have full control over their apps. The Dev Team will not be able to censor or intervene in any way! | + | Qortal also is not looking to compete with other projects and aims to welcome ethical public and private projects of any kind to the chain. Qortal will be able to provide a more secure and ethical backbone for current and future projects to consider building on. Especially with the ability to create tokens for new projects built on-chain or accept payment for services with Qortal’s QORT service coin. Yes, you read that right. Qortal will provide a platform where projects can be built on-chain and also be able to create their own tokens. The creators and admins of these projects will have full control over their apps. The DevTeam |
Qortal’s asset issuance system is being re-designed and the new concept will allow for coins to be launched ‘fairly’ just like the QORT service coin itself. Any user/group that wishes will be able to issue their own blockchain from within Qortal. This new chain will run side-by-side with the Qortal chain, allowing use of the new chain with the same overall concepts as QORT. A new coin could be launched with its chain being directly used as an application database (since the Qortal blockchain is a SQL compatible database and SQL is the most used database solution for nearly every app on the internet today). The tables of this database can be updated in a similar fashion to the method that Qortal uses for auto-updates to its core versions: a group-approved transaction by a certain on-chain group with a set percentage of the admins of that group needing to approve a transaction, | Qortal’s asset issuance system is being re-designed and the new concept will allow for coins to be launched ‘fairly’ just like the QORT service coin itself. Any user/group that wishes will be able to issue their own blockchain from within Qortal. This new chain will run side-by-side with the Qortal chain, allowing use of the new chain with the same overall concepts as QORT. A new coin could be launched with its chain being directly used as an application database (since the Qortal blockchain is a SQL compatible database and SQL is the most used database solution for nearly every app on the internet today). The tables of this database can be updated in a similar fashion to the method that Qortal uses for auto-updates to its core versions: a group-approved transaction by a certain on-chain group with a set percentage of the admins of that group needing to approve a transaction, | ||
Line 125: | Line 130: | ||
===== Supporting Hardware ===== | ===== Supporting Hardware ===== | ||
- | Qortal allows the average computer to operate as a full node, as well as hardware developed by the core team known as QORTector and QORTable. The QORTector Gen 2 hardware devices utilize Raspberry Pi 4 boards with a customized OS image and only uses 5W/5V power (the equivalent of charging a typical smartphone), | + | Qortal allows the average computer to operate as a full node, as well as hardware developed by the core team known as QORTector and QORTable. The QORTector Gen 2 hardware devices utilize Raspberry Pi 4 boards with a customized OS image and only uses 5W/5V power (the equivalent of charging a typical smartphone), |
The QORTable devices are USB SSDs (Solid-State Drives) with software that allows you to run the Qortal Core and UI without having to install anything on your computer. The core and UI run with your computer' | The QORTable devices are USB SSDs (Solid-State Drives) with software that allows you to run the Qortal Core and UI without having to install anything on your computer. The core and UI run with your computer' | ||
Line 228: | Line 233: | ||
The same key can be used on | The same key can be used on | ||
- | multiple nodes to provide ' | + | multiple nodes to provide ' |
===== Rewards System ===== | ===== Rewards System ===== | ||
Line 280: | Line 284: | ||
===== Censorship or Sanctions For Illicit Activity ===== | ===== Censorship or Sanctions For Illicit Activity ===== | ||
- | Qortal will not be a platform where the Dev Team is permitted to censor content or users in any way. It will be completely up to the admin of a specific Group to manage the content and users in their Group. It will also be completely up to the individual to decide what Groups he/she wishes to take part in and content to view. Although it may seem ideal to have a limited set of guidelines which authorize the Dev Team to remove illicit activity, the concern is that it opens a window for those lines in the sand to bleed into arguably inappropriate censorship such as what we see with Big Tech today! If we give the Dev Team ANY sort of control, it forces an unnecessary obligation to routinely enforce censorship guidelines, which goes against the fundamental principle of Qortal providing the world with true individual sovereignty and freedom from central control! | + | Qortal will not be a platform where the DevTeam |
- | Unfortunately, | + | Unfortunately, |
Qortal aims to create a network individually controlled by its users - with no outside government or third-party control. Instead, the people who contribute to Qortal will increase their account level over time which will then give their voting power more weight. Accounts will have a voting influence factored by 1) the account’s level and 2) the blocks minted count. For example, this means that a new level 1 would have less influence than a level 1, which is about to become a level 2 in terms of blocks minted count. The Founders will have a voting influence equivalent to that of the max account level 10 plus their existing level. Founder accounts still level up based on their block count as other accounts do. The only difference being the ‘F’ assigned to the account which gives these accounts specific ability to sponsor and their weighted influence in the Voting System. When the first account in the system reaches level 10, the Founder’s weighted vote will change to the actual account level plus blocks minted - just like any other account in the system. As other accounts increase their level and associated