Author: Jim 2013-07-09 11:15:44
Published on: 2013-07-09T11:15:44+00:00
MultiBit is a Bitcoin wallet with approximately 2,500 downloads per day. Download statistics are available on their website, and the possibility of adding another instance at multibit.org and a mirror from Mike could lead to up to 100K daily downloads. In April 2013, Bitcoin-QT downloads hit 30K per day during a boom.The current download size for MultiBit is approximately 11MB, which would increase to 30-40MB if a JVM were bundled with it. This could drop the maximum number of copies delivered per day from around 90,000 to 30,000ish, as the multibit.org server maxes out at 1TB of bandwidth per day. However, bundling a JVM would simplify the user experience.There is currently no provision for automatic updates, but Jim would like to have Bitcoin-signed files that MultiBit can check and update. Initially, this would include the checkpoints file and I18N files, but not code due to security implications. Having lists of all the artifacts signed and them having SHA256 hashes makes it practical/safe to start mirroring the code.A copy of JET could be invested in to create native compilation down to self-contained Windows binaries, which might create smaller bundles. There must be an auto-update framework, but without ECDSA signing most likely.Java (Applet) security issues have made it an instant uninstall item on Windows PCs for about a year now, so recommending Multibit as a compiled binary without a Java dependency is preferable. Modern Java versions allow bundling the app with a stripped-down JVM, however.An existing auto-update framework could be modified to support threshold-signed updates, downloading in the background and asking the user to restart the app once the update is locally available. Currently, users are directed first to bitcoin.stackexchange.com, then finally to the GitHub issues to search existing or raise a new issue. A dedicated Support page has been added, containing fixes and support notes for common gotchas, along with an in-app help section.Client diversity is more important than stamping out Java. The email chains related to the Bitcoin-development mailing list contain multiple links to AppDynamics, a software monitoring and analytics platform. However, the content of the emails is not clear as it appears to be a continuation of previous conversations without any new information being presented. The emails also mention MultiBit, a Bitcoin wallet, with a link to their website included at the end.
Updated on: 2023-06-06T19:27:57.133654+00:00