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Ten social specifications

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Bob Mottram 2017-09-23 20:46:11 +01:00
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13
doc/EN/mesh.org
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@ -26,6 +26,19 @@ The Freedombone Mesh is a wireless solution for autonomous communication that ca
Mesh networks are useful as a quick way to make a fully decentralised communications system which is not connected to or reliant upon the internet. Think festivals, hacker conferences, onboard ships at sea, disaster/war zones, small business internal office communications, protests, remote areas of the world, temporary "digital blackouts", scientific expeditions and off-world space colonies. The down side is that you can't access any internet content. The upside is that you can securely communicate with anyone on the local mesh. No ISPs. No payments or subscriptions beyond the cost of obtaining the hardware. Systems need to be within wifi range of each other for the mesh to be created. It can be an ultra-convenient way to do purely local communications.
The Freedombone mesh roughly follows MondoNet's ten social specifications:
- *Decentralization*: The network cannot be consolodated or monopolized by design
- *Accessibility*: low cost, freely downloadable, works on existing hardware, minimal learning curve
- *Resistance*: to censorship
- *Enables privacy*
- *Secure*: against malicious attacks and also secure in terms of being reliable
- *Scalable*: works for ten users or ten million
- *Permanent*: even if users enter or exit the network remains viable
- *Fast enough*: for at least "minimal participation in the political process". Enabling social uses like chat and VoIP
- *Independence*: If every other network fails this system should still be usable
- *Evolvable*: Software is open and modifiable over time as protocols change
* What the system can do
- Discovery of other users on the network

165
website/EN/mesh.html
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@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<!-- 2017-09-18 Mon 11:40 -->
<!-- 2017-09-23 Sat 20:45 -->
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
<title></title>
<title>&lrm;</title>
<meta name="generator" content="Org mode" />
<meta name="author" content="Bob Mottram" />
<meta name="description" content="Turn the Beaglebone Black into a personal communications server"
@ -274,13 +274,13 @@ for the JavaScript code in this tag.
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="org-left"><a href="#org81ddb36">What the system can do</a></td>
<td class="org-left"><a href="#org94582ff">What the system can do</a></td>
<td class="org-left">-</td>
<td class="org-left"><a href="#orgdc7c539">Disk Images</a></td>
<td class="org-left"><a href="#orgbd7ef51">Disk Images</a></td>
<td class="org-left">-</td>
<td class="org-left"><a href="#orgef64a0e">Building Disk Images</a></td>
<td class="org-left"><a href="#org850e320">Building Disk Images</a></td>
<td class="org-left">-</td>
<td class="org-left"><a href="#orgf01387f">How to use it</a></td>
<td class="org-left"><a href="#org5166206">How to use it</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
@ -293,9 +293,26 @@ The Freedombone Mesh is a wireless solution for autonomous communication that ca
Mesh networks are useful as a quick way to make a fully decentralised communications system which is not connected to or reliant upon the internet. Think festivals, hacker conferences, onboard ships at sea, disaster/war zones, small business internal office communications, protests, remote areas of the world, temporary "digital blackouts", scientific expeditions and off-world space colonies. The down side is that you can't access any internet content. The upside is that you can securely communicate with anyone on the local mesh. No ISPs. No payments or subscriptions beyond the cost of obtaining the hardware. Systems need to be within wifi range of each other for the mesh to be created. It can be an ultra-convenient way to do purely local communications.
