October 2016 (IV)

Here, we bring you some of the latest news about Nxt over this past week of October.

DEVELOPMENT

• NRS 1.10.3 available in the AUR Archlinux repository
• NRS 1.10.3 in a Docker Container
• New version NxtLib 1.1.26
• The NSD hasn’t released the code for their Nxt-based Voting Application, yet

NXT IN THE MEDIA

• Steemit.com – Update your Raspberry Pi 3 running as a Nxt node
• Coincidental.eu – Opportune moment to trade ARDR at Poloniex
• Ibtimes.co.uk and newsblockchain.hk – ARDR distribution
• Cryptocoinsnews.com – HitBTC introduces the pair ARDR / BTC
• Econotimes.com – ARDR, the native token of Ardor blockchain
• Euromoney – Central banks and digital currencies

NXT COMMUNITY

• [Pre-announcement] NxtFreemarket
• The Forging Bounty Lottery is ready to give away ARDR
• It’s already possible to buy ARDR / NXT with Euros
• Help needed on Social Media

PRICE EVOLUTION

• Weekly NXT/ARDR price evolution

Below, we give you more details about these news:

DEVELOPMENT

• NRS 1.10.3 available in the AUR Archlinux repository
  

Archlinux users are to be congratulated. Thanks to the efforts of mart-e, who has taken up the job where jones left off. Because of him, the AUR package with the newest Nxt version (1.10.3) is already available in that repository.

As we mentioned in a previous Newsletter in August, Arch User Repository (AUR) is a community-driven repository for Archlinux users. It contains package descriptions (PKGBUILDs) that allow you to compile a package from source with the command makepkg and then install it via pacman. The AUR was created to organize and share new packages from the community and to help expedite popular packages into the community repository.

A good number of new packages that enter the official repositories start in the AUR. In the AUR, users are able to contribute their own package builds (PKGBUILD and related files). The AUR community has the ability to vote for or against packages in the AUR. If a package becomes popular enough, provided that it has a compatible license and good packaging technique, it may be entered into the community repository (directly accessible by pacman or abs).

Source: https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/nxt

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Arch_User_Repository

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• NRS 1.10.3 in a Docker Container

The user chevdor has uploaded the latest NRS 1.10.3 in a Docker open-source container.

Docker is a tool that can package an application and its dependencies in a virtual container that can run on any Linux server. This helps enable flexibility and portability on where the application can run, whether on premises, public cloud, private cloud, bare metal, etc.

#Docker image 1.10.3 released for #NXT.https://t.co/7cE4jDjZNs@NxtCommunity #blockchain pic.twitter.com/62TlsRkTDH

— Will (@chevdor) October 20, 2016

Running NRS in a Docker container could be even easier than running it “the normal way”. It’s specially useful when running Nxt on a VPS: No java required, no download, no specific configuration… Besides this, in spite of being a type of “virtual machine”, it does not decrease performance.

Source: https://nxtforum.org/index.php?topic=9567.msg225757#msg225757

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docker_(software)

https://www.docker.com

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• New version NxtLib 1.1.26

The user NxtSwe has just released the latest version of his opensource library NxtLib 1.1.26. This tool intends to make life easier to those developers that use C# and Visual Basic .Net when using the Nxt API, since it makes the json API into typed .NET objetcs. Currently it supports all json api functions in NRS 1.10.2, .NET framework 4.0 & 4.5 as well as .NET Platform Standard 1.3.

Daniel (AKA NxtSwe) describes the supported features:

• All 245 api functions found in Nxt core client API, with typed request/responses. More info on how to find the functions here.
• Support for local signing of transactions, without having your secret phrase leave your local application. Sample program can be found here.
• Support for local message encryption/decryption/compression/decompression, with full compatibility with NRS messages. Sample program can be found here.
• Support for local token generation and decoding.
• A Password Generator, with support for variable bit strength (128 is default). The same logic and dictionary as NRS is being used.

[vsw id=”jc8BqEKIRjg” source=”youtube” width=”425″ height=”344″ autoplay=”no”]

The latest novelty introduced to NxtLib is the support for local sign and verify bytes for TransferAsset, so that your passphrase won’t be sent to a remote node. This new feature joins all the previous existing ones. It’s therefore not surprising that almost 2,000 users have already downloaded this utility.

