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ENS DAO Newsletter #44

09/26/23

ENS DAO Newsletter #44 — 09/26/2023

📰 Newsletter Roundup (tl;dr)

  • ENS Labs Update: frENSday, Humanitarian Aid, ETHGlobal Recap

  • Community Updates All-In Summit, Encode Hackathon, Happy Hour

  • Meta-Governance: September Voting Period to Commence

  • Public Goods: Exploring ZK Proofs and P256 Implementations

  • Ecosystem: Project Highlights: Kiwi News & Streamlining Queries

☀️ Welcome!

Welcome to the ENS DAO Newsletter:

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🗓 Calendar

Refer to ENS DAO Calendar for ENS DAO working group calls and other events.

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🚩 Upcoming Events

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🗳️ Recent Proposals

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ENS Labs Updates

ENS Names Powers IRC’s Rescue Aid Response in Libya

In the wake of Storm Daniel, Libya faces a catastrophic humanitarian situation with over 3,000 lives lost, whole neighborhoods washed away, and over 34,000 people displaced. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is actively working to offer healthcare and protection to those affected in this challenging situation. ENS Labs has partnered with IRC, demonstrating a real-world use case on how cryptocurrency paired with ENS names can benefit humanitarian efforts, making the donation process faster and more straightforward to meet immediate needs effectively. Through blockchain technology, ENS Labs and IRC show how digital tools can be pivotal in crises. The global community can support IRC’s work in Libya by promptly donating cryptocurrency at rescueorg.eth. — 09.13.23 

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ENS Labs Announces frENSday Conference at Devconnect

On Monday, November 13, the vibrant city of Istanbul will host the inaugural frENSday ENS conference at the Istanbul Congress Center (ICEC), in tandem with DevConnect 2023. This special event is designed to strengthen collaboration in the Ethereum ecosystem, highlighting the successes of the Ethereum Name Service and its frENS. It emphasizes the importance of key ecosystem partnerships and stands as a tribute to visionaries bridging the gap between Web2 and Web3. (There’s chatter about big names like Vitalik.eth gracing the stage, too.) To learn more about how to participate and/or partnership opportunities, enthusiasts can visit frensday.ens.domains. — 09.18.23 

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Recap: ENS Labs presenting at DappConn

GnosisDAO organized DappCon, a global developer conference for Ethereum Dapps and Infrastructure, held at the radialsystem in Berlin. Since its inception, Gnosis has consistently hosted DappCon, making it an essential event for developers and blockchain professionals. The conference serves as a networking platform and a venue for updating attendees on Ethereum’s latest trends. Berlin is recognized as a significant hub of innovation in the Ethereumverse, underscoring DappCon’s prominence. A standout feature of the conference was the evident presence and involvement of ENS, with presentations such as the one by Tanrikulu.eth on the CCIP callbackFunction, which detailed the retrieval of off-chain data from a Gateway URL. Watch a highlight reel here. — 09.12.23 

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Recap: ETHGlobal New York City

ETHGlobal New York saw a remarkable turnout, hosting 1400 attendees from 49 countries, including 950 hackers, with a striking 33% being introduced to the web3 world. ENS Labs made a significant mark at the event. Representatives such as gregskril.eth, matoken.eth, and Ξsk3nder.eth graced the occasion, with gregskril.eth spearheading a detailed workshop at the @ETHGlobalny hackathon, elaborating on the expansive potential of ENS and the transformative impact it could have on the web3 ecosystem. The event’s culmination was marked by the distribution of a $10,000 prize pool to innovative projects. — 09.24.23 

Winners:

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184.eth Joins the Core Team

ENS Labs warmly welcomed @184.eth as their new Support Lead. An esteemed member of the community and a moderator for the ENS Discord, 184.eth’s profound understanding of the protocol stands as a significant asset to both the team and the broader community. With a deep passion for the decentralized protocol’s potential, he is eager to further support the crypto community in this exciting new capacity.  — 09.12.23 

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ENS at ETHMilan

ETHMilan is set to take place through October 5-6. The conference has announced Tanrikulu.eth, a core ENS developer, as their latest speaker to address the infrastructure track. Interested participants can secure their spot by visiting http://ethmilan.xyz. — 09.20.23 

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⭐️ ENS Guide

ENS allows users to associate avatars with their ENS names, enhancing personalization. These avatars can be a straightforward picture or can be represented using other NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens). To set an avatar, users should visit the ENS Manager App, connecting with the designated wallet for their ENS name. After selecting the intended ENS name and accessing profile settings, a camera icon provides a submenu for avatar settings. Users can either upload an image directly from their computer or choose an NFT from their wallet. After cropping, signing, and uploading the image, it’s crucial to save and confirm the changes, then proceed to sign a blockchain transaction to finalize the update. Once completed, the avatar becomes visible on the ENS name page. It can be viewed on platforms like the ENS Manager App and Uniswap, while OpenSea showcases it differently. For a detailed walkthrough and troubleshooting, visit ENS’s support page. — 09.15.23 

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ENS Media Alerts

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Community Updates

Namestone: What is ENS?