</p>
<div id="outline-container-org81ddb36" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="org81ddb36">What the system can do</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-org81ddb36">
<p>
The Freedombone mesh roughly follows MondoNet's ten social specifications:
</p>
<ul class="org-ul">
<li><b>Decentralization</b>: The network cannot be consolodated or monopolized by design</li>
<li><b>Accessibility</b>: low cost, freely downloadable, works on existing hardware, minimal learning curve</li>
<li><b>Resistance</b>: to censorship</li>
<li><b>Enables privacy</b></li>
<li><b>Secure</b>: against malicious attacks and also secure in terms of being reliable</li>
<li><b>Scalable</b>: works for ten users or ten million</li>
<li><b>Permanent</b>: even if users enter or exit the network remains viable</li>
<li><b>Fast enough</b>: for at least "minimal participation in the political process". Enabling social uses like chat and VoIP</li>
<li><b>Independence</b>: If every other network fails this system should still be usable</li>
<li><b>Evolvable</b>: Software is open and modifiable over time as protocols change</li>
</ul>
<div id="outline-container-org94582ff" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="org94582ff">What the system can do</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-org94582ff">
<ul class="org-ul">
<li>Discovery of other users on the network</li>
<li>Text based chat, one-to-one and in groups</li>
@ -317,13 +334,13 @@ This system should be quite scalable. Both qTox and IPFS are based upon distribu
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-orgdc7c539" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="orgdc7c539">Disk Images</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-orgdc7c539">
<div id="outline-container-orgbd7ef51" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="orgbd7ef51">Disk Images</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-orgbd7ef51">
</div>
<div id="outline-container-org41eb788" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org41eb788">Writing many images quickly</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org41eb788">
<div id="outline-container-orge807aa5" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="orge807aa5">Writing many images quickly</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-orge807aa5">
<p>
There may be situations where you need to write the same disk image to multiple drives at the same time in order to maximize rate of deployment. In the instructions given below the <b>dd</b> command is used for writing to the target drive, but to write to multiple drives you can use a tool such as <a href="https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/MultiWriter">GNOME MultiWriter</a>.
</p>
@ -333,8 +350,8 @@ For example on Arch/Parabola:
</p>
<div class="org-src-container">
<pre><code class="src src-bash">sudo pacman -S gnome-multi-writer
</code></pre>
<pre class="src src-bash">sudo pacman -S gnome-multi-writer
</pre>
</div>
<p>
@ -342,14 +359,14 @@ Or on Debian based systems:
</p>
<div class="org-src-container">
<pre><code class="src src-bash">sudo apt-get install gnome-multi-writer
</code></pre>
<pre class="src src-bash">sudo apt-get install gnome-multi-writer
</pre>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-orgb7d45bb" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="orgb7d45bb">Client images</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-orgb7d45bb">
<div id="outline-container-org075c107" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org075c107">Client images</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org075c107">
<div class="org-center">
<div class="figure">
@ -363,7 +380,7 @@ Or on Debian based systems:
</p>
<div class="org-src-container">
<pre><code class="src src-bash">sudo apt-get install xz-utils wget
<pre class="src src-bash">sudo apt-get install xz-utils wget
wget https://freedombone.net/downloads/current/freedombone-meshclient-i386.img.xz
wget https://freedombone.net/downloads/current/freedombone-meshclient-i386.img.xz.sig
gpg --verify freedombone-meshclient-i386.img.xz.sig
@ -372,7 +389,7 @@ f7e261d369d6f0ccf650dbbed18227bfe5ec427ae0b97f56e1f1e202afc6d0b3
unxz freedombone-meshclient-i386.img.xz
sudo dd <span class="org-variable-name">if</span>=/dev/zero <span class="org-variable-name">of</span>=/dev/sdX <span class="org-variable-name">bs</span>=1M <span class="org-variable-name">count</span>=8
