ENS DAO Newsletter #44
09/26/23
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 to the ENS DAO Newsletter:
🗓️ New editions — published bi-weekly (Tuesday)
📑 Previous editions are archived on the ENS DAO Governance Forum.
🗳️ New proposals are broadcasted to Telegram.
💬 Submit feedback — tell us what to feature!
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Refer to ENS DAO Calendar for ENS DAO working group calls and other events.
Calendar: Public Access
Calendar: Access with Gmail
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Devconnect: November 13-19
ETHIstanbul: November 17-19
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EP 4.x — Refund .eth names affected by normalization updates
EP 4.x — [Executable] Fund the Endowment (second tranche)
Note: A minimum of 100k $ENS is required to submit an executable proposal. Once a proposal gains momentum, the stewards will prioritize it for a vote during the designated voting window. See ourGovernance Docs for more information.
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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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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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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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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
onthis.xyz ($2500)
Ape-I($2000)
SubnodeSymphony($2000)
Makermeet($1000)
WoW Login($500)
Scrubbie($500)
Web3backers($500)
C3($500)
Airtracker($500)
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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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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 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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Spaces: ENS Radio with XYZ Domains — 09.13.23
Spaces: Digital Identity and Web3 with ENS and XGO ID — 09.13.23
Spaces: ENS Radio with Push Protocol — 09.20.23
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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 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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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 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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.
⚖️ Meta-Governance @ 3PM UTC Tuesday — Google Meet
☀️ Public Goods @ 4pm UTC Tuesday — Google Meet
🌱 ENS Ecosystem @ 4pm UTC Thursday — Google Meet
Note: Working Group Budgets for Q3/Q4 are linked within each respective row.
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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:
Allocating the second segment of the endowment, consisting of 16,000 ETH, from the ENS DAO to the ENS Endowment run by Karpatkey.
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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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.
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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:
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.
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.
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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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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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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@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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Thank you very much for reading! Goodbye. 👋🏻
ENS Labs Update: CY 2022 Financial Report
Save the Date: ENS Happy Hour — 09/23
Community Updates: NameSys launches on Mainnet, ENS merchandise now available
Meta-Governance: Small Grants update, Endaoment review, validator diversity
Public Goods: Grantee highlights (SheFi), hackathons, discussing public goods funding
Ecosystem: Gasless DNSSEC updates, ENS on Swarm, new grantees
Welcome to the ENS DAO Newsletter:
🗓️ New editions — published bi-weekly (Tuesday) — beginning on August 1st.
📑 Previous editions are archived on the ENS DAO Governance Forum.
🗳️ New proposals are broadcasted to Telegram.
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Refer to ENS DAO Calendar for ENS DAO working group calls and other events.
Calendar: Public Access
Calendar: Access with Gmail
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ENS Happy Hour: September 23
ETHGlobal NYC: September 22-24
Devconnect: November 13-19
ETHIstanbul: November 17-19
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Streamlining DAO Voting
Based on delegate feedback, the Meta-Governance working group will move to consolidate proposals within a voting period. Please note that some proposals are still under review and subject to change. Voting periods will be scheduled regularly, preferably at the end of each month.
Furthermore, anyone with a minimum of 100k $ENS can submit an executable proposal on Snapshot at any time. If a proposal gains popularity in the governance forum, the stewards, along with alisha.eth, will prioritize it for a vote during the designated voting window.
Thank you for your ongoing engagement and active participation in our governance process.
EP4.1 — Approve further actions and strategies for the Endowment (PASSED)
Draft — Refund .eth names affected by normalization updates (September vote tentatively scheduled)
Note: The Meta-Governance working group will move to consolidate proposals into a voting period — to be scheduled at the end of each month. For more information, please review @5pence.eth thread on streamlining the voting process.
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ENSIP-14: Platform Source Parameter. — 07.24.23
Extend ENS DAO to EIP-4824. — 07.21.23
For details on the ENS DAO proposal process see our Governance Docs.
