Trying out Nostr the quick way

The basic principle is: Unless you use the same public and private key pair that you sign in with, you can't ever access that same account. There is nobody to call for a password reset.

You can of course set up a new account an infinite number of times. There are actually many use cases where it is encouraged to create a new Nostr "burner" account.

Journalists in adversarial states for instance might use this platform. Post once and never save the keys, no trace left of their ID.

You may be reading this thinking it is a terrible idea to be able to post what you like anon. Sure, SOME people will abuse it. Nostr has simple ways for you to block such idiots. But what I have found is that once you are outside the traditional social media bubble, the general story on Nostr is that you start to relax, to feel like a normal human being, focusing on the content and people that give you pleasure, not on the defensive dealing with people typing what they would never say to you face to face.

Surprisingly, the vast vast majority of us are decent when treated right, and not provoked and antagonised by algorithms. Left to our own devices, most of us are not naturally mischievous and nasty, but we are living in an increasingly mischievous and nasty system of social media. Nostr is one way back to civil and decent behaviour online.

In Nostr speak an "event" is a post, or a like, or some sort (or "kind") of content uploaded to Nostr. For your convenience, you give Alby permission to automatically sign ie submit your private key to prove that you are the author of types of event.

But there are events that you might want to double check yourself before agreeing. You can set up Alby so that whenever you are asked for a payment, or an unusual request from the website, Alby will pop up and ask you to confirm it. To agree, you just confirm with a click.

(My technical knowledge ends right there.)

You have control over the level of trust you give Alby. First option is "I want to confirm every single action myself". That's a good way to see what websites are doing, actually, but it is tiresome for every site.

The default is a more practical option: "Be reasonable!" where basic events like reading your username and letting you sign in and post are taken care of automatically. But if you need to pay for something, then Alby will ask you to confirm before proceeding.

And third is a "Whatever, mate, this site is safe, I trust it totally" which is not the smartest move, unless it is your site or app!

The Chat button on this website

Alby signs you in automagically so you can submit the DM "as yourself".

On a social media site

• The first time you turn up, Alby will pop up on your screen. You confirm with a click that you give Alby permission to sign for you.
• You might be asked what level of trust you have for the site. Stick with the middle option default.
• If you return to that site again, often times Alby will not appear, just do its thing.
• It may pop up asking you to enter an UNLOCK password. That's why I suggest a simple memorable pass phrase.
• The site may ask you to confirm gain. It's just a click. There is nothing else for you to remember.

This process takes longer to write than to do. It's a case of doing it and seeing how easy the Nostr way is compared to email, password and 2FA!

Take two minutes to set up Alby Browser Extension, and now there is nothing to ever copy-paste, nothing to ever remember.

And if you were to keep your key pair in a password manager stored on a separate device like an encrypted hard drive, you'd be pretty well backed-up.

Nostr offers a fresh take on private communication, prioritizing user privacy above all else. This open-source protocol, just a few lines of code, empowers developers to create a new internet experience where personal privacy is paramount. The philosophy behind Nostr harks back to the original vision of the Internet – open, private, and accessible to all.

Beyond social media, Nostr's privacy-focused approach has numerous applications, such as contact forms, review submission forms, and even color scheme selections on websites like Olive Grove Eggs, made possible through Formstr, an app built on the Nostr protocol.

At its core, Nostr is about safeguarding user data and giving you control over your personal information. It's not about secrecy, but rather the freedom to choose who has access to your details. Users, contributors, and participants are taking a stand for privacy, choosing a different path away from corporations or businesses that impose unreasonable terms.

Take Facebook, for example, which collects personal information and tracks internet habits, tying them to individual users. Nostr challenges this notion by allowing users to decide what information to share, with encrypted IDs ensuring secure handling of personal data.

Nostr is also a response to the trend of controlling and limiting online content and access. Nostr is a second chance to create an internet that works for everyone, everywhere, with privacy at its heart. Hyperbole?

