dApp staking programs should be transparent

Astar Network (Polkadot)
1

Hello dear Astar Network community, Astar Network ambassadors, and Astar Network core team;

I am writing this on behalf of the Astar Network community. As you know, one of Astar Network’s main goals and privileges is to bring developers and users together under the umbrella of the dApp staking model, supporting developers while fostering collaboration with users. With this model, developers earn rewards as they build, simultaneously getting closer to users, brainstorming ideas, and having the opportunity to enhance their thoughts and projects.

You all know that I am the founder of Neurolanche X Labs, a significant project benefiting from the dApp staking model. While developing our projects in the Astar Network ecosystem with this model, we tried to use our earnings in the most accurate way. We witnessed how the dApp staking mechanism works here and, accordingly, executed our marketing process, reaching a significant TVL figure.

However, despite quickly reaching high TVL amounts, seeing other projects struggle with this issue has begun to truly concern us. One major reason is the presence of a significant amount of ASTR in older dApps, and these older dApps have not managed their development processes transparently.

Remember, dApp staking is primarily designed to empower project developers to build a strong community and dApp in the Astar Network ecosystem. Therefore, I propose the following for a more transparent management approach, considering that the ASTR token belongs to the community and we need to be more cautious:

  • Each project participating in a dApp staking program will publish their developments monthly on the forum, sharing all improvements individually.
  • Each project participating in a dApp staking program will disclose where their expenses are going and transition to a transparent management approach.
  • Each project participating in a dApp staking program will actively use social media tools, adding value not only by winning rewards but also by contributing to the ecosystem’s brand value.
  • Projects that do not develop for a long time and do not submit reports for two consecutive months will be subject to review. After the review, a unanimous decision will be made on whether to cancel the dApp staking program for that project.

Transparency and a decentralized approach should take precedence. We must be careful for the future of Astar Network and collectively work to develop this ecosystem. Remember, this ecosystem belongs to us all! Most importantly, to the Astar community.

Best regards,
Leo

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Hello Leo and the Astar Network community,

Your concerns and propositions for enhancing the transparency and efficiency of the dApp staking model are indeed crucial. I couldn’t agree more with the need for a systematic approach to ensure that the ecosystem thrives on the principles of transparency and community participation.

To draw a parallel, Polkadot’s Technical Fellowship operates on a structured system where payouts are based on rank and level of participation. This is similar to what you’re proposing for Astar Network. In Polkadot, if one opts for a salary, it’s tied to the expectation of consistent progress and participation. Additionally, periodic progress reports are mandatory, and any prolonged inactivity triggers a community vote to reassess the individual’s salary and rank level.

Applying a similar model could be beneficial for Astar Network. The requirement for monthly development updates and clear disclosure of expenditure will foster accountability. Involving the community through social media engagement adds a layer of transparency and promotes the ecosystem’s brand value.

Regarding projects that stagnate or fail to submit reports, a review followed by a collective decision aligns perfectly with decentralized governance principles. This will not only ensure that resources are allocated efficiently but also underline the community’s role in steering the ecosystem’s direction.

Your emphasis on transparency and a decentralized approach resonates deeply. It’s vital for the future of Astar Network, and indeed any blockchain ecosystem, to uphold these values. By collectively working towards these goals, we can ensure that the Astar ecosystem remains robust, vibrant, and true to the community’s ethos.

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Thank you for your valuable comment, dwulf!

When considering the philosophy of Web3, transparency and governance should always be our primary goals. As the Astar Network community, our biggest aim is to be part of a revolutionary transition from the web2 base to web3.

The dApp staking program plays a vital role here. In the last year of my crypto journey that began in 2015, I have fully dedicated myself to the development of Astar Network. I invest all my academic career advancements in this project. One of the most significant reasons during this process is that the dApp staking model not only serves as a profit model for developers but also establishes a meaningful sociological connection between users and developers.