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@khori.eth, Executive Director of ENS Labs, has shared a succinct CY 2022 financial report — they have been rigorously updating financial records, finalizing catch-up bookkeeping for 2020 and 2021, and are currently in the process of completing and auditing its books for 2022 with the help of a Singapore-based accounting firm.
In their CY 2022 financial update, a significant point of concern has been the higher-than-expected legal expenses. To address this, ENS Labs is actively collaborating with Meta-Gov stewards to strategize on the legal needs of the ENS DAO.
Review the report: ENS Labs 2022 Financials — 08.25.28
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ENS rolled out a series of updates to enhance functionality and user experience. They’ve introduced a public roadmap to keep the community abreast of completed, ongoing, and upcoming initiatives. Wallet support has expanded to include Ledger and Argent, making the service more versatile. The ENS Manager App now features a “grace period” display in the “more” tab and allows users to add their Telegram handles to their profiles. Other tweaks include improved transaction handling, especially for canceled and replaced transactions.
The team page has been updated, a Universal resolver deployed, and ENS contracts have also been introduced to the Sepolia testnet. ENS has launched its own blog platform, adding new features and organizing content, including podcasts and town hall meetings, in one place. ENSjs, the JavaScript library for ENS, has reached functional completeness, and the focus is now on stability and environment compatibility. Several bug fixes and other updates, including UI enhancements and support for special characters, have also been implemented.
Review: ENS Web Update — July 2023 — 08.15.23
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NameStone, an ENS subdomain provider, announced support for Mailchain a Web3 communication layer with a focus on email. This integration allows anyone to send email to subname holders, wallet-to-wallet, direct from the community page. — 08.16.23
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Interface, a social app designed to aggregate and humanize wallet activities across various blockchain networks, protocols, and platforms, announced support for ENS; users are now able to see ENS text records and socials on Interface. — 08.17.23
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Skiff, a private, end-to-end encrypted Web3 work suite, announced support for Skiff Mail with ENS subdomains. — 08.28.23
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Spaces: P2P Payments with Eco x Beam x ENS — 08.16.23
Spaces: NameStone & Offchain ENS Names — 08.23.23
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@NameSys has officially launched on Mainnet, introducing several upgrades and new features since its Beta version. Notable enhancements include Global Storage for all names in a user’s wallet and the option to use an HTTP Gateway instead of the default IPFS network. The company has also released a Comprehensive Guide, offering step-by-step instructions for using the NameSys Client. While the platform has identified two current limitations—lack of support for emoji domains and NFT Avatars in the eip155:1/erc721:0x format—these issues are slated for prompt resolution in upcoming updates. Users are encouraged to report any bugs via the Github page linked in the client interface. — 08.25.23
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r1der.eth, a web developer, UX/UI Designer, and ENS optimist shared their vision for what ENS Names listed on iPhone’s Phone App may look like; we are ready for this future! — 08.16.23
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Ledger, a hardware wallet provider, recently featured ENS on their Ledger Academy series. This is a must read if you are new to the cryptocurrencies and are looking to understand the advantage of using ENS as compared to a non-legibile hexadecimal address. Read it now. — 08.23.2023
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ENS Merchandise is now available for purchase at ensmerchshop.xyz — developed by General Magic, a full-service Web3 design and development agency, the store features shirts, hoodies, hats, and coffee mugs. Merchandise can be purchased in either fiat or crypto through Coinbase Commerce, shop now. — 08.18.23
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Q3/Q4 Lead Stewards + Secretary Appointment
Appointments:
Meta-Governance – @katherine.eth
Public Goods – @Coltron.eth
Ecosystem – @slobo.eth
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.
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⚖️ Meta-Governance @ 3PM UTC Tuesday — Google Meet
☀️ Public Goods @ 4pm UTC Tuesday — Google Meet
🌱 ENS Ecosystem @ 4pm UTC Thursday — Google Meet
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The Meta-Governance stewards encourage the ENS community to participate in improving the Protocol by visiting ens.canny.io; it serves as a dedicated platform to collect user feedback, feature requests, integrations, and bug reports. The tool’s upvoting feature, when widely utilized, can significantly boost community involvement and development. Members of ENS Labs and Working Group stewards have visibility over submissions, and will work to ensure the appropriate parties are notified of submissions. — 08.03.23
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The redesign of the Small Grants initiative is currently in progress, with the next round expected to kick off in the first week of September. The submission period will last approximately 10 days, followed by a 4-5 day window for voting. Instead of using POAP tokens, ERC1155 tokens will be used in the upcoming round.
