Weekly Oxen Labs Update #258

This week user config was enabled on all upgraded devices. Stability is looking good so far—which is fantastic—but the Session team is continuing to monitor community reports for any issues. This week the Session Team got cracking on merging disappearing messages into user config on Android and implementing closed group logic into libSession, as well as additional changes to push notifications. The Lokinet team built a tool to test datagram transmission speeds, which was effective in uncovering remaining issues in our implementation. Now, our focus will be on integration into Lokinet itself. The Oxen core team continued its work on a prototype smart contract and surrounding libraries which produce and validate BLS signatures for the purpose of signalling changes from the Oxen chain to a potential EVM chain; this will give us a better understanding of potential constraints on this communication system.

Oxen/Core: 

Migration

Prototype build of BLS signature validation inside EVM compatible smart contract. The hope here is to get a better idea of how the Oxen chain can signal events to the EVM chain and how expensive this would be in terms of GAS.

wOxen

Made a number of improvements to the wOxen bridge frontend and backend operations

Session: 

Session Desktop

• Large refactor to replace linting system which should help developers catch more bugs and enforce code styles https://github.com/oxen-io/session-desktop/pull/2840 

Session iOS

• Implement ability to scroll back to latest message when navigating replies (thanks to community contributor f-person)https://github.com/oxen-io/session-ios/pull/877 

• Update message details screen with SwiftUI, this is the first part of a larger migration of screens to use Swift UI https://github.com/oxen-io/session-ios/pull/874 

Session Android

• Merge disappearing message back into user configuration branch and ensure correct functionality

• Round corners of thumbnail view in quote replies https://github.com/oxen-io/session-android/pull/1285

• Increase banner font size https://github.com/oxen-io/session-android/pull/1284 

• Add message sender to conversation view https://github.com/oxen-io/session-android/pull/1283

• Fix issue with exporting and sharing logs https://github.com/oxen-io/session-android/pull/1282 

• Refactor Huawei push notifications  

libSession

• Continue work on new closed group implementation focusing on group encrypted metadata, like group name, profile image etc.. 

Lokinet:

• CI fixes https://github.com/oxen-io/oxen-libquic/pull/28 

• Fix setting ECN on IPv6-bound sockets https://github.com/oxen-io/oxen-libquic/pull/27 

• Build datagram speedtest tool https://github.com/oxen-io/oxen-libquic/pull/26 

Marketing:

Last week was a massive week for us as we opened ORC #8 to the community. This Oxen Request for Comment shares our plans for the future of the project with our community. We spent a lot of time collaborating with the tech team to put the post itself together, as well as paying close attention to the questions and feedback that we received both through GitHub and in our community channels. 

ORC #8 is about Oxen’s transition into the Session Network Token. Previously we had hoped to finalise more important details about this proposal before sharing it with the community, but we chose to move our timeline forward following some disappointing and abrupt news from KuCoin. 

In case you missed it — KuCoin flagged OXEN for Special Treatment (ST) last week, and has since delisted us from their exchange. Although we’d had positive conversations with KuCoin very recently, it seems there was nothing we could do to change their plans this time around. 

Nonetheless, this is a fantastic opportunity for us to engage heavily with y’all about this proposal at a very early stage. We will be doing some more formalised engagement with you via an upcoming video AMA with project management (date will be announced in the next couple days), as well as staying online as much as we can in our communities. Submit your questions for the AMA here. 

Last week Alex, Josh and Cam were deep in all things transition — refining strategy and continuing to work on the project's new branding and identity. We will share our progress with you soon! 

We were busy working with the community last week, pushing out comms and video content like this fireside chat that Tom produced, as we aim to be as transparent as possible through the transition. 

Wes and Tim held down the fort content wise — working through socials content and planning for August, making sure that there are no gaps in our comms throughout the rebrand. This included also refining preparations for our rebrand campaign that we are planning to commence with the Session Network Token’s launch. 

On the Session side of things, we dropped this new video filmed and edited by Wes.

See you next time folks, same bat time same bat channel.