In a recent blog post, NameStone, a B2B company specializing in providing gasless ENS subnames, provided a comprehensive overview of the ENS. They acknowledged that understanding ENS can be challenging for crypto newcomers. At its core, ENS is like a “web3 version” of the traditional Domain Name System (DNS), converting lengthy Ethereum addresses into easily recognizable names ending in “.eth”. These names aren’t just domains but are considered entire social identities, thanks to the data they can store. Operating as ERC721 NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens), ENS names offer various advantages, from decentralized ownership to enhanced user experiences in decentralized applications. A notable feature is the ability to have offchain ENS subdomains, which are cost-effective and offer immense potential for both personal and business applications. Those interested in the broader potential of ENS can learn more through NameStone’s blog. — 09.14.23 

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NameSys Updates

NameSys announced the launch of its v1.1. Including new features like the inclusion of an array of new records such as Address (ETH), Address (BTC), Avatar, Contenthash, and several others. Users can opt for a custom HTTP Gateway for records storage, which facilitates faster resolution. NameSys provides its own HTTP Gateway, enabling users to save on gas expenses by migrating the Resolver through a single transaction. Stealth Payments, allow encrypted interactions between two users via their unique RSA (2048 BITS) public key records (ie. Bob can issue an encrypted invoice to Alice, who can decrypt and fulfill the invoice). According to their update when juxtaposed with UmbraCash, NameSys’s method is 99% more economical and assures heightened privacy by eliminating on-chain logs. The team conveyed their gratitude to the ENS DAO for their unwavering support through the Ecosystem Grant and welcomed any questions or comments from the community. — 09.11.23 

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Encode Club: Hackathon Summary

The Future of Blockchain University Hackathon, an event that brought together a dynamic community of university students and researchers to innovate in the realm of blockchain, had ENS as one of its esteemed sponsors. This four-week online hackathon, which began with a spirited launch event on 31st July, was enriched with technical workshops, among which “Integrating ENS: Identity in Your Apps” and “Scaling ENS: Offchain and L2 Names with CCIP Read” stood out. These sessions underscored the significant role ENS played in guiding participants to understand the potential of Ethereum Name Service integrations. In addition to providing mentorship and educational insights, ENS further championed innovation by offering bounties, with awards going to exceptional projects like Avalon as the “Best Project Using ENS as Usernames”, and Loyo, which earned accolades for the “Most Interesting Use of ENS”. Such initiatives by ENS not only amplified the hackathon’s impact but also exemplified its commitment to nurturing the next generation of blockchain innovators. — 09.15.23 

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1W3.eth: ENS Records API

1W3 recently unveiled their newest OS project on GitHub: the ENS Domains records API. This project presents a straightforward Node.js application that functions as a JSON API, utilizing the ENSjs library. Users can easily retrieve ENS records in JSON format by simply inputting the ENS name into the URL. The enthusiasm surrounding the launch underscores the potential utility and convenience of this tool for developers and users alike. — 09.20.23 

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Chrome Extension: ENS Domains on Basescan

Backseats.eth, the team behind Contract Reader, a platform that offers an intuitive method for auditing smart contracts, has developed a Chrome extension that enhances the user experience on Basescan. This extension identifies Mainnet ENS addresses and seamlessly integrates them onto both Transaction and Address pages of Basescan. It achieves this by looking up the address or the from field on Mainnet, checking for an associated ENS address, and then overlaying the same ENS badge from Etherscan onto Basescan. Recognizing the security implications of Chrome extensions given their ability to inject code, backseats.eth has made the extension open source, ensuring transparency and allowing users to verify its safety. This innovation is just another example of their commitment to enhancing the Ethereum ecosystem, as evidenced by their core offering, ContractReader.io, which supports Base and is touted as the optimal solution for comprehending smart contracts. — 09.19.23 

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All-In Summit Recap: Brian Armstrong Discusses ENS

At the All-In Summit, a gathering orchestrated by industry titans and avid poker enthusiasts Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, David Sacks, and David Friedberg, a notable discussion transpired ENS. The Summit is a melting pot where economic, tech, political, and social themes blend with the playful spirit of poker. Jason Calacanis posed a direct question to Brian Armstrong, the CEO of Coinbase, prompting him to shed light on ENS. Armstrong explained, “ENS is the Ethereum Name System. It’s a decentralized identity, so you can control your own information online.” This brief yet potent snippet offers a glimpse into the broader conversation about decentralized identities and the revolutionary potential of ENS domains. The mention by such a heavyweight in the cryptocurrency space underscores the growing importance and recognition of decentralized online identities. Watch the clip here. — 09.21.23 

