Zenon Network Quarterly Update Q2 2024
What the Hell is Going On!?
ZNN Aliens, buckle up! It's time to address the 10-ton extraterrestrial in the room, a.k.a @Chadass.
TLDR: NGMI + HFSP.
Radio Silence
Our last dev update? December 2023. Did someone steal all the keyboards?
Developer meeting? MIA since February 2024. Alien abduction, perhaps?
@Zenon_Network Twitter? Slower than a turtle on heavy schizophrenic medication. At this rate, our next tweet will be about a satellite running znnd, and it will be a retweet from another alien.
To the casual observer, the Network of Momentum might seem more like the Network of Inertia. I mean, 363 days for an end-to-end user flow diagram for PTLCs? Come on! But here's the plot twist - we are actually, legitimately, gaining momentum. Don't believe it? Keep reading.
Acta Non Verba
The motto forever inscribed on-chain seems to be getting a hold of our culture. Here's a reality check: Zenon isn't just another crypto project; it's a cosmic symphony of decentralized complexity. Did someone say self-evolving planetary scale superorganism? Wouldn't be us, that's cringe. We've got more moving parts than an intergalactic Rube Goldberg machine that just toasts bread. Contributors and community members are buzzling like a hive of bees high on meds spamming "wen moon", "wen lambo" each tending to their piece of the ZNN pie. We've observed smart aliens are swapping asparagus ZNN pies for blueberry QSR muffins, by the way, but we digress.
Think of Zenon as the world's most enigmatic bankruptcy-seeking startup. To truly grasp how we got here, we need to shine a spotlight on someone with true alien blood.
Balls of Steel
Remember those long dev updates we all miss? Thank one man: deeZNNutz. This alien isn't just packing the network's heaviest ballsack (we're talking a mind-boggling ~300K ZNN in delegation weight), he is the gravitational pull keeping our dev galaxy from flying apart.
For the new aliens, here's a deeZNNutz NoM highlight reel:
🔥 THORCHad a fortune in QSR to erect multiple pillars.
📚 Birthed Zenon.info, a resource for NoM knowledge and updates.
🦸♂️ The ultimate Zenon multitasker: from wiki Q&A responses while taking a shit to pioneering cross-chain BTC<>ZENON atomic swaps.
🏛️ Built and nurtured forum.zenon.org before passing the torch to @mehowz and zenon.org.
🤖 Discord and Telegram's bot overlord: from the Mr. Kaine quote-spitting !wen bot to a bridge status tracker, and everything else in between.
🔑 Rightfully earned the keys to the NoMverse: inherited admin rights for GitHub, Telegram, Twitter, and zenon.network.
🏢 Founded Nomlabz.org, paving the way for Syrius wallet's software certification and app store publication.
🚀 Spearheaded syriuswallet.com, engaging the community to build a site that meets the standards for app store publication.
📡 Created a Matrix chat to wrangle our scattered dev communications. No more intergalactic game of telephone!
And get this - he juggled all of this while decoding alt account mysteries, diving down green rabbit holes, translating Gen Z-speak, and surviving a terrestrial vehicle collision.
The Alien Trap Society recognizes game when we see it. We're here to amplify deeZNNutz's Herculean efforts to make NoM reach its full potential and shoulder some of that workload.
You only have to read an update every quarter to make it.
Commentary from the ATS has been italicized.
Let's begin.
3... 2... 1...
Network of Momentum Updates
The zenon.network domain name transition to the community is final. We can verify ownership of domain with other entities (CMC, CEXes, etc), generate new routes for content, host email accounts, and more.
The @Zenon_Network X (formerly Twitter) handle has been verified and delegated to trusted community members.
Extra admin rights were granted for the zenon-network GitHub repository, allowing the creation of new sub-repositories, and unlocking other features.
The process of notarizing go-zenon libraries and the s y r i u s wallet is near completion. This will allow you to install s y r i u s and enjoy an embedded node without a pesky security alert dialog. A small step for user experience, a big step for adoption.
Developer accounts to publish the s y r i u s mobile application in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store are already in place.
Ownership of the Telegram channel has been passed from deeZNNutz to Sugoi.