However, the importance of this sociological connection needs to be better understood. Because one ASTR Token here represents the stake of the entire community. As project owners and users, we should support a transparent governance approach and contribute to the Astar ecosystem. While we may not have taken the initial steps towards a decentralized structure in technical terms, transitioning to transparent governance might be a theoretical step in that direction.

For example, at Neurolanche, although we continuously share developments with the community in real-time, we haven’t done so on the forum. I feel embarrassed about this, and tonight I’ll dedicate all my time to rectify that by sharing all developments.

This is necessary because, when developing a project, we should contribute values to this ecosystem and be transparent. Let’s build the future together.

Best regards,

Leo

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My 2 cents:

  • Yearly milestones
  • Monthly reports from the team
  • Once per quarter public AMA about the milestones
    • Participation in Astar promo campaigns - Astar reposting project news , projects reposting Astar news and features. Invitations of the public outside ecosystem, spend some part of the resources to this goals.
  • Search for liquidity , not only use inner liquidity but invite and guide outside quality players.
  • Work with other Parachains to increase integrations
  • Priority for the Outstanding Unique Applications, not stupid copies.
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I get BizDev vibes from this… :slight_smile:

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Enforcing subjective rules on a permissionless decentralized network is something that can’t happen.

I suggest to read about dApp Staking v3 proposal, a major project of Astar in 2023, that will address these concerns and much more. To be released very soon.
https://forum.astar.network/t/dapps-staking-v3-proposal

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Thanks for sharing it :heart:

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I basically agree with your opinion.

However, I think that this should not be forced on the network, but should be done as an effort by each dApp.
If a project lacks transparency and is not worthy of support through dApp Staking, users should not Stake it. If you don’t have a reason to support it, you’re unlikely to Stkaing the project (though in that case you’ll be more likely to Staking it to Astar Core Contributors or Community Treasury, which could be a problem).

Also, if the number of dApp Staking simply increases, a large number of reports will be posted on the forum every month. Who will manage unsubmitted projects and check progress? Can users see everything? Will the forum be kept healthy?
In the future, it may be effective to create something like an audit DAO by creating the UGC and Sub Treasury mechanisms described in the Governance Whitepaper, but I don’t think it will work well at this point.

Therefore, users should select "projects to support’’ rather than "projects not to support.‘’ This one is much simpler.

However, it’s frustrating that you need at least an update to dApp Staking v3 for this to work.

The current situation is the result of two things: user apathy and the project’s dishonesty, and I don’t think either is unilaterally to blame. I believe that dApp Staking v3 will correct and improve that situation.

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I agree with the point that projects should approach development with transparency and reap the benefits of dApp Staking.

As you425 has mentioned, there seems to be room for debate on whether enforcement is necessary or not. We are eagerly anticipating the update to dApp Staking v3, and in addition, it becomes crucial for users to carefully assess projects when choosing to list or stake, incorporating such attitudes and actions into our considerations.

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Transparency and accountability are vital to the continued success and growth of the Astar Network ecosystem. By implementing these measures, we can ensure that resources are allocated efficiently and projects actively contribute to the community and the overall development of the ecosystem. Let us work together to promote a transparent and decentralised approach for the benefit of the Astar community.

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Hi,

please check the forum post I made some time ago: dApps Staking v3 - proposal
(forum warns me it was already posted by bLd)

TL;DR - no more stake&forget (reason why some early projects still have high TVL) & a cap on how much a project can earn (no more earning millions over a year)

About the progress, you can keep track of backend implementation here:

The feature should be available on Shibuya for testing by the end of year (or early next year), and on Astar in February (this is my opinion).

Soon we’ll share more docs & explanation about exactly how the system will work (there have been some changes compared to what’s in the forum post but essence is still the same).

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Thank you for your insightful post, Leo. Your enthusiasm for transparency and active involvement in the Astar ecosystem is truly inspiring and greatly appreciated.

I’m genuinely excited about the upcoming dApp Staking v3. I’m hopeful that it will address many of the current issues.