Source and more information: https://nxtforum.org/api-discussion/nxtlib-a-typed-net-api-wrapper-for-nxt

Buy an asset using NxtLib, C# and local signing

https://github.com/libertyswede/NxtLib

https://github.com/libertyswede/NxtLib/tree/master/Examples

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• Steemit.com – Update your Raspberry Pi 3 running as a Nxt node
  

Paul Rogers reminds all the readers at the Steemit platform how easy it is to update your Nxt node in a Raspberry Pi to the latest version. Here you can find an extract of the step-by-step sequence described in the article

Updating the software release

1. Stop your node by holding CTRL + C and wait until it shuts down completely
2. Change to the nxt directory if required using the command cd nxt
3. Use the ls command to list all files and directories. It should contain a directory called lib
4. Delete the lib directory using the command rm -r lib
5. Change to the root directory with cd
6. Download nxt-client-1.10.3.zip (or latest version) using the command:
   wget https://bitbucket.org/JeanLucPicard/nxt/downloads/nxt-client-1.10.3.zip
7. Unzip nxt-client-1.10.3.zip using the command unzip nxt-client-1.10.3.zip and overwrite all files by choosing A
8. To start your node use cd ~/nxt and then ./run.sh

Source: https://steemit.com/howto/@paulrogers/how-to-update-your-raspberry-pi-running-as-a-node-for-nxt

If it’s the first time that you run your own node in your Raspberry Pi, you’ll need to modify your nxt.properties file to be eligible to Megalodon’s campaign (AKA The Forging Bounty Lottery). You can get more information about this process by following these links:

“The Forging Bounty Lottery campaign” will pay 5 million in rewards to forgers and Nxt nodes

How To: Set up a Nxt node on a Raspberry Pi 2

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• Coincidental.eu – Opportune moment to trade ARDR at Poloniex

This article on Coincidental.eu alerted that the very same day that the ARDR token was included on the Poloniex platform, Ethereum announced its second hardfork, which could encourage investors to turn their heads around towards other trading possibilities like ARDR, the newcomer.

The text also mentions that Nxt’s decentralized Asset Exchange is the soundest place to watch the correlating price between Nxt and ARDR.

Source: http://coincidental.eu/2016/10/17/perfect-timing-for-ardor-trading-on-poloniex

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• ARDR distribution
  

Ian Allison, writer for the Ibtimes.co.uk magazine, and allwelder for News.blockchain.hk cover, in their respective articles, the snapshotting process that took place in order to distribute ARDR assets among the current NXT holders. This snapshotting process is better for the current Nxt community because the value of NXT isn’t diluted as there is no monetary inflation. The articles also deal with the future behavior of the platforms.

Bas Wisselink: We’ve employed a method where everybody holding NXT would get a stake into the new system.

Dave Pearce: Had we ICO’d it, we probably could have taken down a fairly vast quantity of money, but that would have been at the expense of the entire NXT system and of the guys who have been supporting and working with us.

Sources: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/nxts-ardor-token-distribution-uses-snapshot-existing-value-network-1586778

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/nxts-ardor-token-distribution-uses-111851888.html

http://news.blockchain.hk/nxts-ardor-token-distribution-uses-snapshot-existing-value-network/

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• Cryptocoinsnews – HitBTC introduces the pair ARDR / BTC

This article remarks what we already pointed out last week: ARDR has already been distributed among the HitBTC users who were staking NXT, and now HitBTC opens up the market in its platform to trade the pair ARDR / BTC.

This piece of news, previously announced at its official blog, confirms HitBTC’s support to Ardor. Paul Clarkson, general manager of this exchange, stated:

Nxt has a great technology, reputed team, and tons of followers. The redistribution of Ardor tokens is our way to support the Nxt revolution, and we’re more than glad to do so. We reached out to the Nxt team beforehand to find out how to implement everything correctly, and it was a pleasure to cooperate with them.

The text also describes the new features that Ardor’s blockchain will have, such as unlimited scalability, safe smart transactions, and customizable child chains.

Travin Keith, of the Nxt Foundation, remarks in the article:

Ardor will allow people to utilize blockchain technology without having to worry about the common issues that people face when setting up a blockchain, such as having enough nodes.

Source: https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/hitbtc-launches-ardor-redistributes-ardr-nxt-holders/

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• Econotimes.com – ARDR, the native token of Ardor blockchain

This article at Econotimes.com talks about the snapshot process of the balance of every Nxt account in order to distribute ARDR, which ended some days ago. The text also deals with the future functionality of Ardor’s blockchain, and how it’s going to sort out the intrinsic issues that all the cryptoplatforms show today, such as blockchain bloat, which will be solved by pruning all child chain transactions history every 1440 blocks (about 24h at the current block generation rate).