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ETHGlobal New York: ENS Happy Hour

At Pearl Alley, a scenic spot boasting captivating river views and a selection of light bites accompanied by spirits, “frENS” convened to discuss the ever-evolving world of ENS. Such events are instrumental in transitioning the bonds formed in the digital realm to tangible, real-life connections. The atmosphere at the ETHGlobal New York ENS event was palpably vibrant, drawing gratitude from many attendees. Organizational credit goes to the DAO secretary and event manager, @limes.eth, whose meticulous planning ensured the event’s success. As a token of appreciation, attendees were endowed with a unique NFT, a creation by the talented Axek Designs (available for commission), renowned for their exceptional POAP designs for the DAO. Those interested can view this exclusive NFT via the provided link, and Axek’s impressive portfolio can be explored on Behance. — 09.23.23 

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Write.link: Decentralized Blogging Service

In response to the challenges of a centralized internet where user data is often commodified and content longevity is uncertain, “write.link” has launched a pioneering decentralized blogging platform, seeking to empower writers in the digital age. Accessible via its website and promoted on its X account, the platform is deeply integrated with ENS domains, showcasing its commitment to the decentralized web while also allowing writers to receive payments directly through these domains. Additionally, write.link boasts a suite of tools tailored to contemporary writers: from customizable SEO options and diverse blog templates to integrated analytics and social media sharing features. The platform even embraces community engagement with decentralized chat systems. To further enhance its offerings, write.link has made a grant request aimed at advancing their platform through robust research and development, including refining its editor, AI features, and ensuring scalability. Read more on the forum. —09.15.23 

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Community Discussion: Pairwise Voting

In recent observations of DAO voting mechanisms, @Zeptimus has pointed out that conviction voting within ENS Small Grants has shown potential inefficiencies in fund allocation. They’ve introduced Pairwise Voting—an innovative mechanism aiming to streamline decisions and bolster participation. Designed akin to a Tinder-style interface, voters are presented with a choice between two projects, simplifying the otherwise daunting process of choosing from numerous proposals. This ensures all projects get a fair shot, sidestepping the common issue of voters gravitating towards familiar options. Using an ELO system, proposals are ranked based on voters’ preferences. Once rankings are established, there’s a provision to revise votes, adding a personal touch to the process, a feature in the pipeline for Optimism. For ENS Small Grants, Pairwise can redefine fund allocation. It could endorse rank choice voting, with the top projects earning ETH. Alternatively, if a project wins a vote against another, it secures a percentage of the total grant, ensuring a fair distribution based on collective preference. @Nick.eth has indicated their interest in having the DAO experiment with this method, too. — 09.13.23 

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Community Proposal: ENS on Swarm

In a recent proposal titled “ENS on Swarm”, @costgallo introduced an off-chain solution for the Ethereum Name Service (ENS) on the P2P storage network, Swarm. The approach addresses challenges like high operational fees and service availability by proposing a decentralized off-chain resolver for name resolution. The system uses “Identity Addressing” via the Single Owner Chunk (SOC) from Swarm, enabling users to securely address and upload data based on their Ethereum address. By allowing records to be uploaded and versioned off-chain, it provides a faster, cost-effective alternative to the existing on-chain process. Furthermore, the proposal suggests possible data structures for streamlined subdomain handling and emphasizes the need for JavaScript developers familiar with ENS and Swarm for implementation. This new paradigm promises a more efficient, trustworthy, and decentralized name resolution system. — 09.15.23 

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Working Group Bulletin

Q3/Q4 Lead Working Group Stewards + Secretary Appointment

Appointments:

  • Meta Governance - @katherine.eth

  • ENS Ecosystem - @slobo.eth

  • Public Goods - @coltron.eth

  • DAO Secretary - @limes

The responsibilities of the Lead Stewards & Secretary are set out in Rule 9.8 and Rule 9.9 of the Working Group Rules.

ENS DAO Working Group Schedule (Q3/Q4 2023):

Note: Working Group Budgets for Q3/Q4 are linked within each respective row.

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Meta-Governance

The Meta-Governance working group hosted its weekly meetings on September 12th, 2023 and September 19th, 2023:

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September DAO Voting Window

Proposals under discussion in the governance forum are set for a vote on September 28th. Notably, executable proposals have a voting duration of seven days, while social ones last five days. This structured voting timeframe was initiated based on delegate feedback aimed at simplifying voting periods, thereby making it less demanding for delegates. The Meta-Governance team is overseeing the scheduling of these votes. Some proposals are yet to be finalized, with updates anticipated as the month closes.