sudo dd <span class="org-variable-name">bs</span>=1M <span class="org-variable-name">if</span>=freedombone-meshclient-i386.img <span class="org-variable-name">of</span>=/dev/sdX <span class="org-variable-name">conv</span>=fdatasync
</code></pre>
</pre>
</div>
<p>
@ -384,7 +401,7 @@ If you're in an emergency and don't have Atheros wifi dongles then there is also
</p>
<div class="org-src-container">
<pre><code class="src src-bash">sudo apt-get install xz-utils wget
<pre class="src src-bash">sudo apt-get install xz-utils wget
wget https://freedombone.net/downloads/current/freedombone-meshclient-insecure-i386.img.xz
wget https://freedombone.net/downloads/current/freedombone-meshclient-insecure-i386.img.xz.sig
gpg --verify freedombone-meshclient-insecure-i386.img.xz.sig
@ -393,21 +410,21 @@ sha256sum freedombone-meshclient-insecure-i386.img.xz
unxz freedombone-meshclient-insecure-i386.img.xz
sudo dd <span class="org-variable-name">if</span>=/dev/zero <span class="org-variable-name">of</span>=/dev/sdX <span class="org-variable-name">bs</span>=1M <span class="org-variable-name">count</span>=8
sudo dd <span class="org-variable-name">bs</span>=1M <span class="org-variable-name">if</span>=freedombone-meshclient-insecure-i386.img <span class="org-variable-name">of</span>=/dev/sdX <span class="org-variable-name">conv</span>=fdatasync
</code></pre>
</pre>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-orgb012fc0" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="orgb012fc0">Router images</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-orgb012fc0">
<div id="outline-container-orgfe93325" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="orgfe93325">Router images</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-orgfe93325">
<p>
Routers are intended to build network coverage for an area using small and low cost hardware. You can bolt them to walls or leave them on window ledges. They don't have any user interface and their only job is to haul network traffic across the mesh and to enable peers to find each other via running bootstrap nodes for Tox and IPFS. Copy the image to a microSD card and insert it into the router, plug in an Atheros wifi dongle and power on. That should be all you need to do.
</p>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-org86225c6" class="outline-4">
<h4 id="org86225c6">Beaglebone Black</h4>
<div class="outline-text-4" id="text-org86225c6">
<div id="outline-container-org75c8882" class="outline-4">
<h4 id="org75c8882">Beaglebone Black</h4>
<div class="outline-text-4" id="text-org75c8882">
<div class="org-center">
<div class="figure">
@ -421,7 +438,7 @@ The above picture shows a Beaglebone Black with the image copied onto a microSD
</p>
<div class="org-src-container">
<pre><code class="src src-bash">sudo apt-get install xz-utils wget
<pre class="src src-bash">sudo apt-get install xz-utils wget
wget https://freedombone.net/downloads/v3/freedombone-mesh-3_beaglebone-armhf.img.xz
wget https://freedombone.net/downloads/v3/freedombone-mesh-3_beaglebone-armhf.img.xz.sig
gpg --verify freedombone-mesh-3_beaglebone-armhf.img.xz.sig
@ -429,7 +446,7 @@ sha256sum freedombone-mesh-3_beaglebone-armhf.img.xz
ab783ea807da1144bd076f7b43e54b5f4376ecf1ea1f86f56ac76c3469325802
unxz freedombone-mesh-3_beaglebone-armhf.img.xz
sudo dd <span class="org-variable-name">bs</span>=1M <span class="org-variable-name">if</span>=freedombone-mesh-3_beaglebone-armhf.img <span class="org-variable-name">of</span>=/dev/sdX <span class="org-variable-name">conv</span>=fdatasync
</code></pre>
</pre>
</div>
<p>
@ -444,9 +461,9 @@ There is still a software freedom issue with the Beaglebone Black, but it doesn'
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-orgef64a0e" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="orgef64a0e">Building Disk Images</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-orgef64a0e">
<div id="outline-container-org850e320" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="org850e320">Building Disk Images</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-org850e320">
<p>
It's better not to trust images downloaded from random places on the interwebs. Chances are that unless you are in the web of trust of the above GPG signatures then they don't mean very much to you. If you actually want something trustworthy then build the images from scratch. It will take some time. Here's how to do it.