Sign in to ANY Nostr social media or productivity app with one of several signers.

• Alby is one password storage and signer extension.
• Nos2x is an option for Chrome browsers (try privacy browsers like Kiwi instead of Google Chrome)
• Nos2x-Fox is for privacy-first Firefox, another extension which I have installed. This is the developer's video of Nos2x in action.

You can have both or more installed to cover any gaps in coverage. One of the two will pop up, depending on the website or app.

• Amber for Android! For even more security and convenience, try an Android app called Amber. This is the next step up in security from Alby in your browser bar. It downloads to your phone, and encrypted keys are created, which never leave your phone. In principle, Amber will appear when you try sign in to a website. It is a new technology that is still being adopted, so install it, but if the sites you go to haven't upgraded, then Alby or Nos2x-Fox will appear. No email/password nonsense, either way.

Universal posting on social media.

Whatever you post on one social media app is accessible on every other app in the Nostrsphere.

Imagine posting on X and FaceBook at the same time! And if you get fed up with one social media app, you login to a different home and your content is magically ported in, along with all your followers, ready for you to carry on where you left off.

Nostr is a privacy respecting protocol.

• Nostr never asks you for your name, email, telephone number, nothing.
• Apps cannot track you.
• Nobody can shadow ban, censor, edit or delete your work.
• Algorithms are simply for helping with finding content, and they start and stop at giving you full control of who you follow, and what you choose to see.
• There are no algorithms to enrage you, and if you did ever find a client that delivers content you don't care for, use another client. Vote with your feet for freedom online

No ads

This is mostly true but I have noticed a couple of places show them. Just tell them you won't use them with ads, they need to find a better way to sustain the website financially. We use the Value for Value model.

Nostriches seem very relaxed on Nostr.

A Nostrich, which is the pet name for a Nostr user, seem very laid back. In my opinion, I think people respond well to the inbuilt respect for their right to privacy and freedom of speech. It is not negotiable. You can post what you like, and if you don't like what someone says you simply block them.

You aren't alone though keeping away from unsavoury characters or posters that seem to have an agenda you aren't keen on hearing. The content posted to Nostr is stored on relays, as in servers located all over the world. The relay owners are responsible for distributing the Nostr chit chat back out to users. They are very good at spotting feedback from users. In essence, they don't delete posts that multiple people may have complained about, they simply don't re-distribute any content from the source.

Another relay could choose to send out that same "distasteful" content, but to users who want to hear or see it.

It's a type of social score, I guess, to avoid censorship. It is not perfect yet, but Nostr is governed by the users, not a central controller like Elon.

The next big development is "discovery" - enabling you to easily find and sign up to communities you identify with. Nos Social are leading the way here. Rabble was a co-founder of Twitter, now a staunch Nostr advocate, and very clear on how to make everyone welcome on Nostr by pointing you to what you want.

I for one find it a very constructive and peaceful space, a breath of fresh air. #asknostr

To experience the full potential of Nostr, set up a Lightning wallet and get ready to join the fun. The lightning icon which represents "Zap $ats" is more than just a symbol - it's a gateway to a seamless and exciting way to make purchases and show appreciation for great content.

With the Lightning network, you can use Bitcoin to make fast and affordable transactions, perfect for micro-payments and tipping on social media. Lightning is also the framework for global payment settlement of larger amounts, leaving Bitcoin blockchain for very big payments and providing the foundation for Lightning.

"Zapping $ats" is a convenient and engaging way to support your favorite creators with a quick tip, or make purchases. In principle, Lightning is shaping up as the instant payment layer on top of Bitcoin, to take over from Visa. It's already here working. Businesses, even countries accept Bitcoin now!

This is a good starting point for a Lightning wallet

There are many to choose from. If it helps you to dip your feet in the water, I use Blink Wallet. I know a lot of first-time users opt for Alby or Wallet of Satoshi.

Check out your preferred app store if you feel more comfortable sourcing from the big boyz.