A CEX Fundraising event took place in May. A 6-of-8 multi-signature wallet was formed by community members.
Phase Z
Or is it a reversed N?
A mysterious rebrand of ZenonDAO to Zenon Pillars Alliance has emerged alongside a marketing initiative called 'Phase Z'. Originally accepted by 34 pillars in record time through an Accelerator-Z proposal, it details a planned rollout in stages.
We recognized the need for more pillars to be able to pledge support after the initial proposal had reached quorum. For this reason, we launched the Zenon Pillars Horde, a better looking alliance that obtained 12 YES votes.
Stage 1: Ambassadors
Currently live and accepting any X and Telegram KOLs looking to earn $ZNN and $QSR in a purely performance-based marketing initiative.
We've received reports of aliens trying to abuse their multiple alts. It worked. They are crazy enough to be maintaining fake Facebook profiles for a decade. There is no protection to this kind of attack. Aliens please develop the necessary decentralized identity solution to combat it.
Stage 2: Incentivized Telegram Mini Apps
Not much information is detailed about this, but it seems very self-explanatory. We can expect to see a ported version of the Syrius chrome extension inside Telegram as a native Mini-App. For aliens, this means a significant upgrade from their text-only ZTS faucets powered by a telegram bot to full-blown web applications inside telegram.
Stage 3: Supernova Release
The extension chain is exiting the testnet phase and finalizing the final touches for a production-ready, EVM-compatible extension chain for Zenon Network. This includes repurposing the current multi-chain technology bridge implementation to transfer ZNN over to xZNN (Supernova's native wrapped ZNN version). Supernova will open the door for easier implementations of current decentralized applications that are EVM compatible. What would we get first? Bagswap? Shaiswap? Or the forgotten Starlight? Maybe what aliens really need is to finally mint our Hales and SaaS NFT collections.
Stage 4: Syrius Mobile Wallet
In the final stages of completion, DrBlaze's creation is a state-of-the-art Syrius mobile wallet for both Android and iOS, that would include not only hardware security but also a slick UX for feeless native NoM transactions and multichain support for EVM-compatible chains.
Stage 5: Bitcoin Merge Mining
An idea mentioned in the original draft Zenon Whitepaper, this phase will enable miners to leverage a custom-built Hauler Stratum V2 component and an embedded contract to redirect hashpower to NoM to earn ZNN rewards. In return, the Network will accrue native BTC for AZ payouts or Bitcoin blockspace acquisition.
And there you have it, Phase N, a comprehensive marketing initiative to increase NoM's user base and attract Bitcoin Miners. We'll go from delegators dumping to miners dumping. Bullish for NoM's BTC Treasury.
Developer Updates
Disclaimer: This section is highly technical. For non-developers, reading the TLDR might be enough.
TLDR: Ultra-geek, cryptography-infused, number go extremely up technology in the making.
Unikernel-z
On April 11, 2024, EovE7Kj , a professor (another one? Prof. Z at least was easy to pronounce... how about Prof. E7?) and seasoned developer with blockchain experience since 2013, introduced the unikernel-z project. This ambitious initiative aims to revolutionize the Network of Momentum (NoM) infrastructure by developing a specialized operating system for running NoM nodes.
The project is divided into three phases: Testnet, zApps, and Adoption. Each phase focuses on different aspects of development, from core components and basic security measures to advanced features and community adoption.
zApps a.k.a Zenon Apps? (Nobody actually knows what it stands for. If you figure it out, please email chadass.honorary.trapped.alien@atsocy.com) were originally introduced in the 2020 Draft Zenon Whitepaper as "a novel design based on unikernels to expand the limits of smart contracts and enable computational tasks".
Unikernel-z promises significant enhancements in scalability, security, and efficiency for the Network of Momentum. By reducing attack surfaces, improving resource efficiency, and enabling adaptive smart contracts, this project could mark a major leap forward in blockchain technology.
The first implementation is live and the community is actively testing and providing feedback. As development progresses, we may see the exploration of various programming languages and paradigms for unikernel and zApp development.
