RetroShare 0.6.3 Secure P2P Communications Platform Preview, Now with AppImage Support
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| RetroShare AppImage Shown Running |
If you are thinking, this is a new application, don't be fooled. This application has a long history of over ten years development under its belt.
I have known its Lead Developer, Cyril Soler, for several years and have witnessed a gradual, carefully crafted set of changes which are seen in the current production version 0.6.2 and if one chooses to live on the 'bleeding edge' of technology, one can grab a copy of RetroShares GPLv2 open source from their github repository, build it with Linux make and see a preview of what's in the offing for version 0.6.3, the release of which, I am told, is coming soon.
With a feature freeze in force I can safely discuss what this incarnation of RetroShare will offer.
What is RetroShare?
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| RetroShare Logo |
RetroShare is a secure Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Communications Platform. Because of the nature of P2P, this type of network cannot be taken down by government order since it is not a 'central server' topology. Sites like MegaUpload, for example, have been arbitrarily taken down and central server systems can be easily stopped. The design of P2P relies upon a PC to PC network along which each PC becomes a 'node' that shares encrypted data with the others in a secure encrypted TLS tunnel which is established at the point a user logs into Retroshare.
What Makes RetroShare Different?
Retroshare is different in that it hosts several useful services that together make a platform where Friends can connect, communicate, and share with assured 'Privacy'.RetroShare is About Privacy at its Core
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| RetroShare Ensures Privacy, Not Anonymity |
Some have the mistaken notion that RetroShare affords Anonymity. Actually that is not true. While RetroShare 'accommodates' providing an extension plugin interface to both Tor and I2P, software applications intended to obfuscate a user's IP address, RetroShare makes no representations for their use nor does RetroShare support use of said applications.
At its core, RetroShare privacy is ensured when Friends, who have carefully vetted each other, exchange what is called a 'Friend-to-Friend' (F2F) Certificate. Essentially, this certificate is a GnuPrivacy Guard (GnuPG or PGP in commercial apps) certificate which when exchanged between Friends makes intrusion into Friend-to-Friend activity impossible. The FBI has in fact petitioned U.S. Congress to ban encryption as they are not able to crack GnuPG 4096-bit certificates at all.
Encryption is Privacy. Privacy is Your Inalienable Right.
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| Encryption is Privacy |
What you do with Friends is Safe from Prying Eyes
Assuming you have selected your Friends with due care and know and trust them personally there is zero chance of any of your activities becoming known. F2F Services include:
o File Sharing
o Private F2F Chat
o Audio/Video Calls
o Sharing Forums with a select Circle or Group of established Friends
The creation of Groups or Circles (a new 0.6.0 Feature) facilitates targeting a specific audience of people for a particular purpose, in Forums and Channels where various ideas and discussions can be grouped by design.
Taken in total, the features of RetroShare qualify it as being one of the most comprehensive applications supporting private Friend-to-Friend activities.
RetroShare makes no representation about what people choose to do with it. RetroShare's promise is that, when using core RS F2F encryption with vetted Friends, privacy is guaranteed.
What's New in Upcoming RetroShare 0.6.3?
Here is an incomplete, unofficial list of new features and remedial changes that will find their way into 0.6.3 which I have culled from the past 12 months of RS github merged Pull Requests:
o Updated retroshare-nogui and Web GUI using the RS API (Restful)
o Updated Files with end-to-end Turtle tunnel encrypted transfers
o Updated RetroShare Chatserver
o Many Chat Lobby bug fixes and Enhancements
o Many Forum bug fixes for Circle integration
o Improved GUI
o Android Enhancements and bug fixes
o Improved Statistics
o Fix memory leaks in Gxstrans
o Redesigned RS Logo and Login Page
o Fixed various regressions
o Fixed Start Page Set Focus bug
o Add support for openssl's chacha20-poly1305 implementation API
o Improved Unit Test compilation
o Improved Relay functionality
o Fixed many Windows compilation errors and bugs
o Fixed various Channel bugs
o AddFriendWizard and QuickStartWizard gui enhancements
o Updated TopBar, Buttons, 'look and feel'
o Revised 'Reputation' core logic
o Autologin made 'optional' at compile time
o Added I2P BOB support
o Rename of Top Stack Menu Items
o Updated Wiki, README.md and ancillary help files
o Improved UPnP documentation (written by DrBoB with little or no comments)
o Many Chat Lobby bug fixes and Enhancements
o Many Forum bug fixes for Circle integration
o Improved GUI
o Android Enhancements and bug fixes
o Improved Statistics
o Fix memory leaks in Gxstrans
o Redesigned RS Logo and Login Page
o Fixed various regressions
o Fixed Start Page Set Focus bug
o Add support for openssl's chacha20-poly1305 implementation API
o Improved Unit Test compilation
o Improved Relay functionality
o Fixed many Windows compilation errors and bugs
o Fixed various Channel bugs
o AddFriendWizard and QuickStartWizard gui enhancements
o Updated TopBar, Buttons, 'look and feel'
o Revised 'Reputation' core logic
o Autologin made 'optional' at compile time
o Added I2P BOB support
o Rename of Top Stack Menu Items
o Updated Wiki, README.md and ancillary help files
o Improved UPnP documentation (written by DrBoB with little or no comments)
Testing
I have witnessed many contributors go through testing to the point of Ad. Nauseam. It is hard work and if it were not for the unrelenting work of those testers assisting the Devs, RetroShare would never progress and improve as it has. A special mention goes out for the work done by @jolavillette. He is indispensable. As for the rest of you, you make me tired just watching from a distance. Hats off to all the Testers.
Support for RetroShare 0.6.3. AppImage Format Arrives
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| Credit: AppImage Logo |
I am happy to report that RS 0.6.3 will be offered bundled in AppImage format.
What is AppImage format? Essenstially, RetroShare.0.6.3.AppImage will be available along side the other package formats found at RetroShare.net.
The primary advantage to using AppImage is that it is a downloadable binary image which can be run in 'User Space' without the necessity of installing from a package like the other Distro-specific packages of RetroShare require.
Effectively, this means just one AppImage can run on 'any' Linux Distribution. This is not a unique technology per se, but, new to Linux. RetroShare 'Portable' for Windows can be put on a USB and run at any Windows workstation. Similarly, Apple's OSX DMG format works the same as AppImage.
Try RetroShare, No Special Installation
Just the other day, I finished bundling RetroShare as an AppImage for internal testers.
It is a revision that incorporates many of the new 0.6.3 features. Warning: There are still bugs to be ironed out and so, please be aware this isn't a production (stable) version yet.
From a Terminal, cd into the folder where the AppImage is found and type: chmod a+x ./RetroShare06-12345678-x86_64.AppImage
Then to run, type: ./RetroShare06-12345678-x86_64.AppImage &
The application mounts in /tmp and runs from User space but will see any existing configuration in ~/.retroshare on your local hard drive.
Have Fun. -- Dietrich
