Release Notes

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Please see the Wiki, Use Cases, FAQ, and Business Cases.

NOTES on the Version:

0.85c--- Lots of progress! Added:

        - Import/export Nym, import/export cert, import/export Cash.
        - Cash can now be exported to a passphrase-protected purse,
          or a recipient Nym (your choice.) Try: opentxs exportcash
          Also: opentxs exportcash --args "passwd true"

        - Added API call: OT_API_CreatePurse_Passphrase, for creating
          password-protected cash purses. Also, a few purse-related
          API calls have changed slightly.

        - The "instrument" API calls have been simplified and some
          were renamed.

        - You can now change the master passphrase on your wallet.

        - The opentxs command-line utility now accepts name
          abbreviations in addition to ID abbreviations.
          For example, this command-line option:
          opentxs --mynym T1Q3wZWgeTUoaUvn9m1lzIK5tn5wITlzxzrGNI8qtaV
          Works abbreviated:          opentxs --mynym T1
          AND works using the name:   opentxs --mynym "FT's Test Nym"

        - Added script to scripts/util for adjusting usage credits.
          See Open-Transactions/scripts/util/adjust_usage.ot

        - load_or_retrieve_pubkey(serverID, nymID, recipientNymID)
          This new ot_made_easy function should be called, for example,
          before exporting cash to a given Nym, in any scripts. That
          way the public key for the recipient can be retrieved, if
          needed, before it's used. For HisNym (--hisnym ID) opentxs
          will first search by full ID, then by abbreviated ID, then
          by abbreviated name as it appears in the wallet, and then
          finally by downloading the pubkey from the server, if
          necessary.

        - OTAssetContract is now able to take an amount, and format
          it properly for that currency based on locale plus rules
          in the currency contract. For example, 2763 might display
          as $27.63.

        - Hash calculation was moved from OTIdentifier to OTCrypto.

        - Various methods in OTPurse and OTToken were changed to accept
          EITHER an owner Nym, or a symmetric key instead.

0.84c--- Market-related commands added to the opentxs CLI tool: getmarkets, showmarkets, getoffers, showoffers, getmyoffers, showmyoffers, and PAY DIVIDEND :-)

0.84a--- OT now creates ALL data files it needs.

0.83 --- Added OTKeyring for handling the Mac Keychain, Windows DPAPI, the KDE KWallet, and the Gnome Keyring.

0.82e--- Various bugs were fixed: create_asset_contract.ot and create_ server_contract.ot were both fixed. An empty passphrase will no longer assert on the client side. Release() is no longer called from inside destructors.

0.82c--- Resync script was fixed (in scripts/utils folder.) You should never need to actually use this, but it's there as a tool. I also fixed a bug in ot_utility.ot, so if you are keeping your existing data for any reason, make sure to copy over the new scripts to your ~/.ot/client_data/scripts/ot folder, so you get the updates.

        Also: "write_cheque.ot" was added to the scripts/samples folder.

0.82b--- The createmint utility was fixed; the mints were regenerated; cash withdrawal was fixed in the test GUI. The contents of scripts/ot and scripts/samples were updated. (Make sure, if you are keeping your current data folder, to overwrite the old script headers in ~/.ot/client_data/scripts/ot with the new ones in: Open-Transactions/scripts/ot (Bugs were fixed in the script headers) Also, send_user_msg.ot was fixed.

0.82a--- Automake support added! Thanks to da2ce7.

0.80f--- OTAsymmetricKey now creates its own copy of the EVP_PKEY when setting it, to fix an openssl-related segfault.

        master_key_timeout was added to the config files.

        _PASSWORD_LEN bug was fixed. (#ifndef, #define'd as 128.)

0.80e--- Added the OTMasterKey class. The user's passphrase is no longer used to directly open his private keys for his Nyms. Instead, the passphrase is used to derive a key, which is used to unlock a MASTER key, and THAT is used for the private keys. This master key is stored in protected memory for X minutes, and then is destroyed. During the X minutes, you will NOT have to type your passphrase (more than once.) But once the X minutes are over, then you WILL be forced to enter your passphrase once again.

0.80d--- Fixed up some of the CRYPTO code. OTPayload and OTPassword now have a Randomize() method. OTAsymmetricKey now has a "timer" mechanism for keys, and takes pains to wipe them when done. Some memory is securely zeroed out, such as OTString, OTData, OTPayload, and OTPassword. A new OTSymmetricKey class was added for passphrase-protection as a new alternative to public keys. OTEnvelope was significantly re-written and now supports multiple recipients, as well as password-protected envelopes. OTSymmetricKey uses a random key for all encryption/decryption, and this random key is then encrypted to another key that's generated using a key-derivation algorithm with passphrase input.