To combat delegate fatigue and voter apathy, the frequency of the small grants period will be changed to every other month, beginning in September. — 08.22.23
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@Karpatkey has shared a review of the Endowment’s progress since its initiation in March 2023, following the execution of EP 3.4: Fund the Endowment (first tranche). As of July 2023, the Endowment has $29.8M in non-custodial assets under management, 88.8% capital utilization, an APY of 3.37%, and monthly farming results of $82,265.
Pending approval, Karpatkey will initiate the Endowment’s second tranche by proposing a new transfer of 16,000 ETH. For a in-depth review, see Karpatkey H1 2023 Review for Endowment. — 08.22.23
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As mentioned in Karpatkey’s review, part of the strategic plan focuses on diversifying the staked ETH and collaborating with new protocols to achieve long-term, low-risk growth. Active monitoring and research are underway to explore alternative investment options, and proposals that align with the company’s risk appetite and overall objectives will be presented for consideration. — 08.22.23
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SheFi, a recipient of a Large Grant from the Public Goods working group, aims to foster greater inclusivity in the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector through its three pillars: education, experimentation, and community. The organization offers a 13-week comprehensive crypto education program and recently held SheFi Summit Paris 2023, an event featuring web3 activities and a successful collaboration with POAP. Their upcoming plans include hosting a mini SheFi summit at Devconnect and utilizing their grant funding to develop governance-related educational content.
Headed by Maggie Love, who places high value on diverse perspectives in governance, SheFi invites potential collaborators to reach out and explore opportunities for synergy. Watch the talks from their recent SheFi Summit on YouTube to get further insights into their initiatives. — 08.22.23
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Sponsored by the Public Goods Working Group, this bounty aims to foster innovation in the way digital identities are stored, used, and interacted with on the blockchain. The challenge invites developers to submit projects that align with specified technical frameworks like ERC-3668: CCIP READ or ERC-4337 and other Account Abstraction primitives.
While the bounty is particularly interested in ideas that can integrate with the Ethereum Name Service (ENS), it is open to any project that meets the criteria and resonates with the overarching ethos. To be considered, submissions must include a detailed project description with team member details, a link to the publicly visible source code, and a 2-3 minute demo video that offers a tangible illustration of how the implementation advances the field of decentralized identities. Apply here. — 08.22.23
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The Working Group continues its discussion on maintaining a robust approach towards the funding of Public Goods projects — with a focus on funding projects based on specific objectives and standards which may align thematically with Ethereum Improvement Proposals. The discussion is open and all are welcome to participate. — 08.22.23
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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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Gasless DNSSEC has been successfully deployed on the Sepolia test network, with contracts verified on Etherscan and current compatibility for .com and .xyz domains. The deployment can be viewed through a specific GitHub PR, and comprehensive documentation covering user flow, frontend guidelines, and other aspects will be available soon. While a minor gateway bug has been discovered, it doesn’t necessitate a contract update. — 08.24.23
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Costanza Gallo & Viktor Toth from Swarm, a decentralised data storage and distribution technology, presented a technical overview of the technology. They are proposing to move the ENS Registry data off-chain with the consideration of a bounty reward. Unlike ENS resolution (managed onchain), Swarm operates off-chain through a peer-to-peer network, facilitating reduced fees and enhanced scalability. — 08.16.23
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eth.limo is a pioneering ENS gateway focused on privacy and enhanced user experience for accessing decentralized web (dWeb) applications and content. Designed to ensure strong privacy guarantees, eth.limo refrains from logging IP addresses and employs measures to block Google’s FLoC algorithm, which otherwise tracks users’ browsing activities.