As an example, this is what I did:

• I went to that list of wallets on Lightening address.com.
• I found Blink. It is a custodial lightning wallet from Bitcoin Beach in el Salvador!
• I downloaded it, and set up an account using my phone number as ID. Ever tried a burner SMS telephone number?!
• Blink created my lightning address ...@blink.sv
• I added olivegroveeggs@blink.sv to my Nostr profile.

With that address on display, linked to my profile, which is based on my public-private key pair, I can safely receive and send sats on Nostr and hopefully, now, so can you!

2 - Load up some Bitcoin onto your wallet.

• Ask a Bitcoiner friend to sell you a few bucks' worth, or
• Try earn some BTC. One two three sets of ideas.
• Join me on Nostr, say hi, and I will zap you some sats.
• Buy a small amount from Strike or CashApp, or Swan Bitcoin, River, Unchained. A good summary of a few of those options is here.

The primary aim here is to get you started with a little bit of skin in the game. Only then will the words really make sense. When you see how little there is to using Lightning but grasp what a powerful tool it is, other ideas and opportunities will open up.

It's Bitcoin, I know. But you aren't a criminal, I'm not a criminal, and it is not criminal to use Bitcoin. But it is your right, you would think, to use money in a way that works for you when you need it, without asking for permission from a bank?

And once you have a Lightning address, you will see Paypal and Visa and banks for what they are - old tech that has wormed its way into the middle of every transaction, to make a cut. Screw that! And when it gets fun is when people zap sats to you! That's when the circular economy kicks in.

And who knew, you can even use an app like Koinly to organise all your lightning wallet transactions for your tax return. What more do you want?

Verification and Identity on Nostr: A Secure and Pseudonymous Solution

In the digital age, establishing trust and credibility online can be a significant challenge. On Nostr, a decentralized platform, users can create their own identities and build their reputation without the need for traditional verification methods. However, this also raises concerns about authenticity and accountability.

Our solution addresses these concerns by providing a secure and pseudonymous way for users to establish their identity on Nostr. By displaying a unique Nostr Address, generated by a public-private key combination, users can create a digital fingerprint that verifies their authenticity.

Key Benefits:

1. Unique Identity: A Nostr Address is tied to a specific public-private key combination, ensuring that only the owner of the combination can use the address.
2. Pseudonymity: Users are not required to provide their real name, allowing them to maintain their anonymity while still establishing a credible online presence.
3. Verification: When users display their Nostr Address, others can reverse-check the address to verify the public key, ensuring that the posts are indeed from the claimed author.
4. Streamlined Payments: Our solution also provides an email-style lightning payment address, making it easier for users to work with Bitcoin and facilitating seamless transactions.

Conclusion

Our Nostr Address solution offers a secure and pseudonymous way for users to establish their identity on the platform. By providing a unique digital fingerprint, users can build their credibility and trust with others, while maintaining their anonymity. This innovative solution has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about online identity and verification.

Generated by Mixtral AI from DuckDuckGo

To use Nostr's Bitcoin lightning payments, also known as Zaps, you'll need a few things set up first. You'll need a lightning wallet with a few Sats (the equivalent of micro pennies of Bitcoin) in your balance, and a Lightning Address. You can obtain Sats by going to an exchange, doing an in-person purchase, or earning them by posting good content on Nostr.

Once you're set up, you can use Zaps to tip or make payments to other users. If you read a post you like or find valuable, you can click on the lightning icon beneath the post. This will allow you to choose the amount to send. You can then use Alby to display and confirm the payment, or do a QR scan from a 3rd party wallet on your phone.

The process works both ways: if you're set up, you can also receive Bitcoin direct into your wallet from other Nostr users who see value in your contributions. This concept is known as Value for Value.

Lightning payments make circular economies viable not just for content creators, podcasters and musicians but all businesses. Everyone can participate in zapping sats for making others laugh or providing good food, a woven basket or a building. You can literally send 1¢ over the bitcoin network in seconds, or $1bn to a room across the globe in minutes.