Two expected executable proposals are:

  1. Allocating the second segment of the endowment, consisting of 16,000 ETH, from the ENS DAO to the ENS Endowment run by Karpatkey.

  2. Proposing refunds for costs related to .eth names, which might be impacted due to changes in the name normalization standard.

Additionally, there’s a potential social proposal concerning a vulnerability wherein a malevolent DAO update might decrease the registration term of .eth 2LDs. The outcome of this social vote will gauge the community’s stance on proposed contractual changes meant to address this issue. This voting approach is based on past feedback, and the organizers continue to invite more suggestions and opinions for improvement. — 09.20.23 

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Meta-Governance Seeks to Establish Own Proposal Submission Method

The Meta-Governance Working Group (MetaGov WG) is actively addressing its existing reliance on nick.eth for proposal submissions by considering more autonomous methods. Discussions have centered on allocating specific tokens for this purpose, with a suggestion for the MetaGov pod to receive 100k $ENS Governance tokens directed to a dedicated multisig. Further deliberations included the potential adoption of a governor module upgrade for staking and the implications of the Working Group acting as a ‘delegate’. Additionally, the anticipated multidelegate contract might offer innovative solutions for proposal management. These ongoing discussions underscore the group’s commitment to enhancing its governance processes. — 09.20.23 

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Note: view the August Endowment report, prepared by @karpatkey here.

Public Goods

The Public Goods working group hosted its weekly meeting on September 12th, 2023:

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Exploring ZK Proofs and P256 Implementations

The ENS DAO Public Goods Working Group has continued their focus on Zero-Knowledge (ZK) methods and the P256 implementation. Their interest in this area is fueled by a collective aim to understand and facilitate improved blockchain scalability and privacy.

@Coltron.eth, recently participated in the “funding the commons” event. He returned with insights, having engaged with multiple projects at the forefront of this domain.

Here’s a brief overview of some of the notable projects and platforms he discussed:

  1. Privacy + Scaling Explorations: One platform that particularly caught the group’s attention was pse.dev. This platform is deeply engaged in researching methods to enhance both the privacy and scalability of blockchain technologies. By combining these two focus areas, they aim to bring about a revolution in how blockchain technologies are perceived and utilized.

  2. noseedphrases.xyz: Another intriguing project highlighted by Coltron. While the specifics of its function and purpose remain a topic of exploration, it is evident that it holds potential significance in the context of public goods and blockchain advancement.

  3. ZK WebAuthn: This is a fascinating initiative that’s employing Zero-Knowledge proofs in the authentication space. Given the ubiquitous nature of web authentication processes today, integrating ZK methods can drastically bolster security and privacy for users.

A significant reference that the working group is currently studying is a paper published by Ledger. This paper illuminates the potential of a decrease in gas costs for p256 signature verification. Such a reduction can pave the way for more efficient and economical blockchain operations.

Furthermore, there is a growing buzz around “Speeding up elliptic computations for Ethereum Account Abstraction.” This topic, although technically dense, holds the potential to redefine how computations on the Ethereum blockchain are handled, making them more efficient and faster. — 09.12.23 

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Ecosystem

The Ecosystem working group hosted its weekly meetings on September 14th, 2023 and September 21st, 2023:

Note: The ENS Ecosystem Working Group offers rolling grants, and applicants can apply anytime. The evaluation process takes around four weeks, and unsuccessful applicants are welcome to reapply in the future.

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Project Highlights: Kiwi News

Last week, Kiwi News, a groundbreaking web3 alternative to the tech-centric platform, Hackernews, was unveiled by its creators, Tim Daub and Mac Budkowski. Unlike traditional news websites, Kiwi News integrates pioneering features like ‘Sign in with Ethereum’ for user login and incorporates ENS for streamlined account data management. An intriguing aspect of the site was the leaderboard that spotlighted profiles with the highest number of upvoted posts. The platform’s foundation rests on an open, decentralized peer-to-peer protocol, a feature elaborated in their Protocol Guide. With its promising attributes, Kiwi News has set its sights on the upcoming Small Grants round, soliciting the community’s support and votes. Moreover, the community had a golden opportunity to delve deeper into the project’s nuances as the team presented at the Protocol Berg event in Berlin on September 15, 2023. — 09.14.23 

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Streamlining Queries

@Limes is in the process of launching a new email address dedicated to ENS domain inquiries. This move aims to streamline communication and ensure that all ENS-related queries are addressed promptly and efficiently. To ensure organization and proper delegation, the email account will be under the supervision of the Secretary. They will be responsible for sifting through incoming questions and redirecting them to the relevant parties for resolution. This initiative highlights the Ecosystem Working Group’s commitment to enhancing user experience and improving accessibility for its audience. — 09.21.23 

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Resources

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Thank you very much for reading! Goodbye. 👋🏻

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