        The Init/Cleanup code was also significantly upgraded. Special
        tricks are now used to reduce occurances of memory being written
        to swap files, as well as to prevent core dumps. Functions were 
        added such as safe_memcpy, safe_strlen, safe_strcopy, etc.

0.80c--- Added synchronization code to reduce the number of box receipts needing to be downloaded. (Should speed things up a bit.) Download the latest Moneychanger!

0.80 --- Contracts are now serialized in ascii-armored form, instead of clear-signed form (for cross-platform capabilities.) OT is still able to read the clear-signed versions, so it should support old data. Some more hiccups were fixed since the big synchronization changes were added.

0.79 --- * Inbox, Outbox, and Nymbox now are hashed, with the hashes sent to the client on certain server reply messages. The client will refrain from downloading those files unless the hashes have changed. * The server drops all important replies into the Nymbox, to make sure the client doesn't miss them (for synchronization purposes.) * The client-side now tracks all sent messages, and when a reply is lost, the client is smart enough to download the Nymbox and check for a reply there, before harvesting any transaction numbers back for re-use. * The API now draws a sharp distinction between 'error' messages and 'failed' messages. ('Error' could mean "missed server reply" which could actually mean, "The reply was actually a success, but we just didn't know because it was dropped on the network." OT takes all of this into account now, for synchronization purposes.) * All API calls to send a message now return the request #, if the message was actually sent. This allows the client developer to look up any replies based on the request #, as well as reference the sent message itself by request #. * The high-level API wrapper (in Java) has been completely re-written for this new synchronization code. * The high-level API wrapper (in OTScript) has NOT yet been re-written, but that is coming probably with my next check-in.

0.78 --- Fixed a nasty bug in signatures that forced me to regenerate the test data. Nyms stayed the same, but all contracts were re-signed and all server IDs and asset IDs have changed. Due to this all the accounts were re-created as well.

        ** Notice the growing scripts/samples folder. **
        
        Also, transaction numbers are downloaded 20 at a time now,
        in a single receipt (instead of forcing 50 box receipts to
        download for each and every transaction number, as used to
        happen.) 
         

0.77 --- Added Box Receipts. (Inboxes now store their receipts separately, with only a hash remaining in the main file.) Many other misc bug fixes.

0.76 --- Bugfix release. Many bugs were uncovered by recent testing with new users. (One user with an especially bad network connection.) OT now has much more powerful polling, blocking, configurability, timeouts, synchronization, and robustness against network faults. Also see resync.ot in the scripts folder.

0.75 --- Smart Contracts! (Server-side SCRIPTABLE CLAUSES, and hooks!) Users can now design and activate their own financial instruments, in SCRIPT FORM!

        Also, configurable permissions were added for all of the OT server's
        transactions and messages. See your config file: ~/.ot/server.cfg

0.74 --- OT can now be configured (or not) to require USAGE CREDITS. (This makes it possible for server operators to charge transaction fees.) API functions were added for viewing and setting these usage credits.

        Also: I added whitespace trimming, to make sure contracts will calculate
        the exact same ID every single time. (I regenerated all the test data.)

0.73 --- Client side scripting! See the Open-Transactions/scripts folder. (The entire OT API is now available for use inside the client- side scripts.)

0.72b--- Basket Exchange is now working in the GUI!

0.72a--- More bug fixes. Plus: added more options to the ini files.

0.72 --- This release was all debugging. It's downright embarrassing, all the bugs I still had to fix. A new version of the GUI is coming soon, with matching fixes.

0.71 --- Massive upgrades to the command-line utility for OT, as well as the addition of "make install". Lots of debugging. Default data folders are now ~/.ot/server_data and ~/.ot/client_data

0.70 --- Added finalReceipt, basketReceipt, plus related internal changes. Also added messages for DELETING accounts and nyms.

0.69 --- Bug fixes in preparation for the new MARKETS screen...

0.68 --- Minor bug fixes at the request of client developers.

0.67 --- Output now goes to a logfile (in the config file) or stderr. No more logs to standard output. OT client no longer hangs if server isn't running. Client and Server now both use ini files as well as config files.

0.66 --- Added the rest of the Market API, since the GUI will soon support it!

0.65 --- THE SAMPLE DATA WAS ALL RE-GENERATED... So grab it, plus the latest version of the code. What all changed?