</p>
@ -456,7 +473,7 @@ First you will need to create an image. On a Debian based system (tested on Debi
</p>
<div class="org-src-container">
<pre><code class="src src-bash">sudo apt-get -y install git wget build-essential
<pre class="src src-bash">sudo apt-get -y install git wget build-essential
wget https://freedombone.net/downloads/v3/freedombone-3.tar.gz
wget https://freedombone.net/downloads/freedombone-3.tar.gz.sig
gpg --verify freedombone-3.tar.gz.sig
@ -468,7 +485,7 @@ git checkout stretch
sudo make install
freedombone-image --setup debian
freedombone-image -t i386 -v meshclient
</code></pre>
</pre>
</div>
<p>
@ -476,8 +493,8 @@ If you don't have Atheros or free software compatible wifi adapter then you can
</p>
<div class="org-src-container">
<pre><code class="src src-bash">freedombone-image -t i386 -v meshclient --insecure yes
</code></pre>
<pre class="src src-bash">freedombone-image -t i386 -v meshclient --insecure yes
</pre>
</div>
<p>
@ -489,8 +506,8 @@ List what drives are on your system with:
</p>
<div class="org-src-container">
<pre><code class="src src-bash">ls /dev/sd*
</code></pre>
<pre class="src src-bash">ls /dev/sd*
</pre>
</div>
<p>
@ -502,9 +519,9 @@ You can now copy the image to the USB thumb drive, replacing <b>sdX</b> with the
</p>
<div class="org-src-container">
<pre><code class="src src-bash">sudo dd <span class="org-variable-name">if</span>=/dev/zero <span class="org-variable-name">of</span>=/dev/sdX <span class="org-variable-name">bs</span>=1M <span class="org-variable-name">count</span>=8
<pre class="src src-bash">sudo dd <span class="org-variable-name">if</span>=/dev/zero <span class="org-variable-name">of</span>=/dev/sdX <span class="org-variable-name">bs</span>=1M <span class="org-variable-name">count</span>=8
sudo dd <span class="org-variable-name">bs</span>=1M <span class="org-variable-name">if</span>=myimagefile.img <span class="org-variable-name">of</span>=/dev/sdX <span class="org-variable-name">conv</span>=fdatasync
</code></pre>
</pre>
</div>
<p>
@ -524,8 +541,8 @@ You can also use single board computers (SBCs) such as the BeagleBone Black to m
</p>
<div class="org-src-container">
<pre><code class="src src-bash">freedombone-image -t beaglebone -v mesh
</code></pre>
<pre class="src src-bash">freedombone-image -t beaglebone -v mesh
</pre>
</div>
<p>
@ -534,9 +551,9 @@ The resulting image can be copied to a microSD card, inserted into a Beaglebone
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-org6358707" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="org6358707">Customisation</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-org6358707">
<div id="outline-container-orgd61d85e" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="orgd61d85e">Customisation</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-orgd61d85e">
<p>
If you want to make your own specially branded version, such as for a particular event, then to change the default desktop backgrounds edit the images within <b>img/backgrounds</b> and to change the available avatars and desktop icons edit the images within <b>img/avatars</b>. Re-create disk images using the instructions shown previously.
</p>
@ -546,9 +563,9 @@ If you need particular <i>dconf</i> commands to alter desktop appearance or beha
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-orgf01387f" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="orgf01387f">How to use it</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-orgf01387f">
<div id="outline-container-org5166206" class="outline-2">
<h2 id="org5166206">How to use it</h2>
<div class="outline-text-2" id="text-org5166206">
<p>
When you first boot from the USB drive the system will create some encryption keys, assign a unique network address to the system and then reboot itself. When that's done you should see a prompt asking for a username. This username just makes it easy for others to initially find you on the mesh and will appear in the list of users.
