Post
Topic
Board Altcoin Discussion
Re: XMR/AEON Developer Smooth Investigation
by
smooth
on 13/08/2015, 19:04:00 UTC
Sorry for asking this, but could somebody tell me
What are real "inventions/software inventions" in XMR and/or AEON? Or are they just a copy of some other coinbase.
Because real coders know how things work and not just code a new GUI or something like that, they make the code better, improve and develope new things.

This is veering off topic and I'm going to respect that even on this troll thread, but in short Monero has done an enormous amount of work to improve the code. I think fluffypony posted that something like 100K lines of code had been added or rewritten (I don't know the exact numbers). I know there have been >1000 commits in the main repo (and unlike the repos such as bitcoin forks, this does not include upstream commits -- that's 1000 actual Monero commits) plus the repos. Monero has also produced four MRL research reports, plus a few other mathy documents.

AEON is a much smaller and newer project in practical terms, as we've only been working on it for a few months with me as the only coder, part-time (we also have another team member but he is not a coder), I'm the only coder. In that time, there is a modified proof of work algorithm and slower block time (with a hard fork implemented to change these with zero observed disruption of the network), better connection management in the p2p, portability cleanups for low end hardware (some of these are from Monero, others will be pulled back up to Monero), some optimizations of speed and storage. AEON also addressed, in a novel way, the anonymity problems revealed by MRL-0001. In fact AEON likely has the strongest deployed anonymity of any coin today (aside from the important fact of not having much use which makes the anonymity sets small), though eventually Monero will get there too.

Better to follow up on the Monero/AEON threads please if you wan more detail.

Smooth wouldn't be on point if you decided to share with us your personal motivation for taking on AEON (given you've been accused of doing it just to capture microcap vs. small cap growth rate advantage)? If you feel that is your private affairs, then my apologies in advance. No obligation to share that. Personally I am curious to know. Are you experimenting with new tech? Scratching your coding itch? Or what? Perhaps you've already stated it else where but I don't have time to search for it.

Here are some comments I have written on the rule and purpose of AEON, as well as the history and management of its donation fund. I'm pretty sure there is also a related post on bitcointalk but I couldn't find it so I'll add that if I come across it later.

Quote from: reddit

Q (coretroll): It seems like a conflict of interest, unless AEON will target a distinct niche (such as running a node on a smartphone) for which Monero would not be suitable. On the other hand, having another trustworthy, fairly-launched cryptonote coin may serve as a hedge against certain kinds of failure, much as litecoin can serve as hedge for bitcoin.
 
A (smooth): AEON is certainly targeting running a node on a smartphone, but I don't think it is possible to completely rule out Monero (someday) doing that too.
As answered above by others the idea is to do experimental and perhaps even stupid things. Some of them may be adopted by Monero in time, others may not.
Also, as I said earlier in Monero's history when the clones were first appearing, what makes a coin stronger is defeating clones. (I reject the idea of expecting to stop cloning by trash talking clones or cloning, as Adam for example tries to do.) Every coin so defeated serves as credible evidence that the community, process, and technology of the original is sufficiently fit.
So you can think of AEON as a sparring partner to keep Monero healthy and strong. Smiley

Quote from: reddit


Q (americanpegasus): If I see this, I will report on it. For my money, I am still supporting Monero.
I personally feel that anyone holding 400k of a future-minded currency, especially a dev, could be considered a little excessive (that's over 2% of a currency.... akin to a small premine).
I would say I would have felt more comfortable with smooth outright taking a 3%-5% premine, but I'm not too worried.
Monero remains the first viable implementation of cryptonote, giving it true anonymity, and that along with continuing development is what we have to go off of. Bitcoin was the first viable implementation of a transparent blockchain and litecoin didn't suddenly dethrone it, did it?
I feel the situation is the same and am not currently concerned.

A (smooth): Yes I'm technically holding the 400k donation fund, but:
It was voluntarily donated by coin holders who felt it was a good idea to fund development, there was no premine setup or other manipulation on my part. All I did was create a fund and ask people to donate to it. They felt it was a good use for their coins. The fund continues to be open for any and all voluntary donations, just as with the equivalent Monero donation fund. How is that in any way a bad thing?
I've already stated that all members of the development team, including me, will be subject to some sort of vesting rule (with details tbd, but the intent is a period of years). Which is to say that if I quit the project before that time, I won't keep the coins, I will either burn them or pass them on to the new developer.
At this point the coins, other than a small minority used for bounties and such, are just being held in safekeeping pending decisions on what to do with them.
Responding to the parent post, the two coins do not have the same features. As of next week, AEON has a different proof-of-work, and a slower block time. There will be additional differences soon thereafter. As I said elsewhere I have no objection to any and all features being ported back upstream, and I'd even do the work if they are features the Monero community wants.
Finally, no one is "heavy" into AEON. The total market cap (based on OTC) is something like 100K XMR or 60K USD (and the donation fund is maybe 8K XMR or 4.8K USD). People making a big deal about any of this are being hyperbolic or deliberately trolling.