The platform offers various features to enhance performance and reliability, such as support for .art domain name resolution, partnerships for IPFS pinning, and backend optimizations to reduce content caching time. With its latest updates, eth.limo has achieved significant growth, handling up to 1.5 million requests per hour—a staggering 1300% increase from the previous year. The platform’s future plans include multi-region CDN deployment, IPFS clustering, and the development of ENS resolution and DNS resolver applications. — 08.16.23
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NameSys is revolutionizing the Ethereum Name Service (ENS) landscape by offering a gasless, autonomous platform for storing ENS records off-chain. Utilizing a custom resolver called CCIP2 and integrating IPNS with CCIP-Read, the platform allows for free ENS record updates and dynamic avatars. This addresses the key challenge of high gas fees usually associated with on-chain updates. Security is front and center, as users can create IPNS keypairs securely without involving third-party services, ensuring data integrity. The platform also brings innovative features like dynamic avatars and programmable addresses and is developing additional functionalities such as private payments and dApp store redirects. NameSys is setting a new standard for secure, free, and dynamic ENS record management, making it accessible for enthusiasts at all levels. — 08.28.23
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Thank you very much for reading! Goodbye. 👋🏻
ENS Labs Updates: new hires, philanthropy efforts, requests for feedback
ENS Integrations: Blockscan, Namestone, .XYZ
Community Updates: Google acknowledges ENS Innovation
Proposals: EP4.1 passed, ENS Invalid Name Refund Proposal
Meta-Governance: Endaoment dashboard, security advisory, treasury diversification
Public Goods: Rethinking ENS Small Grants
Ecosystem: ENSIP-14, affiliate marketing, Gasless DNSSEC
Welcome to the ENS DAO Newsletter:
🗓️ New editions — published bi-weekly (Tuesday) — beginning on August 1st.
📑 Previous editions are archived on the ENS DAO Governance Forum.
🗳️ New proposals are broadcasted to Telegram.
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Refer to ENS DAO Calendar for ENS DAO working group calls and other events.
Calendar: Public Access
Calendar: Access with Gmail
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Devconnect: November 13-19
ETHIstanbul: November 17-19
Based on delegate feedback, the Meta-Governance working group will move to consolidate proposals within a voting period. Please note that some proposals are still under review and subject to change. Voting periods will be scheduled regularly, preferably at the end of each month.
Furthermore, anyone with a minimum of 100k $ENS can submit an executable proposal on Snapshot at any time. If a proposal gains popularity in the governance forum, the stewards, along with alisha.eth, will prioritize it for a vote during the designated voting window.
Thank you for your ongoing engagement and active participation in our governance process.
Note: The Meta-Governance working group will move to consolidate proposals into a voting period — to be scheduled at the end of each month. For more information, please review @5pence.eth thread on streamlining the voting process.
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ENSIP-14: Platform Source Parameter. — 07.24.23
Extend ENS DAO to EIP-4824. — 07.21.23
Note: For details on the ENS DAO proposal process see our Governance Docs.
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In the lead-up to World Humanitarian Day on August 19th, ENS Labs is partnering with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) — a global first-response humanitarian support organization. Full details of this partnership can be found in their official announcement.
Here are the key details:
Donation Address: The IRC’s official donation address is rescueorg.eth. This facilitates direct on-chain contributions.
ENS Labs Contribution: They’ve kickstarted the campaign with a generous donation of $25,000 USDC equivalent. They encourage the broader community to contribute as well.
Donation Period: The fundraising drive will run from August 14th to August 19th. To show your support, direct your donations to rescueorg.eth.
Transparency Collaboration: In a move towards greater transparency, the IRC, in association with Nansen, has launched a Real-Time Dashboard. This dashboard offers a live view into on-chain donations, enhancing both accountability and visibility for donors and nonprofits.
