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@ The Nostr Report
2023-08-20 17:00:47
Happy Sunday #Nostr!
We're very excited to announce that we are partnering with
nostr:npub1r3fwhjpx2njy87f9qxmapjn9neutwh7aeww95e03drkfg45cey4qgl7ex2 to bring you the #NostrTechWeekly newsletter here at the nostr:npub19mduaf5569jx9xz555jcx3v06mvktvtpu0zgk47n4lcpjsz43zzqhj6vzk . A little about him: he’s been on Nostr since January, and he’s a developer that’s been working on Nostr-related projects related to relays.
Our goal here is a weekly newsletter on the more technical happenings in the nostr-verse. Follow the hashtag #NostrTechWeekly to ensure you’re getting the newsletter ASAP!
Lots of activity improving the Nostr protocol this week! Let’s dive in.
## Recent Upgrades to Nostr (NIPs)
#### 1) [Nostr Marketplaces add Shipping Cost](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/711/files?short_path=e389bd4#diff-e389bd48ddd03fc0132da6d38bb30259b84f5a056c25bd6f32c341c991be1af7) 📦
This is a relatively small update to NIP 15 (marketplaces on Nostr); it adds explicit support for shipping cost as part of purchasing items on a marketplace implemented on top of this pattern.
Author: nostr:npub180cvv07tjdrrgpa0j7j7tmnyl2yr6yr7l8j4s3evf6u64th6gkwsyjh6w6
#### 2) [Consolidate core capabilities into NIP 1](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/703/files?short_path=39307f1#diff-39307f1617417657ee9874be314f13aabdc74401b124d0afe8217f2919c9c7d8) ⬇️
NIP 1 is dead simple which is why Nostr was so easy to start developing on. As more folks started developing on Nostr, some functionality was added to the Nostr protocol and codified as subsequent NIPs.
Now they’re all so core to the protocol that nostr:npub180cvv07tjdrrgpa0j7j7tmnyl2yr6yr7l8j4s3evf6u64th6gkwsyjh6w6 has advocated and merged an update that places all the core NIPs as part of NIP 1 since the philosophy is that you can theoretically enjoy decent Nostr experience if your client and relay only implement NIP 1. Now that’s true again!
Author: nostr:npub180cvv07tjdrrgpa0j7j7tmnyl2yr6yr7l8j4s3evf6u64th6gkwsyjh6w6
#### 3) [Mailing Lists](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/691) (Proposed) 💌
NIP 101 is a proposal to formalize a way for Nostr users to subscribe to mailing lists via the Nostr protocol.
Users can publish a specific kind of Nostr event with their email address and the list they want to subscribe to. The email address is encrypted, which means the manager of the mailing list and the subscriber are the only ones with access to the email address. This cuts out third parties used by the author of the newsletter (mailchimp, convertkit, etc).
Could be a neat foundation for a more private, secure, and decentralized newsletter tool to outcompete the existing players.
Author: [KaffinPX](https://github.com/KaffinPX)
#### 4) [NIPs over Nostr](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/704) (Proposed) ♻️
NIP 17 is a proposal to allow people to publish NIPs via Nostr itself. It allows versioning the NIP, being explicit about dependencies, and many other structured details that are missing from the existing repo (which is “just” a collection of Markdown).
Where this goes right is that the Nostr community can adopt NIPs without the blessing of the existing big players that currently manage the NIP repo (which is currently where “approved” NIPs) live.
Where this goes wrong is the difficulty of consensus on something this disorganized. NIPs would no longer be able to take advantage of 1) the tools like Github that help facilitate conversation as well as 2) the shepherding of the early Nostr community by the visionaries that started the movement through some measure of benevolent control of what gets merged into the NIP repo.
Authors: nostr:npub12262qa4uhw7u8gdwlgmntqtv7aye8vdcmvszkqwgs0zchel6mz7s6cgrkj
#### 5) [Gift wrapping events for secrecy](https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/pull/716/files?short_path=790acba#diff-790acba7232977ed9ce7b8ea10d6e5b6d01f9f490571b53837fe21f74fddd962) (Proposed) 🎁
One of the big critiques of standard Nostr DMs is that the message is encrypted but the metadata (from, to, etc) is not. The proposed NIP 59 would allow Nostr users to almost entirely encrypt Nostr events including metadata.
The most obvious use case (and the motivating force) was to create more private and secure DMs. But anywhere where privacy matters on Nostr, gift wrapping Nostr events could help.
Authors: nostr:npub1gcxzte5zlkncx26j68ez60fzkvtkm9e0vrwdcvsjakxf9mu9qewqlfnj5z [Kieran](https://github.com/kieran) [Paul Miller](https://github.com/paulmillr) [Jon Staab](https://github.com/staab)
## Notable projects
#### [Amethyst private DMs](nostr:note1z578d4xg2mpevddtrvzp54h0ee7ldvg4fh65ygczfjvxuxq3dvesgzfgwg)
Amethyst (the client) has taken steps to implement their own version of DMs that are more private that standard Nostr DMs are at the moment. They’re using their own proposed “gift wrapping” NIP 59 (discussed above).
I think this will be a “proof is in the pudding” moment where we’ll see the code in action even before the NIP is adopted. If it works well, it’s hard to imagine NIP 59 won’t be approved.
#### [Favvy (Link in bio)](nostr:note1z27rw86ph8cmx9zvzzp3cn7kd0utuyw68y09lm6dxcdy4djuplgqp3c7yl)
A Nostr-based LinkTree competitor. Favvy allows Nostr users to configure their “link in the bio” page that links out to all the various places that can’t all fit in a profile bio.
It’s Nostr-based so if you control the private key for a Nostr account then you can update that accounts Favvy. Feels elegant.
## Latest conversations
#### [Nostr is the non-dystopian Super](https://tinyurl.com/superappnostr)
WeChat is a [super-app](https://hbr.org/2023/04/are-super-apps-coming-to-the-u-s-market) which can consolidate an entire ecosystem of functionality within a single mobile app. It’s attractive for mobile-first users and authoritarians who see it as an easier way to control users. This phenomenon has been mostly limited to Asian markets but X (formerly Twitter) is working towards the same goal. They claim to want it to be less dystopian, but we aren’t a very trusting community 🙂
Is there a way to build something that has all the advantages of the super app without the dystopian effects of centralization of such critical digital infrastructure?
Enter Nostr. This post by nostr:npub1l2vyh47mk2p0qlsku7hg0vn29faehy9hy34ygaclpn66ukqp3afqutajft (builder of highlighter.com) paints a picture of how Nostr currently has all the basics needed to achieve that dream already.
The Nostr protocol already seems to be evolving into a kind of decentralized, consent-based app store where developers are recreating much of the existing products internet users love, but with a bent towards self-sovereignty, privacy, security, and cutting out middlemen.
It’s a compelling vision. There would be much work to do, and many challenges to solve to keep the spirit of Nostr alive through mass adoption.
## Events
I’ll keep a running list of Nostr-related events that I hear about (in person or virtual).
1. [Nostrasia](https://nostr.world/) Nov 1-3 in Tokyo & Hong Kong
2. [NostrCon](nostr:note1ah9vkqn395rqqqnqpkhzrd2yh9074vhl6gzl2h4rjn2tkdunhksq3ujl3f) Jan 14, 2024 (online only)
If you wanna see something highlighted here just send a DM to nostr:npub1r3fwhjpx2njy87f9qxmapjn9neutwh7aeww95e03drkfg45cey4qgl7ex2
## Until next time 🫡
If I missed anything, or you’re building something I didn’t post about, let me know, DMs welcome.
Stay Classy, Nostr.