[freehaven-dev] a few things

[Nathan Mahn <nmahn@MIT.EDU>]

Hi all.

Ok, I'll start with something I noticed at the meeting today but didn't end
up saying...

When we were talking about introducers, everyone seemed to be including the
trust framework in the setup.  Like, if you don't trust a node's
new-node-picking ability, you don't add that node.  I was under the
impression that, because of how "broadcasts" (heh) and file requests work,
it's important to know all the nodes that all your known nodes are trading
with. So if one node says "here's a new node" and starts trading with it,
everyone else has to at least add it to its db, at least for reference if it
doesn't trust it enough to trade with it.  Maybe that answers my question,
but I just wanted to bring it up.


As for my role in the group, though... I'm glad Brian and Seph [especially]
mentioned that I should be learning stuff while I do things. :)  I wouldn't
mind learning how to use html more effectively, and I think I should be
doing a fair amount of the docs since other people will be busy with more
complex things, but as far as what I'd like to learn, these are some things
I'm guessing I could pick up from this: some crypto (David said this would
be connected to C?), -> more C since I do know some of the fundamentals
since this MUD I'm on is a very hacked version of a C lib, I'd be up for
Perl but today it seemed like Roger would be taking care of all the Perl
himself, and one thing I've been very interested in but haven't found a good
place to start is the whole concept of network protocols.  Now, I don't know
how much will be done with protocols that would allow me to learn much, but
if I'm wrong someone let me know.

Other than that... as for the threat model, I don't really think I'm
inclusive enough in my thinking (if that makes sense) to be good at coming
up with the less obvious possibilities, but again correct me if that doesn't
seem to make sense for creating a threat model.

Sorry if this was rambling, and I'll try to get at least SOME form of a
"What about?" compilation out by Thursday, though I'm mildly hosed until then.

Nathan