influence, the Founder’s voting influence will diminish into a fair system with less founder voting weight. The Founders are intended to only have a larger amount of influence during the beginning to ensure the project develops in the intended direction. Thereafter, the network will theoretically have a strong base network and vested members who will share the same interest in Qortal’s ethical success. When the first account in the system reaches level 9, the Founders will no longer earn the level 9+10 block reward portion. Founders will only then receive a 5% block reward. | Qortal aims to create a network individually controlled by its users - with no outside government or third-party control. Instead, the people who contribute to Qortal will increase their account level over time which will then give their voting power more weight. Accounts will have a voting influence factored by 1) the account’s level and 2) the blocks minted count. For example, this means that a new level 1 would have less influence than a level 1, which is about to become a level 2 in terms of blocks minted count. The Founders will have a voting influence equivalent to that of the max account level 10 plus their existing level. Founder accounts still level up based on their block count as other accounts do. The only difference being the ‘F’ assigned to the account which gives these accounts specific ability to sponsor and their weighted influence in the Voting System. When the first account in the system reaches level 10, the Founder’s weighted vote will change to the actual account level plus blocks minted - just like any other account in the system. As other accounts increase their level and associated influence, the Founder’s voting influence will diminish into a fair system with less founder voting weight. The Founders are intended to only have a larger amount of influence during the beginning to ensure the project develops in the intended direction. Thereafter, the network will theoretically have a strong base network and vested members who will share the same interest in Qortal’s ethical success. When the first account in the system reaches level 9, the Founders will no longer earn the level 9+10 block reward portion. Founders will only then receive a 5% block reward. | ||
Line 375: | Line 379: | ||
===== Future Applications & UI Plugins ===== | ===== Future Applications & UI Plugins ===== | ||
- | The options below could be built now to be utilized on the Qortal Network. These options could be built by any member of the community in coordination with the current lead developers or by the current lead development team themselves in due time. Funding and availability of the Dev Team are extremely limited at this time so things are moving along slower than they could be with proper funding. With a small amount of effort the following ideas may be created within a short time: | + | The options below could be built now to be utilized on the Qortal Network. These options could be built by any member of the community in coordination with the current lead developers or by the current lead development team themselves in due time. Funding and availability of the DevTeam |
**Qortal-Authorized UI Plugins:** Using the existing authentication system Qortal has in place, a plugin could be developed that would be self-installed after the initial UI installation could be created. This plugin would show up just like all of the ‘default plugins’ in the UI, but would do so after being installed by the user looking to make use of the plugin. | **Qortal-Authorized UI Plugins:** Using the existing authentication system Qortal has in place, a plugin could be developed that would be self-installed after the initial UI installation could be created. This plugin would show up just like all of the ‘default plugins’ in the UI, but would do so after being installed by the user looking to make use of the plugin. | ||
Line 382: | Line 386: | ||
**Qortal-Authorized Web Apps:** Should any developer decide to, they may create a web application making use of Qortal as authentication. Any application that requires authentication for users to accomplish actions within the app could utilize Qortal for said authentication. Just as the applications that make use of other blockchains do, they may make use of Qortal in a similar fashion. The application could be built without the need for registration, | **Qortal-Authorized Web Apps:** Should any developer decide to, they may create a web application making use of Qortal as authentication. Any application that requires authentication for users to accomplish actions within the app could utilize Qortal for said authentication. Just as the applications that make use of other blockchains do, they may make use of Qortal in a similar fashion. The application could be built without the need for registration, | ||
- | Android Node Phone App: Virtually any type of Android device will be able to operate as a minter node in the future once the Dev Team implements a ‘top-only sync method’ (lite node’ option). That being said, it is possible at the present time to run an Android device as a full node since the Core is written in Java, but isn’t feasible for most people, as it requires quite a bit of customization to operate correctly at the code level. | + | Android Node Phone App: Virtually any type of Android device will be able to operate as a minter node in the future once the DevTeam |
===== The Dev Fund ===== | ===== The Dev Fund ===== | ||
- | A separate account has been allocated to act as a Dev Fund. An ‘extra’ Founder account has also been created for use by the dev team to establish partnerships, | + | A separate account has been allocated to act as a Dev Fund. An ‘extra’ Founder account has also been created for use by the DevTeam |
Unfortunately, | Unfortunately, | ||
Line 417: | Line 421: | ||
Website: https:// | Website: https:// | ||
- | Wiki: http:// | + | Wiki: https:// |
- | Qortal Core Download: https:// | + | Qortal Core Download: https:// |
- | Qortal UI Download: https:// | + | Qortal UI Download: https:// |
Discord: https:// | Discord: https:// |