INTERMISSION An underground rumor has been cirulating the ATS. Sumamu and the whole alien dojo of rockstar developers might be working on another Layer-2 for NoM. It is a Turing-complete zero-knowledge general computation scaling solution. It may leverage unikernels for increased speed and security while using Bitcoin as a data-availability layer.
If this is a rumor, it's the most detailed rumor we've ever heard.
Dynamic Plasma
The Zenon Network developers are actively discussing the implementation of Dynamic Plasma, a mechanism designed to address network congestion, transaction prioritization, and spam prevention without introducing traditional fees. The primary proposal, spearheaded by community member @vilkris, involves adjusting plasma costs based on network utilization, implementing a plasma recharge rate to limit sustained transaction throughput, and balancing Proof-of-Work (PoW) and QSR-fused plasma generation. This approach aims to maintain the network's feeless nature while introducing dynamic elements to manage resource allocation more efficiently.
Vilkris's proposed implementation includes several key components. First, a Base Price formula adjusts the cost of plasma based on momentum fullness, targeting half-full momentums to balance efficiency and spam resistance. Second, a recharge rate mechanism limits how quickly accounts can regenerate used plasma, preventing sustained high-volume transactions from a single entity. Third, the proposal suggests dynamically adjusting the difficulty for PoW-generated plasma to maintain a balance between PoW and QSR-fused plasma usage (now that's a mouthful, and still unclear if the technology makes QSR number go up or not, let's keep reading). These elements work together to create a flexible system that can adapt to varying network conditions and usage patterns.
However, the community remains divided on certain aspects of the implementation. Debates continue around whether to implement a recharge mechanism or allow unrestricted plasma usage, how to effectively handle potential spam attacks without compromising network accessibility, and what the appropriate network throughput target should be. Some members (particularly @Chadass) advocate for introducing optional fees for priority transactions or using multiple PoW algorithms to increase attack costs. While there's general agreement that some form of Dynamic Plasma is necessary to prepare for future network growth and potential spam attacks, no final decision has been made. The community is grappling with the balance between implementing a solution quickly and taking more time to develop an optimal approach that aligns with Zenon's long-term vision and technical architecture.
Nothing to add. We are going to the pharmacy to get more aspirins.
Syrius v0.2.1
The flagship cross-chain wallet with an embedded Zenon node has reached version 0.2 and keeps getting better. The list of changes are too many to mention in our newsletter, around 50 issues have been closed, but we invite you to check the GitHub repository. The most significant additions are:
Enhanced privacy by choosing which tokens enter your wallet.
Ledger wallet support
Trusted public nodes
Redesigned UI/UX
Most of the contributions for this release were added by @CryptoFish a.k.a @KingGorrin on GitHub, materializing the Ledger integration, and conducting an incentivized testing phase open to the community. The communication, descriptive issues and pull requests, as well as community engagement throughout this process is quickly raising the standard for other NoM developers.
We don't have a Developer of the Quarter award (yet). But if we did, CryptoFish would have been the undisputed winner.
Syrius Mobile
Back in February 2023, @DrBlaze21, self-described as a tech-savvy entrepreneur, introduced a project to develop a Syrius mobile wallet for both Android and iOS using Flutter technology. The project is near completion and the code has been fully open-sourced. Aliens are encouraged to download the latest APK release and provide feedback to smooth out the rough edges.
One of the focuses for Blaze has been support for best-in-class mobile security. It emphasizes hardware-level security using Android Strongbox and Apple Secure Enclave to protect private keys. Despite the lack of support for Zenon's Ed25519 signature scheme, the proposal utilizes ECDH for encryption and decryption processes, coupled with Argon2 and AES-256-GCM for added security. Key features include secure PIN/passphrase management, biometric authentication, TOTP for sensitive operations, an audit log, and anti-blind signing measures. Additionally, the wallet incorporates advanced mobile security measures such as root/jailbreak detection and runtime application self-protection.
It seems every time we check on Blaze, he is incorporating more and more functionality into the wallet. The latest appears to be support for EVM-compatible chains, allowing users to seamlessly move in and out of the Network of Momentum. At this rate, his job will never be done, and you will never use s y r i u s on your iPhone. How's that for building momentum - get it?