        I added default packing to all OTASCIIArmor strings. I think
        OT should now be binary compatible across all platforms, but
        we'll see. Oh and, due to this, re-generated all sample data.

        ===> Also added bindings for **the D programming language**
             http://www.digitalmars.com/d/2.0/overview.html

        ===> Also added .ot_ini files! (What sorts of options would 
             YOU like to see in the configuration files for OT?)

        Also did some bug fixes in OTString, OTMint, and createmint.

0.64 --- Added default packing (currently protobuf) to all binary to base64 encoding. I had a recent complaint about binary incompatibility across platform, and this is either the complete fix, or at least a strong beginning of a drive to ensure binary compatibility across all platforms.

0.63 --- Open Transactions has entirely been converted to the NEW STORAGE CLASS. (This means you can easily switch to different storage systems, instead of using the filesystem, just by sub- classing the OTDB::Storage class and overriding a few methods.)

        IN OTHER NEWS: OT now uses the ZeroMQ library for transport!
        To learn more about OT's new transport capabilities, check out
        this guide:  http://zguide.zeromq.org/page:all

0.62 --- Load/SaveWallet uses the new Storage class. Dynamic casting was added to the storable objects. Pack/Unpack were debugged. Store/Query now supports plain strings. Contact ID was added. Storable objects now use smart pointers for internals.

0.61 --- Added new Storage context class! Currently filesystem supported only, BUT you can now add any new storage you want simply by subclassing OTDB::Storage and implementing a few methods!! Many other storage methods can now quickly and easily be added.

        Furthermore, the Storage object was designed to make it easy to
        swap Packing libraries. OT now supports MsgPack IN ADDITION TO
        Google's Protobuf library. Soon these will also be used to
        clear up any binary incompatibilities between different
        systems running OT. (So the contracts will work on all systems
        equally.)

0.60 --- Added password callback! Works in the API, in Java, etc.

0.59 --- Fixed ANOTHER old bug in receipt verification.

0.58 --- Added API stub for Import Nym

0.57 --- Fixed an old bug in receipt verification.

0.56 --- "Verify Last Signed Receipt against intermediary files" has officially been added to the API. Also added more ability to manipulate Tokens through the API. Also some debugging in balance agreement (cleaned up an old bug that prevented transactions while certain receipt types were in the inbox.)

0.55 --- Minor release, goes along with Moneychanger (new Java GUI.)

0.54 --- OT now stores the last 1024 logs internally, and makes them available via the API. Various other API debugging was done.

0.53 --- API functions for Nym outbox, and for checking success status of a transaction message. Various other API fixes preparing for the upcoming test GUI.

0.52 --- API functions for deleting Nyms, Accounts, and Contracts.

0.51 --- API functions for Mail and Transactions.

0.50 --- BASE-62-ENCODED IDs (much more compact.)

0.45 --- Added a few API functions and updated the Windows build.

0.44 --- RECEIPT VERIFICATION. Goes with the below change. Client-side receipts are now saved after every transaction, and whenever account/inbox/outbox files are downloaded, they're verified against the last signed receipt.

0.43 --- BALANCE AGREEMENT / NO ACCOUNT HISTORY has been added! Just make sure you grab the outbox and inbox, and the account file, before doing a transaction, since they are needed for balance agreement, which is now operational and required.

0.42 --- More bug fixes, plus added OT_API_CreateNym() (finally).

0.41 --- Bug fixes in support of API, added various transaction types, receipt types, item types, to get full transfer receipt process working end-to-end.

0.40 --- More additions to the API, plus many under-the-hood fixes.

0.39 --- Continually updating the API based on developer feedback.

0.38 --- Added Payment Plans, Markets, and Baskets to the API. Also added message buffer access to the API, so you can read all the server replies if you want to (or flush them...)

0.37 --- Added build option DSP=1, for using custom builds of OpenSSL, and for turning off all the output logs.

0.36 --- Top-level build targets added for API in Python, Ruby, PHP, and Perl! It's now this easy to build the API:

        cd Open-Transactions
        make clean

       Then, from the same folder:

        make ruby
        make python
        make php5
        make perl5
        make java  (added in v0.44)
 
       (More languages are supported, but for now these are the ones
       available at the top level.)    

0.35 --- Huge additions to the API! See testwallet/OTAPI_funcdef.h for the complete interface, with NOTES above each function.