Nansen’s collaboration signifies a notable advancement in promoting transparency in philanthropy. Their system not only displays transactions in and out but also fosters a heightened sense of accountability among donors and nonprofits. Join the cause. Make your impact by donating to rescueorg.eth. — 08.14.23
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The monthly ENS Web Update is now available to review. They've released a public roadmap, categorizing tasks as completed, in progress, or upcoming. Ledger and Argent wallet support have been integrated. Noteworthy enhancements include displaying the grace period and adding Telegram handles to profiles. Improved transaction management, an updated team page, and deployment updates are also part of recent progress. ENSjs development is focused on stability, and upcoming updates involve technical insights into ENS on Layer 2 solutions and bug fixes. Notably, transaction modals now close on changes, and issues like emoji name display and Chinese character rendering have been resolved. ENS is also launching its own blog platform for streamlined content organization and additional content formats. — 08.15.23
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ENS Labs has recently announced new roles and hires:
Evanmoyer.eth, host of ENS Interviews, recently announced their new position at ENS Labs as Community Manager — “contributing to ENS is a huge passion of mine, and I’m looking forward to taking on a bigger role in the community!” — 08.07.23
ENS Labs has soft-announced the ENS Blog, a publication dedicated to educating the community on all things ENS. @zadok7 will take on a new role as the Blog’s Writer and Editor. Stay tuned for the official release date. — 08.07.23
@Leon, developer at ENS Labs has transitioned to Head of Engineering, while @Esk3nder.eth has become Head of ENS Labs Product and Strategy, now working full-time. — 08.10.23
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ENS Labs is particpating in Encode Club’s “Future of Blockchain University Hackathon”. Up to $5000 USD equivalent of bounties are available to projects that use ENS as part of their stack. For more information, visit Encode Club. — 08.05.23
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@taytems is seeking feedback on the ENS profile record specification, detailing text records to be displayed anywhere an ENS profile is. Leave feedback on ENSIP-XX: Profile Text Records Pull Request. — 08.02.23
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ENS names now have an eth.xyz profile, which can also double as a Bluesky social media handle. These profiles act as landing pages for decentralized identities, allowing customization for wallet addresses, websites, NFT collections, and more. Append “.xyz” to your .eth name to access your .xyz profile. Feedback can be sent via X or through email. Detailed instructions are available on the .XYZ blog. — 08.11.23
Note: Subdomains have a different URL and cannot be used as Bluesky usernames.
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Etherscan has launched Blockscan Chat Mobile App, which enables wallet-to-wallet messaging using an ENS name. The app is available on both Android and iOS. For more information, visit Etherscan. — 08.07.23
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Namestone, an ENS subdomain provider, has integrated Converse and XMTP to superchargedecentralized conversations right from the community page. — 08.11.23
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@serenae has built a proof-of-concept for bulk subname operations — available for review. The proof of concept addresses the need to streamline multi-subnames creation without individual approvals, allows wrapping and burning permissions on pre-existing subnames post-launch, and synchronizes expiry dates after extending the parent name. — 08.11.23
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Spaces: Messaging with XMTP x Coinbase Wallet x ENS — 08.08.23
Unchained: Ethereum Name Service Explained: A Guide to .ETH Domains — 08.01.23
Google: How four companies are boosting Web3 innovation with Blockchain Node Engine — 08.14.23
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Google Cloud recently spotlighted ENS Labs’ dedication to ensuring the longevity and relevance of NFTs in its blog. Highlighting the value of Google Cloud’s Blockchain Node Engine, Muhammed Tanrikulu, Senior Software Engineer at ENS Labs, mentioned its superior performance and its pivotal role in ensuring timely data retrieval for the Metadata Service. Alberto Martin from Web3 Product at Google further emphasized the collaboration via a tweet:
Google Cloud Blockchain node engine is used in many ways, #ensdomains #thirdweb have been some of our initial BNE customers. If you want to learn more on how we are working together, head to the @googlecloud blog and read more. — Alberto Martin (@AlbertoMartinP) — 08.14. 23
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@dr3a.eth spun up a thread on @matoken.eth’s presentation: ‘ENS for the multichain world’; with over 24k impressions on this thread (let alone all the others), their consistent, high signal-to-noise broadcasts make for concise breakdowns which address the needs of the ENS community perfectly. — 08.07.23
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@delray have introduced a new, free tool for ENS profiles, enabling users to seamlessly upload content without the need to interact with IPFS or manually add text records. Designed with newcomers in mind, the tool aims to offer an intuitive experience, despite some limitations. Currently in the testing phase, feedback from users on both goerli and mainnet is welcome. Try Flux now. — 08.09.23
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@zadok7 recently unearthed a Wordpress plug-in which enables WordPress admin. log in with Ethereum. Powered by RainbowKit, the plug in allows users to log in with Ethereum, insert a RainbowKit Login block, set a required token balance from login, and sync ENS text records to WordPress, among other things. Try the plug-in today. — 08.10.23
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Namestone, a gasless ENS subdomain provider, published a very helpful comic illustrating ENS’ utility using a library analogy. Namestone specializes in gasless ENS subdomains. If you’re looking for a solution to issue gasless subdomains to your community, get in touch with the Namestone team on X. — 08.07.23
Q3/Q4 Lead Stewards + Secretary Appointment:
Appointments:
Meta-Governance – @katherinewu
Public Goods – @Coltron.eth
Ecosystem – @slobo.eth
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.