However, I believe that transparency is a fundamental requirement for every project. Discussing these projects in the forum is an excellent way to foster healthy communication and ensure transparency going forward.

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I agree with the emphasis on transparency in the Astar ecosystem. It’s a good idea to let users choose the projects they support through dApp Staking rather than enforcing rules on the network. While the upcoming dApp Staking v3 is eagerly anticipated, your call for individual responsibility in selecting projects aligns with a decentralized governance approach.

The potential increase in dApp Staking projects does raise valid concerns about management and oversight. Your suggestion of an audit DAO in the future is interesting, but for now, a pragmatic approach is needed.

The acknowledgment of both user apathy and project dishonesty as contributors to the current situation shows a balanced perspective. Your hope for positive changes with dApp Staking v3 and the emphasis on transparency as a fundamental requirement for projects are well-placed. Let’s look forward to a more accountable and transparent future in the Astar community!

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This is a very good idea. It would be wonderful if we could do this.

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I would like to support Leo, who did a great job and set up the model for the dapp staking, it is important that dapp staking also shares updates with the community, publishes the updates and has good communication with the team and community!

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I agree with @Leo on this opinion. We are fully aware of the need for transparency and individual responsibility when it comes to Astar Dapp Staking Reward Distribution/Usage.

Posting monthly reports is necessary and exactly what MoonFit has been working on. However, as there might be a lot of reports posted on the forum every month, this should be done via their community channels as an effort by each project.

@you425 also made a clear and solid point about this!

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This is a cool sugestion, but once we get a ton of dApps deployed, it would be impossible to do due diligence in every one. (just trying to see the big picture).

How could we improve the feedback and report model?

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Absolutely, your point about the scalability of due diligence as more dApps get deployed is spot on. Here’s a strategy to improve the feedback and report model for dApps:

  1. Encourage Solid DevOps Practices: Advocate for developers to integrate solid DevOps methodologies in their dApp development. This includes continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, version control, and automated testing. These practices help in maintaining the quality and security of dApps as they scale.
  2. Implement Prometheus for Logging: Suggest the use of Prometheus for monitoring and logging. It’s a powerful tool that allows developers to collect and process metrics from their dApps, providing valuable insights into performance and potential issues.
  3. Utilize Grafana for Visualization: Integrate Grafana alongside Prometheus. Grafana is an open-source platform for monitoring and observability and works well with Prometheus data. It helps in visualizing the metrics through dashboards, making it easier for developers and stakeholders to understand the dApp’s performance and health.
  4. Feedback Integration on GitHub: Establish a systematic feedback mechanism on each dApp’s GitHub repository. This can be in the form of issue templates, discussion forums, and regular feedback solicitation from users. GitHub’s tools can help manage feedback effectively, allowing for organized tracking, prioritization, and resolution of issues or enhancements.
  5. Automated Reporting Tools: Utilize tools that automatically report and flag issues based on predefined criteria. This could include security vulnerability scanners, code quality analyzers, and performance benchmarking tools.
  6. Community Participation: Encourage the community to participate in the feedback process. A reward system for bug reporting or useful suggestions can incentivize community members to contribute constructively.
  7. Regular Audits and Reviews: Schedule periodic audits and reviews of the dApps, possibly by independent third parties, to ensure they meet the required standards and guidelines.

By implementing these strategies, we can create a more sustainable and scalable environment for managing and monitoring the ever-growing number of dApps in the ecosystem. This approach not only ensures high standards but also fosters a community-driven environment for continuous improvement.

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The build2earn program is one of Astar’s flagship products and a significant reason for new users to join and add value to the protocol. I support your thinking Leo that the system is not working properly, however dapp staking v3 will bring significant improvements to this point :smiley:

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I think the report can be posted at the end of their dApp proposal and they need to notify the Astar team, so we can easily find all related monthly report together with their dApp proposal to understand the progress and bigger picture

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