        That same interface is also wrapped by SWIG, and available
        in Java, Python, Ruby, Perl, Php, Lisp, etc, so those OTAPI
        functions are relevant to ALL developers...

        People have asked about documentation so hopefully the API,
        plus the notes within, will answer any questions for now
        until more professional docs can be written. As always, feel
        free to contact me with any questions.

        This release continues my push to make the library EASY and
        ACCESSIBLE to all developers, in all languages, on all
        platforms.  There are already multiple developers who are
        starting to play around with client software using the OTAPI,
        and I am very responsive to their needs.

        *** The latest SECURITY notes..

        ..Any new software requires testing with users AND peer review!
          Open Transactions was recently reviewed by Ben Laurie, and
          I accepted all the changes that he submitted. It's a good
          start!  This process must continue.

        ..In this release I have replaced all instances of strcpy
          with strlcpy/strcpy_s, and all instances of sprintf with
          snprintf/sprintf_s, and all instances of vsprintf with
          vsnprintf/vsprintf_s, and all instances of strcat with
          strlcat/strcat_s.  It's important to make sure there are no
          buffer overflows in this code.

        ..I also set up the code with Valgrind, and went through all
          the warnings, adding comments, fixes, and exclusions where
          appropriate or necessary. This process will continue, but
          it's important to run code scanners on this sort of software!
        

0.34 --- (Various additions to the API at developer request.)

0.33 --- Slicker build process. This release is all about having an EASY BUILD PROCESS, and is based on real-world feedback I've been getting from YOU, my testers:

    *   For ALL users: XmlRpc++ is now part of the distribution, and is part of the 
         build process. Various users had trouble installing this library separately, 
         so I integrated it into the project. Now it's built-in! 
    *   For ALL users: Platform now auto-detected by MUCH easier/slicker Makefiles. 
         (And as with the last release, I was able to eliminate several Makefiles.) 
         To build (from main folder), just type: 
         make 
         (You may prefer 'make rpc', to build in the preferred XmlRpc mode.) 
     *   To build the API: 
         cd testwallet; 
         make -f Makefile.API TRANSPORT=XmlRpc LANGUAGE=c 
         make -f Makefile.API TRANSPORT=XmlRpc LANGUAGE=ruby 
         make -f Makefile.API TRANSPORT=XmlRpc LANGUAGE=java 
         make -f Makefile.API TRANSPORT=XmlRpc LANGUAGE=python 
         make -f Makefile.API TRANSPORT=XmlRpc LANGUAGE=perl5 
         make -f Makefile.API TRANSPORT=XmlRpc LANGUAGE=php5 
         make -f Makefile.API TRANSPORT=XmlRpc LANGUAGE=lisp 
         Etc... 
         Slick, eh? In all the above cases, the platform is automatically detected. 
         See testwallet/API-README.txt for more notes. 

    *   For MAC users: The Makefiles had been using the wrong location for OpenSSL 
         (at least, for the Macports 1.0.0a version) so I fixed this. The previous 
         Makefiles referenced the default location, where (the wrong) version 0.9.8 
         can be found. (The new version looks in /opt, as used by MacPorts.) 

     *   For LINUX users: Now, OT attempts to link 64-bit libs where appropriate. 

     *   For FREEBSD users: The full new Makefile is now FULLY operational on 
         FreeBSD, including the utilities "createmint.exe" and "signcontract.exe", 
         which were previously unsupported on FreeBSD. 

0.31 --- **Native API**, with easy Makefiles, added for: 
        **Java, Lisp, Ruby, Python, Perl, PHP, C, C++, Objective-C, C#,**
        and Tcl. Also supporting JRuby, Jython, and any other languages
        on the JVM. 

        Transport is now implemented as a CALLBACK FUNCTION, which
        means it is now VERY EASY to swap out to different forms of
        transport (though XmlRpc is probably the last form we'll ever
        need.)

        The build process has been greatly simplified, and many Makefiles
        were made redundant and removed.

0.30 --- MAJOR RELEASE! Markets, Payment Plans, and OT as a Web Service!

      *** Open Transactions is now officially a WEB SERVICE! The server,
          client, and API now support *XML-RPC/HTTP*, in addition to the
          TCP/SSL mode from before.

      *** Open Transactions now supports real MARKETS with 2-way trades!
          These markets are full-featured, and allow for LIMIT orders,
          STOP orders, DAY orders, FILL-OR-KILL orders, STOP LIMITS, etc.
          Markets also have SCALE, which means bulk pricing and arbitrage.