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⚖️ Meta-Governance @ 3PM UTC Tuesday — Google Meet
☀️ Public Goods @ 4pm UTC Tuesday — Google Meet
🌱 ENS Ecosystem @ 4pm UTC Thursday — Google Meet
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The Meta-Governance stewards encourage the ENS community to participate in improving the Protocol by visiting ens.canny.io; it serves as a dedicated platform to collect user feedback, feature requests, integrations, and bug reports. The tool’s upvoting feature, when widely utilized, can significantly boost community involvement and development. ENS Labs and Working Group stewards have visibility over submissions, and will work to ensure the appropriate parties are notified of submissions. — 08.03.23
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A new Executable Proposal has been drafted by @alisha.eth and @matoken.eth, the proposal focuses on issuing refunds for fees spent on .eth names that may be negatively affected by updates to the name normalization standard passed in EP 3.7, which relates to ENSIP-15: Name Normalization. Alisha will poll delegates to get an idea of what option they would support being included in an Executable Proposal. If there is no consensus, a Temp Check may be posted on the ENS Snapshot space. The proposal may be put to a vote by the end of August, if not September. — 08.10.23
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@Nick.eth recently addressed a technical issue present in the ethregistrar controller, which also impacts the Namewrapper — they have prepared a solution that, if deployed, would introduce a new admin contract to shield against any possible exploitation. Implementing this patch introduces added complexity to contracts, however. Amounting to an increase of 3,000 gas, which translates to an added cost of 28c at 50 gwei.
Meta-Governance stewards encourage discourse to address the issue at large, the goal with which is to collect feedback and subsequently initiate an off-chain temp check to determine the best approach. The ENS Community, especially those with relevant technical experience, are urged to actively participate: to comment on threads, engage in conversations, reflect on the matter, and put forth discussion topics sooner rather than during the voting period. — 08.01.23
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Karpatkey, DAO treasury and risk management, have issued the ENS Endaoment dashboard, featuring a detailed outlook on overall treasury management including balance overview, treasury mix, token allocation and more. They’ve published a Dune Dashboard as well, which details Governance analytics and aims to be an open and consolidated source of information about governance data. The financial report will be available both on the forum and on the Karpatkey website. Check out this helpful thread by @cap for a detailed breakdown — 08.09.23
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@5pence.eth initiated a discussion regarding the diversification into Liquid Staking Tokens (LSTs) beyond Lido Protocol. The primary focus was understanding the goals, especially in light of the newly approved endowment strategies.
Here’s a concise summary of the discussion:
The current plan is to gradually shift the stakeETH position into Rocketpool.
The immediate objective is to maintain a portfolio with 20% in Rocketpool and 80% in Lido. This distribution is mainly influenced by liquidity considerations.
A more extensive debate took place about Lido’s market share and its implications for network risk.