The article also reminds us that Nxt will be supported as long as it’s needed, so both blockchains will exist in the future.

Source: http://www.econotimes.com/nxt-announces-release-of-ardr–native-token-of-ardor-blockchain-357624

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• Euromoney – Central banks and digital currencies

Dave Pearce, of the Nxt Foundation, takes part in this article written by Solomon Teague for Euromoney.com. In the text, Dave explains why he believes that central banks will ultimately embrace digital currencies, as will the broader financial community, because the technological proposition is too compelling to ignore.

The financial community has been adding layer upon layer of antiquated protocols, some of them dating back to the renaissance. The blockchain allows them to cut through all that.

Source: http://www.euromoney.com/Article/3595010/Celent-calls-on-central-banks-to-issue-their-own-digital-currencies.html?p=1

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NXT COMMUNITY

• [Pre-announcement] Nxt Freemarket

Nxt FreeMarket allows users to trade freely, globally, and privately using the Nxt blockchain to store all items for sale, so there is no centralized service that has your personal information, and there is no single-point of failure for the FreeMarket system. Nxt has a built-in “Digital Goods Store,” but it is not designed to handle physical goods, which require shipping options, special instructions, and photos.

This service has already been working for quite some time, but it seems as if some news were coming. PoofKnuckle announced:

Here is the pre-announcement I promised. The NXT community finds out before everyone else:

Soon, the FreeMarket team will announce our market’s relaunch in a new form, rebuilt with the latest technology and backed by an expanded team, more funding, and a worldwide marketing campaign. Our market will be reborn as the global marketplace you always knew it could be – and our original investors, the FreeMarket asset holders, will become investors in our new, revitalized project.

Don’t miss our announcement and app preview – coming very soon!

Source and more information:https://nxtforum.org/freemarket/pre-announcement/msg225666/?topicseen#msg225666

http://nxtfreemarket.com

https://freemarketlite.cc

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• The Forging Bounty Lottery is ready to give away ARDR

Megalodon announced a few days ago that he’ll start to give away ARDR assets in his forging Bounty Lottery campaign. This week, with the help of lurker10, it has been announced that the script for the raffle is ready and deployed to distribute NXT and ARDR among the Nxt forgers.

Megalodon states:

Forging bounty is now randomly chosen as a “random number of ARDR asset” or a “random number of NXT”. The last 100 record is available at http://192.3.196.10:7876/stats.html

New version of script (bounty-0.7.php) is available in the Nxt Datacloud.
Many thanks to Lurker10 for developing & upgrading the script.

Source: https://nxtforum.org/general-discussion/5-million-nxt-bounty-for-nxt-ardor-forgers/msg225620/#msg225620

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• It’s already possible to buy ARDR / NXT with Euros

The company litebit.eu, based in the Netherlands, was the first to allow buying ARDR using Euros (€). With this, it has become one of the fastest ways to buy ARDR and NXT without having to exchange any other cryptocurrency.

You have to register first, but afterwards, you’ll have a wide range of cryptocoins, such as ARDR and NXT, to choose from that you can purchase with Euros. You can make your payments with iDeal, Sofort, SEPA, or Giropay, among others.

Source: https://www.litebit.eu/en/buy/ardor

https://www.litebit.eu/en/buy/nxt

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• Help needed on Social Media

More and more people are getting interested in Nxt and Ardor. In addition to this, more and more forms of media are available for users to learn and take part in the Nxt Community.

Wolffang states:

Our community is great so lets show it to the world!
http://Reddit.com/r/nxt
http://Reddit.com/r/ardor
http://Reddit.com/r/cryptocurrency

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1518497.msg16597234;topicseen#msg16597234

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=587007.msg16596239;topicseen#msg16596239

http://Twitter.com/nxtcommunity
http://Twitter.com/ardorplatform

http://Facebook.com/nxtcrypto
http://Facebook.com/ardorplatform

http://Poloniex.com/trollbox

For this reason, it’s necessary that, along with the Devs and members of the Nxt Foundation, community members take a step forward and collaborate in giving answers to the newcomers’ concerns. If you are not sure about an answer you want to give to an interested person, feel free to throw it in the group at #social-media-support at Nxtchat’s Slack.

Source: https://nxtforum.org/general-discussion/we-need-your-help-on-social-media!

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PRICE EVOLUTION

• Weekly NXT/ARDR Price Evolution

The following graphic shows the NXT / Bitcoin exchange price at Poloniex for this past week:

The following graphic shows the ARDR / Bitcoin exchange price at Poloniex for this past week:

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