|
Sia FAQ – Things you want to know about Sia (original article - http://sia.tech/faq )
(Translator's note: If there are any inaccuracies in the translation, please refer to the original text. Readers are welcome to raise different opinions for discussion.) Sia System Question: How are files stored securely in the Sia system?
A: Sia uses a combination of erasure coding, encryption, and blockchain to ensure the security of files in the system. The host storing the files cannot read the files stored in it, and the files will not be damaged even if the system is paralyzed on a large scale. Q: What happens if the host (node) storing the file goes offline?
A: Sia uses Reed Solomon erasure coding, which means that files will not be corrupted even if a large number of hosts go offline. Q: How stable is Sia?
A: Sia's consensus mechanism has been thoroughly reviewed and will not be significantly changed in the future. No major instabilities have been observed since the system went live on June 7th. The client software is running well in final testing. Most bugs have been eliminated, but there are still some rough edges and disappointments in the user experience. There may still be potential vulnerabilities in the system and the risk of losing Siacoins or files remains. Please use with caution. The software comes with no warranty. Restarting is usually a good solution to troubleshooting problems. Siacoin Q: What is the difference between Siacoin and Bitcoin?
A: The Sia system uses a cryptocurrency, Siacoin, to run its decentralized payment function. Siacoin can be seen as an extension of Bitcoin on file smart contracts. Like Bitcoin, Siacoin also uses blockchain and is run by a proof-of-work (PoW) mining mechanism. However, Siacoin does not directly compete with Bitcoin. Bitcoin is a general-purpose cryptocurrency, while Siacoin is a cryptocurrency specific to the Sia cloud storage system. Q: Why does the Sia system need its own currency? Can it use other payment systems such as PayPal?
A: Using other payment systems will make it more difficult for users to pay hosts (storage space providers). In addition, Sia will generate a large number of micro-transactions (such as micro-payments less than a cent), and traditional payment systems cannot handle such payments and transactions because they are not designed for such micro-payments. Finally, the use of blockchain makes it possible to enforce the execution of contracts using encryption technology. Q: How to buy Siacoin?
A: You need Bitcoin to buy Siacoin. The most common place to buy Siacoin is on the Poloniex exchange. There is a trading thread on BitcoinTalk. There is also a trading channel on the Sia Slack. Q: How many Siacoins are there?
A: Each block generates 300,000 Siacoins. The initial block is block 0. After reaching block 270,000, all blocks will only generate 30,000 Siacoins. The current number of Siacoins can be viewed at explore.siacoin.com. Q: How does the Sia team raise funds?
A: Sia is a project under Nabulous Labs. 3.9% of the transaction volume on the Sia platform belongs to siafunds, and Nabulous Labs owns about 90% of siafunds. The Sia team, Nabulous Labs, raises funds based on the future income of these siafunds. After Sia is basically completed, Nabulous plans to build some profitable projects on it, which can also be financed. Wallets
Q: How is the wallet encrypted?
A: The first time you use the Sia software, you will need to create a wallet. You can do this by clicking the 'Create Wallet' button. You will be given a 29-word security password. You will need this password to unlock your wallet in the future. If you lose your wallet file, you can use this 29-word password to retrieve the Siacoins in your wallet. Q: What is wallet locking?
A: Locking is an integral part of encryption. When you first open a wallet app, the wallet is locked. When the wallet is locked, the Siacoins in the wallet cannot be used. In this case, mining, file management, and hosting services will also be suspended. Q: Can I choose my own password?
A: You cannot choose your own password yet. People tend to overestimate their ability to create strong passwords, and many people have lost coins due to weak passwords. For this reason, the Sia software does not support user-generated passwords. Q: Can hackers steal my coins?
A: When the wallet is unlocked, the private key is only stored in memory. All data and files are encrypted by the wallet password before being stored on the hard disk. Host (Host - storage space provider)
Q: How to become a host (storage space provider)?
A: The first step is to forward your port. Once your port is forwarded, you can announce that you are the host and start accepting file storage contracts. It may take several hours for the announcement to propagate throughout the system. Q: How do I forward my ports?
A: The forwarding ports are set to :9981 and :9982. The latest version of Sia includes upnp, which will automatically forward most people's computer ports, but it does not yet automatically forward everyone's. Portforward.com will provide more information. Q: The Sia software says my port has not been forwarded, but in fact my port has been forwarded.
A: Sia will sometimes mistakenly assume that your port has not been forwarded. To work around this, you can use 'siac' to declare a specific URL. This declaration does not verify that your port has been forwarded, but it will allow you to avoid this error. Q: I can't get any contracts.
A: If you can't get a contract, it may be because your price is too high, or your wallet is locked, or your port has not been forwarded, or your host has not been correctly declared to the Sia system. Q: How should I price?
A: There are simple tools that can help with pricing. Anything above 100 Siacoins/GB per month will make it hard to get storage contracts. Mining Question: Is there a mining pool?
A: Not yet, but two mining pools are in development. The official mining pool is also in development. At least one third party is developing a mining pool. But there is no specific timeline. Q: Which card should I buy?
A: AMD cards tend to be better than Nvidia cards. Some say FuryX cards are cost-effective. Q: How long does it take for a single machine to mine a block?
A: It depends on the card, each video card can mine about 2 to 10 blocks per month. Q: I mined a block, but my account balance is still zero.
A: Similar to Bitcoin, newly mined coins cannot be used within 144 blocks. Usually this means 24 hours, but due to the volatility of the hash rate, it can sometimes be longer than 24 hours. Q: What hashing algorithm does Sia use?
A: Sia uses Blake2b, and a GPU mining software can be downloaded from our Gihub. document Q: How do I upload files?
A: On the computer interface, click the folder icon in the upper right corner of your wallet. Q: I uploaded some files but I can't see them.
A: You can try running 'siac' in the command line. Siac is a command line application that can be downloaded from the Sia repository. Tutorials on how to use it can be found here - https://github.com/NebulousLabs/Sia/releases/tag/v0.4.8-beta Q: Can I delete an uploaded file?
A: Very soon. Q: How do I download files?
A: Click on the file and a download icon will appear in the upper right corner. Q: Can I see how many times my files have been downloaded?
A: No, because downloading happens outside the blockchain. Some hosts may provide information about activity on a file, but they can easily misreport this data. Other software such as the Sunfish sharing platform may have ways to track this download data. Q: Can other people see the files I store on Sia?
A: No. All uploaded files are decrypted and encrypted. Only those with the file's metadata can see the file itself. To further protect the file, the size of the file cannot be seen without the metadata. Q: Can I share files with other people?
A: Yes. Files can be shared publicly or privately. All files uploaded to the Sia network are decrypted and encrypted. If a person has the metadata for a file, that person can decrypt and view the file. The metadata is stored in a '.sia' or 'siafile'. If you share a siafile of an uploaded file with others, you give them the ability to download the file. If you want to share a file privately, you can give the siafile to someone you trust. They will be able to download the file. If you want to share your file with the public, you can put the file's siafile in a public place.
| 
