OPEN-SOURCING BLOCKTIVITY
*** EDIT : Not open-source anymore, please read this post ***
I needed some time before getting everything clear in my mind to announce what I would like to do next with Blocktivity ... but let's face it, getting everything clear and well thought with computer stuff will clearly take me years!
So, I'm not going to wait any more and I'll just share with you what I want to do next.
Blocktivity purpose is to clearly display important information, data and metrics about the blockchains. No hype, no FUD, just the raw material to take good decisions when investing.
Until now I have been doing it all by myself but I'm a noob in programming and Blocktivity evolves very slowly.
Blockchains are a technology that enables better human communication and transaction as well as the growth of healthy communities. I would like to do something similar with Blocktivity and make it a community-driven project.
I want to open source Blocktivity.
I don't know the first thing about open sourcing a website but I'm learning on the go. Right now the website is written in HTML, CSS, PHP and it's using a MySQL DB. All done with my basic skills.
My plan was to first switch from that combination to something more JavaScript oriented (back and frontend).
Then, I will open source the project. I'm learning JS to do so, then I would need to understand how to open source on GitHub (probably).
I wanted to announce it after doing all that but I feel it could take much less time if I have some support during this process.
So, that's it ! Let's open source Blocktivity!
I'm looking for people who want to contribute with ideas, opinions. Also helping with some part of the code or guide me through this process of open sourcing, ect ..
I hope Blocktivity can evolve with a nice community of people who believe in Blocktivity and the data it represents. I want it to evolve in a much wider project with more data, metrics, information, charts, analysis, ... maybe I could also open source the @Blocktivity channel on Steemit and include its blogs in the website. There is a lot of things that can be done and I'm open to any good idea.
I have two Telegram channels dedicated to this community and to this process.
Main channel with general conversations : https://t.me/joinchat/BdGiiBJMeTNlrwnImdqbJQ
Dev channel only for conversations about the process of re-writting it in JS and open source it : https://t.me/joinchat/BdGiiA-3Q5LY6QU3GMwepw
Let's have some fun, cheers.
Admirable goals, it will be interesting to see how you manage the evolution. My suggestion is to establish your vision in the form of goals, principles or perhaps a constitution of some type to form a framework for contributions. That will provide a skeleton on which others can build and expand, while maintaining continuity for what you want to achieve.
Otherwise, I fear you may be pulled in many different directions and will be difficult for you to guide the efforts in a way you will be pleased.
Just my $0.02 opinion. Who knows, without any guidance and the right contributors, it might evolve in a way that nobody could've foreseen in something amazingly great may emerge.
I lean more towards planning than to chaos, after all I engineering is in my blood so to speak.
That's an excellent suggestion. I also feel like steering the ship but with a small rudder. Enough to keep the main ideas aligned but also with enough freedom so every good ideas can be added.
All you need to do to open source your project is to use a copy left license. There are a lot to choose from. I suggest taking a little time looking over those and get a feel for what you think would suite you and your project.
GitHub does provide some help there, I believe. But you can put the code on GitHub with an appropriate copy left license and then you are open source. That is all there is too it as far as making it an open source project.
Then of course there is running it...
Cool project. I wish I was a coder, but I'm not. I'm just an open source geek. Sadly, that means I'm just a "user", lol.
Yes, technically your code is open source as soon as you add an approved open source license. Second, you should track your codebase in a git repository and upload it to a public GitHub repository. It's fine, in my opinion, to make the code public before it's perfected, just perhaps make a work-in-progress note in the README. Honestly, with most open source software, the assumption is that it's always in progress.
Copyleft licenses are strict licenses. Personally I prefer more permissive licenses like MIT or BSD 3-Clause. These licenses are less likely to cause incompatibilities. Copyleft (in theory) requires that anyone who changes & distributes the code, must also make their changes public. In practice, it can create legal headaches and discourage reuse.
Anyways, happy to answer any questions.
The main goal for open sourcing blocktivity is to allow anyone to improve from where I am today. I heard so many people wanting to contribute, it felt like the right move.