</p>
@ -558,9 +575,9 @@ After a minute or two if you are within wifi range and there is at least one oth
</p>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-org5ee0eb2" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org5ee0eb2">Boot trouble</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org5ee0eb2">
<div id="outline-container-orgd59bd1c" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="orgd59bd1c">Boot trouble</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-orgd59bd1c">
<p>
If the system doesn't boot and reports an error which includes <b>/dev/mapper/loop0p1</b> then reboot with <b>Ctrl-Alt-Del</b> and when you see the grub menu press <b>e</b> and manually change <b>/dev/mapper/loop0p1</b> to <b>/dev/sdb1</b>, then press <b>Ctrl-x</b>. If that doesn't work then reboot and try <b>/dev/sdc1</b> instead.
</p>
@ -570,9 +587,9 @@ After the system has booted successfully the problem should resolve itself on su
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-org57403bb" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org57403bb">Set the Date</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org57403bb">
<div id="outline-container-org3b0741c" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org3b0741c">Set the Date</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org3b0741c">
<p>
On the ordinary internet the date and time of your system would be set automatically via NTP. But this is not the internet and so you will need to manually ensure that your date and time settings are correct. You might need to periodically do this if your clock drifts. It's not essential that the time on your system be highly accurate, but if it drifts too far or goes back to epoch then things could become a little confusing in regard to the order of blog posts.
</p>
@ -582,9 +599,9 @@ On the ordinary internet the date and time of your system would be set automatic
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-orge4196db" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="orge4196db">Check network status</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-orge4196db">
<div id="outline-container-org6008c57" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org6008c57">Check network status</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org6008c57">
<p>
Unlike with ordinary wifi, on the mesh you don't get a signal strength icon and so it's not simple to see if you have a good connection.
</p>
@ -608,9 +625,9 @@ When you are finished close the window and then select the <i>Network Restart</i
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-org07b0383" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org07b0383">Chat System</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org07b0383">
<div id="outline-container-org3edc276" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org3edc276">Chat System</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org3edc276">
<p>
Ensure that you're within wifi range of at least one other mesh peer (could be a router or client) and then you should see that the <i>Chat</i> and <i>Other Users</i> icons appear. Select the users icon and you should see a list of users on the mesh. Select the <i>Chat</i> icon and once you are connected you should see the status light turn green. If after a few minutes you don't get the green status light then try closing and re-opening the Tox chat application. Select the plus button to add a friend and then copy and paste in a Tox ID from the users list.
</p>
@ -669,9 +686,9 @@ At present video doesn't work reliably, but text and voice chat do work well.
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-org56b3e5d" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org56b3e5d">Social Network</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org56b3e5d">
<div id="outline-container-org9d6ed6b" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org9d6ed6b">Social Network</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org9d6ed6b">
<p>
Patchwork is available as a social networking system for the mesh. Like all social network systems it has a stream of posts and you can follow or unfollow other users. You can also send private messages to other users with end-to-end encryption.
</p>
@ -706,9 +723,9 @@ The Secure Scuttlebutt protocol which Patchwork is based upon is intended to be
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-orgc281f16" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="orgc281f16">Sharing Files</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-orgc281f16">
<div id="outline-container-org12e7e50" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org12e7e50">Sharing Files</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org12e7e50">
<p>
You can make files publicly available on the network simply by dragging and dropping them into the <i>Public</i> folder on the desktop. To view the files belonging to another user select the desktop icon called <i>Visit a site</i> and enter the username or Tox ID of the other user.
</p>
@ -723,9 +740,9 @@ You can make files publicly available on the network simply by dragging and drop
</div>
</div>
<div id="outline-container-org12f7a3e" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org12f7a3e">Blogging</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org12f7a3e">
<div id="outline-container-org1459c8a" class="outline-3">
<h3 id="org1459c8a">Blogging</h3>
<div class="outline-text-3" id="text-org1459c8a">
<p>
To create a blog post select the <i>Blog</i> icon on the desktop and then use the up and down cursor keys, space bar and enter key to add a new entry. Edit the title of the entry and add your text. You can also include photos if you wish - just copy them to the <b>CreateBlog/content/images</b> directory and then link to them as shown.
</p>