      *** Open Transactions now supports PAYMENT PLANS. As long as both
          parties have signed the contract, the server will continue
          processing it according to its terms, placing receipts in the
          inboxes of the two parties until the payments are done.

      *** All data files were removed to a data folder, and all file
          paths were removed from data files (filenames are generated
          now, when needed.)  This all means datafiles are much easier now.

// ---------------------------------------------------------------------

0.25 --- All FILE pointers were removed and replaced with C++ fstreams.

        An all new logging class, with errors, asserts, and multi-
        verbosity output. See the OTLog.h and .cpp files for more.
        (Centralizing the output and logging also helps porting efforts.)

        All the test certs were regenerated, and the contracts were
        re-signed, etc. This time they will last for 10 years, instead
        of 30 days. Slight fix to the Open-Transactions/ssl Makefile.

0.24 --- FreeBSD working!

0.23 --- Android version! (In support of our upcoming Android client.)

       Now it's easier than ever to use Open Transactions in your
        Java and C++ applications, for Mac, Linux, and Windows!

0.22 --- EASY Makefiles and project files are now available for the JNI Java interface, as well as the high-level C++ API.

        Makefiles are supplied for MAC and LINUX, as well as project
        files for XCode on Mac and MS Visual C++ 2010 Express on Windows. 

        "FiatCash" (the first client, on Android) is humming along
        and hopefully we'll have some basic version soon up on Github.

        Negative transactions are no longer allowed for vouchers,
        account transfers, or cash withdrawals. They are still, however,
        allowed for cheques, which serve as invoices.

        Various global variable issues were cleaned up...

// ---------------------------------------------------------------------

0.21 --- Windows release!

       Open Transactions now supports Windows, LINUX, and Mac OS X.
       (In the same code base.)
       
       This distribution comes with gcc Makefiles for Mac and Linux,
       as well as XCode project files for Mac and Microsoft VC++ project
       files for Windows.
       
       The Windows port was at the request of an Android developer who
       has begun work on a wallet (client app) that he calls "FiatCash".
       He will be building it on Windows, in Java, using the Open
       Transactions JNI interface to talk to the library. When complete,
       the wallet software will run on Android phones.
       
       INVOICES: Imagine that you hand someone an invoice. He runs it
       through his bank account and the money is automatically transferred
       to you, with receipts on both sides. This is the same thing as
       a cheque with a negative amount. Thus, "negative cheques" can be
       used as invoices. (Already operational.)
       
       Assorted:
       
       Many of the C Standard Library includes were replaced with their
       C++ standard library versions.
       
       Other cleanups were made including some fixes to OTString (which
       used to have some large stack-allocations) as well as a bug fix
       in the socket code for the server / test client.

       The client cert expired, so I re-created all the certs. If you have
       any problem with your own, just install the new version to fix it.
       

// ---------------------------------------------------------------------

0.2 --- Major Release! ALL NEW:

       JNI Interface (High-level Java API)

       High-level C++ Interface

       Spent Token Database is fully operational!

       Mints and Tokens now support Expiration AND Series. 

       New Financial Instruments: Cheques and Vouchers.

       Reserve accounts are now working to store the backing funds
       for cash withdrawals and vouchers (cashier's cheques.)

       Transaction numbers are fully working now.
       
       Nym files are now signed (to prevent tampering.)

       Hardcoding of paths was fixed, using config files and
       command-line arguments now, so you can use the software 
       without having to change the code.

       Path separators were improved to support Windows-style paths
       (though I haven't tried to actually build on Windows.)

       Numerous bug fixes. Including a big one: discarding
       token signature after unblinding.

// ---------------------------------------------------------------------

0.11 --- Added LINUX support...

       Added Makefiles, and a few fixes related to Linux. 
       
       OT now runs on TWO platforms: LINUX and Mac OS X.

// ---------------------------------------------------------------------

0.1 --- The original goal was just proof-of-concept. There are many TODOs listed on the project page, as well as throughout the code. But it all works!!!

A WARNING: This software is brand-spanking-new. The project has not yet been audited for security or tested for any extended period of time. Thus far, it must be considered as for experimental purposes only.

   --- There are still a few values that are hardcoded (in the client
       and the server), unfortunately, but it's all documented and I
       have everything set up already to run, so you don't have to
       mess with them. This will be fixed next release.

The server expects its OWN cert to be in the transaction/certs folder. The filename should be the server_user_ID from notaryServer.xml (I HAVE ALREADY PLACED IT THERE.)

This is the file that includes the server's public AND private key.