I didn't dig into the licensing. I though you could simply " track your codebase in a git repository and upload it to a public GitHub repository" and that was it.
I'll dig more into the licensing thing but the simpliest form will be the one.
What is the purpose of the license ? Can't anyone participate or use what I already done without a license saying so ?
Licenses are necessary for reuse due to copyright, which automatically protects original works of authorship such as code. Without a license, default copyright protections apply which can prevent people from copying your code or making any derivatives.
Similar to how it's technically possible to reuse any image you find online, however, it may be copyright infringement unless you get permission from its creator. Open source software licenses essentially grant anyone permission to reuse your code under certain conditions. They also have disclaimers which are important. So if somehow blocktivity causes someone financial loss, you would not be responsible.
Take a look at https://choosealicense.com/no-permission/ for more information the problem of not having a license.
They can. It is just a matter of being protected. If it isn't licensed, the risk is that some other person or company can claim it as theirs and license it such that it is proprietary ie. trademarked.
My opinion, and I wouldn't take it for much is go with the MIT license and don't worry much. In a nutshell, it allows anyone to take it and do what they want with it and you won't have to worry about keeping it free or compatible with other open source license.
Sorry the license thing is kind of a drag when you just want to create.
Good point. I agree 100% MIT is my preference. I guess I didn't differentiate between Copyleft and open.
I wasn't able to write a "Hello world" html page a couple of years earlier. You just have to start there and keep learning what you need to do funny stuff. One day you'll realise you know enough to build a simple website and from there, ... there is no limit. It's also a lot of fun to learn this stuff.
I used to do some coding. Never was much good at it, but I've found that I have a place in the documentary world. I like to show people about open source tools and concepts and tell the stories about the people making them and how they help the world for the better. It is my passion.
Good you have found it ! Life with passions is much more enjoyable, I'm happy for you man and glad your passions can be helpful to mine ;p
Wow!
I admire your ability to learn these skills and create a useful tool that will benefit the Steemit and cryptocurrency community in general.
I am currently invested in a coin called Apollon (xap) which is masternode coin whose use case is a graphic interface allowing people with very little crypto knowledge to buy masternodes on their website with fiat. They are partnering with another company which builds a software component which assesses crypto’s objectively and I think sections of their code may be useful to you. I will look for their information on the Apollon discord and send you their GitHub address if I can find it.
Take care and good luck with your project.
A really good idea!
I have invited you for the Minnow Booster whitelist which gives lots of benefits for quality authors, among which a higher upvote. You can read more about the MB white list on @minnowbooster or read this post.
https://steemit.com/minnowbooster/@minnowbooster/minnowbooster-epic-update-community-whitelist-now-online
If you have any questions you can come to the white list channel in the Minnow Booster discord.
Thank you, I will have a look ;)
Hi @blocktivity!
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Hi @utopian-io, apart from developmental projects, what other project do utopiano-io support? Is there room for academic strides?? Thanks
Cool, thanks, c u on Discord
Hi @blocktivity!
Your post was just upvoted by @utopian-io. We invite you to join our developer community on the Steem blockchain to crowdsource your project development and promotion with Utopian.
Contributing on Utopian
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You vision can help your project grow much faster. Open source projects are the key of the future. And I think some crypto projects will show to the world the real potential of open source. Centralized projects are good in some areas but projects like Wikipedia or your should be open sourced in the first place. Good luck!
Thank you telegraph, first time I do that, lots of things to learn but I'm very pumped !
I really like blocktivity, it's a great website and shows off the true utilization of cryptocurrency networks - the vast majority have lower usage than that you'd expect for their market cap & onling following.
I'm interested in providing these statistics on google assistant - could draw a lot of attention towards the top blocktivity cryptos!
Looking forwards to your open source releases 👍
Cool, good idea, also looking forward open source releases ^^
great news man 💥 happy to see Blocktivity grow... been visiting for some time now, incredibly useful and clean way to see this data, all the best!
Great stuffs you're packaging @blocktivity. I'll be following you to be a part of your projects. Kudos!
Thanks man, good to have passionate people onboard.