Supernova Extension Chain
Set to be the first Zenon EVM-based extension-chain, leveraging the Cronos codebase with full EVM support and using xZNN as the native gas token. Transaction fees are managed through EIP-1559, burning fees during transactions, and incorporating a gas fee swap mechanism between ZNN and xZNN. Any Pillars looking to deploy a Supernova validator can easily do so following a set of instructions. There is a strong emphasis on setting up secure and efficient validator, sentry, and seed nodes, with community members contributing to the network's stability and performance by providing seed nodes and full archival nodes. Additionally, plans are underway to integrate a fully functional explorer and a seamless bridge interface for ZNN and xZNN swaps.
The project is spearheaded by @alienc0der. There's a dedicated Matrix chat for any pillars looking to run a Supernova validator. Please get in touch with aliencoder or deeZNNutz for more information.
If you feel lonely, and are not afraid to develop strong relationships with random aliens over the internet, join the Supernova validator set. You will be sending and receiving so many messages to make sure everyone performs a simple one line terminal command, you will inevitably start to develop a strong relationship with them.
Multichain Technology Expansion
The state-of-the-art multichain (more like vitalichain for now) technology powering cross-chain solutions for the Network of Momentum is set to add support for Supernova. The Zenon bridge has already incorporated the necessary code to support the extension chain.
The orchestrating layer that powers this technology has recently received an upgrade. It consisted of an RPC endpoint that would allow for easier verification of each orchestrator's status. It is expected to increase uptime and make troubleshooting individual orchestrators easier.
@Sumamu, @sumoshi, sashimi, and company are set to finally add support for more EVM-compatible chains. They have also been working hard on updates for the foundational go-tss and tss-lib technologies. WZNN has been deployed on Optimism, and the list of networks that can be supported include Acala, Algorand, Aptos, Arbitrum, Aurora, Avalanche, Base, BNB Chain, Celo, Ethereum, Fantom, Injective, Karura, Klaytn, Moonbeam, Near, Oasis, Polygon, Sei, Solana, Sui, and XPLA.
Aliens are encouraged to make their voices heard for what chain should be supported first.
We've found the best way to get Sumamu's attention is to shill ZNN on X.
Wallet API
The Zenon Wallet API for .NET, led by CryptoFish, is a cross-platform tool designed for the Zenon Alphanet, enabling operations like blockchain data access, wallet management, and transactions. It's part of a larger guide to help centralized exchanges and other applications integrate ZNN, QSR, and other ZTS smoothly. The API features authentication, role-based authorization, and various utilities, with extensive documentation and support for design, implementation, and testing. Key contributors include CryptoFish, @0x3639 (this is also deeZNNutz, I suggest you start getting used to the Zenon alt game), and @digitalSloth.
The XeggeX exchange has successfully implemented the Wallet API in their backend and listed a ZNN/USDT market. Users can again deposit and withdraw native ZNN into a centralized exchange.
The Zenon Community is taking the Beanie Babies approach to QSR marketing and distribution, keeping it as rare as possible to come by. The rarer, the more decentralized the supply of QSR. Do you know of any Beanie Babies whales? We don't think so. Do not expect a QSR listing anytime soon.
PTLC Demo
The HTLC embedded contract inclusion into NoM was the second (or third, who's keeping count? probably george) Spork (upgrade) in NoM's lifetime. Similarly, a proposal for a PTLC embedded by @George has been chilling on GitHub since March 6th, 2023 awaiting review by other developers (At this point it would be wise to move it to the official Github Artic Code Vault, don't you think?). This week @CryptoFish made public a PTLC demo repository that includes a client implementation of the PTLC embedded contract and instructions on how to deploy and run a private testnet for it. The documentation includes a user flow sequence diagram, showing all the steps that are executed.
As always, deeZNNutz was the first one to test its implementation. The amount of dedication he shows just to see printed output on a terminal needs to be examined.
Mr. Kaine asked for a diagram. George asked for a review. CryptoFish didn't ask for anything. Missed opportunity.
Alien Appreciation ❤️
From the Alien Trap Society, we want to thank each and every contributor helping build out the Network of Momentum. Your work is seriously appreciated.