@Nick.eth strongly advocated for validator diversity. He stressed the importance decentralization and recommended considering other trustworthy staking providers. @alextnetto.eth pointed out that spreading across multiple LSTs might help in reducing slippage. Stewards are considering a soft proposal to limit up to 50% allocation to LSTs to prevent asset concentration. Karpatkey took the responsibility to analyze the potential implications of capping Lido’s share at 50%. They will further investigate its feasibility and safety aspects and provide feedback. — 08.08.23
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Historically, small grants have placed a significant demand on delegates. The objective is to devise new voting methods for these grants, independent of delegates who’ve already contributed to Working Group funding decisions.
Key Takeaways:
Voting Mechanism: Investigate non-ENS token-dependent voting.
Sybil Security: Utilize Gitcoin passport and multiple layers of sybil resistance.
Integration: Combine voting with platforms like Snapshot and maintain specific ENS records.
Engaging Voters: Engage diverse groups, from builders to developers and prior grant winners, in the voting process.
Snapshot & POAP Strategy: Incorporate a blend of Snapshot, weighted POAPs, and approval voting. Aim to condense POAP categories to 2-3 types.
Timeline: September is the targeted month for rollout, with a focus on potentially implementing a POAP strategy.
Looking ahead, Working Group stewards will work to asses past strategies’ effectiveness and aim for a sybil-resistant voting method that encourages high-impact, high-context contributors to participate in the voting rounds, irrespective of their $ENS balance. Alisha.eth has opened a thread where ENS community members are encouraged to participate in the discussion. — 08.08.23
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The Public Goods Working Group is proud to sponsor the “Funding The Commons” event. Following the success of a similar event they’ve hosted in Paris, they are now bringing the event to Berlin. To learn more, visit their website — fundingthecommons.io. This event features a virtual hackathon where hackers can take on challenges and earn bounties. The stewards are currently seeking collaborators for a specific bounty related to Public Goods. If interested, reach out to @Coltron.eth for more information. — 08.08.23
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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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Discussion on ENSIP-14 continues; originally proposed by @avsa as an on-chain source parameter which tracks how platforms register names, the conversation eventually evolved into a broader affiliate program which would incentivize individuals or entities to promote ENS and drive more registrations and renewals. @lightwalker.eth has since led discussion on the topic and has suggested to open further discourse on the matter on separate, regularly held meetings. More detail about the proposal can be found here as well as some further insight from @taytems on its implementation. — 08.06.23
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As L2 scaling solutions gain ecosystem adoption, the importance of Primary Names as a “Web 3 username” comes into focus. @Premm.eth has presented a comprehensive proposal emphasizing the adoption of off-chain primary names. This proposal also introduces a fallback system, which can function either off-chain, on L2, or L1. However, the technical nuances still need clarity. It’s recommended that a dedicated session be scheduled to delve deeper into the technical aspects of primary names. Follow the discussion. — 08.10.23
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Gasless DNSSEC is nearing its test phase on the testnet. This feature will introduce Gasless Imports, allowing users to import domain names without the burden of gas fees, which currently range between $200 to $500. The significance of enabling gasless imports for DNS and the capability to set primary names across multiple chains cannot be overstated. Such advancements could greatly enhance the adoption and value proposition of ENS. — 08.10.23
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The Ecosystem Working Group has funded the ENS DAO Newsletter, with an allocation of 18,000 USDC for its operational costs through the remainder of the term — ensuring consistent and top-tier updates for the community. The newsletter will now be published bi-weekly (Tuesday) at 11 am Eastern Time on the forum, Paragraph and on the DAOs socials (tl;dr). Editorials and translation efforts have been momentarily paused to focus on showcasing pivotal developments within the ENS and Ethereum landscapes. — 08.10.23
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Femi - adebimpe.xyz introduced the Persona platform, inspired by Nouns and emphasizing community engagement with DAO-like structures. Members assume roles denoted by guild tags, which confer specific community access. Users can manage multiple personas, each linked to a guild tag. Active participation boosts persona reputation, enhancing community influence.
The platform lets users create their own communities or DAOs, determine community tokens, enlist members, and form guilds, with an auction feature for fundraising. Persona uniquely integrates with ENS for metadata and offers NFT-based avatar customization. Femi aims to launch Persona publicly late this year or early next. — 08.10.23
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Thank you very much for reading! Goodbye. 👋🏻