After realizing the need for a distributed data storage and processing system with no centralized means of control and writing a brief post on the subject, work was recently started on a proof-of-concept. The system is called Hrafnageuth, in honor of the Germanic god Odin, who had two ravens named Huginn (thought) and Muninn (memory). Hrafnageuth consists of several components, each of which may be independently used. The blockchain portion of the system serves only as a transaction ledger; user data and processing are separated from the blockchain. Intended uses for Hrafnageuth include a basis for a distributed social media platform which is resistant to censorship and trend editing as we saw with YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. Because the system is blockchain-based, it also serves as a method by which events, websites, social media postings, and other information may be archived to address the "fake news" narrative.
The proof-of-concept is currently implemented primarily in the user interface and client-side file functions (Muninn). Users may select local files to upload, or provide a URL to a webpage for archiving.
A website fetched for archiving
Local files queued for archiving
Files, including those generated when fetching URLs, are known as segments and are split into packets prior to being sent out for storage. A number of options may be applied to each segment, including hash type and packet size.
Sleipnir peer list
Network interface for all Hrafnageuth components is provided by Sleipnir. Users can block certain Sleipnir peer addresses, rate them, communicate via messaging, and configure various options to limit peer usage based on a number of criteria.