spaceship

what is this?

spaceship is a reference design for interaction patterns in decentralised cryptographically secure network spaces (cypherspaces).

the goal is to produce a design (and reference interface) that any cypherspace should be able to provide for, and be measured against.

contents

• motivation
• spaceship-schema: a document describing the basic building blocks of the design and how they relate.
• spaceship-engines: a document describing the basic "API-like" functions needed to realise the schema.
• ☐ TODO: reference engine implementations in:
  • ☐ scuttlebot
  • ☐ hyperdrive/swarmbot
  • ☐ onionspace/tor
  • ☐ hydra
  • ☐ orbit-db/ipfs
  • ??

prototypes and examples

• git-ssb

in fact this is a very interesting example, because git itself is a tool for producing different subjective views of a decentralised network of data!

• tor browser (thru hidden services only)

why all this space junk?

space junk is a real problem.

ok really, it's because deep space is a domain you imagine as drastically different from where you are (at least at the time of this commit). space is a new place, with new rules, which is good motivation to rethink things.

in other words, this is about engineering safe communication spaces, as free from prior context as possible.

it's easier to imagine such things if you can travel through space. you can imagine new technologies and modes of interaction compeltely independent from earthbound structure.

fiction and fact about space are full of old and new ideas about technologies and mechanisms. basic communication and interaction over astronomical distances, without a governing central authority, are also imaginable as the lifeblood of space-based society.

it's also a simple metaphor for judging approaches in the long-term. a centralised communication system that finds ways of locking you and your data in forever is like a black hole. on the other hand, an endless succession of non-interoperable alternative networks and secure messaging systems resembles, in the extreme, an expanding universe that eventually renders communication impossible.

and anyway, space is really cool.

the design is abstract and confusing...

the goal is to design and build something extremely minimal and generic, independent of underlying network structure. naturally this means something more abstract than most assumptions brought in from some the everyday life of some particular set of people.

saying that, it should be useful--spaceship's design should lead you toward relatable interactions and experiences. please feel welcome to submit an issue or pull request if you think something is missing or needs changing.