As a public service, and a friendly reminder, the ATS would like to bring the awareness of our developers to the following seemingly forgotten items:
PTLC User Flow DiagramGovernance Module
P2P Lib Upgrade
Initial Block Download
BTC Interoperability
BTC Interoperability
BTC Interoperability
Ecosystem Updates
Zenon Hub
The creator of our favorite (and only) NoM explorer, @digitalSloth, has been working on an overhaul of Zenon Hub for some time, including a total refactor and reskin. We are not sure what's coming exactly. It already has accounts, alerts, a plasma bot, an API playground, and much more...
What else could it have? We are just hoping he doesn't break the only explorer we have. Aliens considering the legacy explorer.zenon.network still a viable option need to seek medical attention immediately.
Zenon Tools
Vilkris has been very busy doing the needful, the boring work of optimizing go-zenon and thinking about an implementation for dynamic plasma, and still, he has managed to find time to slightly tweak and improve the visual APR circles in zenon.tools.
Yes, we are crazy enough to notice. And we are also crazy enough to notice he removed the Accelerator-Z Votes column from the pillars tab. Even though Anvil, the pillar run by Zenon tools had an almost perfect 100% voting rate. All the lazy Pillar operators thank you for your service.
Zenon Chat
An(other) effort has been made to index the different communication channels used by the Zenon Community.
Regardless of your nationality, ethnicity, food taste, hair color, favorite music genre, preferred style of clothing, political beliefs, religion, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, pet preference, favorite season, favorite hobby, educational background, career choice, travel destinations, favorite book genre, preferred language, sleep schedule, or favorite sport...
We are sure you will be able to find a Zenon channel that meets your needs.
Attribute Link
An innovative tracking and referral system developed by mehowz for the Zenon Network ecosystem. This powerful tool enables precise attribution of user acquisitions and conversions across various marketing channels. By implementing a sophisticated redirect method, Attribute Link ensures that referral IDs are accurately set for first-time visitors, even in the face of browser limitations on background iFrame loading. The goal is to create a data-driven marketing strategy that targets high-net-worth individuals, crypto enthusiasts, and potential investors through multiple distribution channels. With Attribute Link, anyone can measure the effectiveness of different marketing campaigns, calculate return on advertising spend (ROAS), and optimize customer acquisition costs (CAC). This approach allows for the scaling of marketing efforts with confidence, as the system provides valuable insights into user journeys and the performance of various marketing initiatives. By leveraging Attribute Link, mehowz aims to accelerate Zenon Network's growth and adoption while maintaining a profitable and efficient marketing strategy.
wen marketing?
Say no more. Starting this week, mehowz has unleashed SatoshisL1, a focused marketing campaign with a unique angle that leverages the Attribute Link infrastructure.
Conference and Media Appearances
BUILDING NETWORK STATES / BITCOIN EDITION
An Accelerator-Z-sponsored event by @buildcities that is taking place in 5 different locations across the globe: Denver, Dubai, Austin, Brussels, and Nashville. The last event in Nashville will take place Friday, July 26th, 2024. You can catch the video recording from the Denver event if you missed it live.
TMZNN
Like TMZ, but it's aliens instead of celebrities.
Rex's Telegram channel is slowly becoming the main hub for aliens. A masterclass in Gardening has been taking place throughout Q2.
@Stark keeps posting random videos on TikTok. If he makes it, we all make it. Please send content ideas directly to him.
Nobody knows if @Sugoi is doing OK holding the (former) main TG channel. Please reach out to him.
@Zashounet secret mission of infiltrating other communities has backfired. He is now in other communities instead of ours. Who would have thought?
@Bagwing has received an official warning from @Telegram: "Stop uploading AI-generated images of the bagverse".
Thanks for sticking around till the end, whether you read every word or your cat named Zenon stepped on the space bar. We are still converting every click into Plasma.
No, like, really. We made a deal with Brave, we are printing Basic Attention Token with each ad displayed here. Then, we are bridging it from Polygon to Arbitrum, and then to Ethereum. Next, we are using Chadass's ID to pass KYC with a French exchange, and he is kind enough to sell his ZNN for our BAT. Finally, we stake the ZNN, and fuse generated QSR into Plasma.