I'm Evan Kaloudis, Founder of Zeus. July 11th AMA!
31.7k sats \ 58 comments \ @evankaloudis 11 Jul 2022 bitcoin freebie
Hey all,
I'm stoked to chat with you all today. Zeus (https://zeusln.app) is a mobile app for iOS and Android that lets you connect to and control your lightning node remotely. It supports LND, Core Lightning, and Eclair.
I've worked in cybersecurity as a full-stack engineer and an analyst. I've worked as an engineer at Kraken. I currently do some engineering work on contract for Lightning Labs.
Happy to talk about the following topics:
  • Zeus
  • Cybersecurity 🔐
  • Mobile app development 📱
  • Privacy 👁️
  • Bitcoin 🌽
  • Programming 💻
  • Music 🎵
  • Ball ⚽🏀
But feel free to AMA!
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187 sats \ 1 reply \ @tomlaies 11 Jul 2022
I often hear about Zeus as one of the ultimate enthusiast tools. How do you balance (or implement without alienating the other) more powerful features for enthusiasts and more simplicity for normies?
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176 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022 freebie
We still have more work to do in this category, but basically the key is to provide safe and sensible defaults that work for everyone and tuck away the more advanced functionality on secondary screens.
Not everyone is going to care about what hops they use when making a payment, for example, but advanced users should be able to do so.
Shouts to our designer who's been helping out heavily in this department - I'm not great at UI/UX, but I'm learning
https://twitter.com/_Bosch_
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140 sats \ 1 reply \ @nout 11 Jul 2022
Is Zeus fully "open-source" project, or is it backed by a company? Is the current Zeus model sustainable over long term? How do you think about "competition" with other wallets and projects?
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151 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
We are fully open source with a proper FOSS license and always will be: https://github.com/ZeusLN/zeus/
Operating entirely on donations as we do now certainly isn't sustainable long term. We hope to fund development of the project with LSP offerings.
There's a bunch of competition in the space, no doubt, but we welcome it all. We will make our LSP offering compatible with as many wallets as possible. We don't mind if you try to compete with us directly as long as you onboard people onto lightning.
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237 sats \ 2 replies \ @BlokchainB 11 Jul 2022
What is the overall business model for the app? How big is the team working on Zeus?
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247 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022 freebie
The team is only two people right now (me and UI/UX lead Bosch), but we have 25+ code contributors and ~70 translators. I've honestly been blown away by all of the external contributions. Zeus is going to be a completely FOSS project forever.
We are developing a second app with the node and wallet built into it. We're also working on various LSP services that can be used by users of our two apps, but also by lightning users who may not be using our interfaces. More to come.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @EnormousPony 11 Jul 2022
Check contributors on Github
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159 sats \ 3 replies \ @zuspotirko 11 Jul 2022
What are the key advantages of using Zeus over other setups like vpn home, RTL etc.
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16 sats \ 2 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
Big fan of RTL but IMHO Zeus is the best way to manage and transact with your node on the go. We ahave the advantage of having camera access, app linking, and NFC support.
You're not locked into using Zeus over Tor btw, you can connect over that home VPN connection.
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4 sats \ 1 reply \ @zuspotirko 11 Jul 2022
Would you use Zeus over RTL when at home? Or is that not one of the goals of Zeus?
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3 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
I really like using RTL when on my desktop. I've been using cli a bunch more nowadays though.
Zeus technically runs on macOS via iOS emulation. Definitely may create a proper desktop app one day, but it's not a priority at the moment.
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131 sats \ 4 replies \ @nout 11 Jul 2022
Are there specific features improving privacy in LN that you are excited about? Either existing or upcoming? Do you think we will ever reach "full" privacy for amount, sender and destination? (for some definition of "full")
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84 sats \ 3 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
I'm super excited about blinded paths, Taproot channels, and SCIDs. These will take us a long way from where we are today.
You can already send on LN with high privacy guarantees. I believe the changes above will allow people to receive on LN with high privacy guarantees.
There are still challenges and complexity with things like probing, being online 24/7 (or relying on an LSP for help), gossip, etc. but we've got some great minds working on it.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @LaserStack 13 Jul 2022
What are your views on HTLCs vs. PTLCs?
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @nout 11 Jul 2022
Perfect! SCIDs seem to be also helping with probing privacy, so I'm excited about that. My understanding (from tony) is that currently you could jam attack essentially any node with no extra cost to you. So maybe as a follow up - did you have to deal with any of the probing or jamming attacks in Zeus?
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21 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
We have some measures in place on our node. Bigger instances are certainly going to want to have some solid network monitoring tools in place and DDoS protections.
We can't really mitigate this at a network level for users in our product, but what we can do and what I've been thinking about is how to most easily let users do backups, restores, and distribute justice transactions as swiftly as possible.
While most fears about these sort of things should be assuaged by reasonable timelocks on your channels, there's still a bunch we can do to make casual end-users feel reassured
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160 sats \ 2 replies \ @EnormousPony 11 Jul 2022
Hi @evankaloudis just wanted to say thank you for ZEUS, such a good application. I'm a localization contributors on Transifex.
  • Favorite football team?
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152 sats \ 1 reply \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022 freebie
NYCFC
Was blessed to be able to support the club from the beginning in 2015 and now we have a title! We just need to get these boys a proper stadium - playing out of Yankee Stadium had its novelty at first but it's now gotten old.
MLS isn't the top league in the world but the talent that's been produced out of the league has been incredible, and the growth I've seen in the last 7 years has been immense.
I'm also a huge fan of Arsenal in the Premier League, and Panathinaikos in Greece
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Asara 12 Jul 2022 freebie
Fellow NYCFC fan since 2015 (I still miss Poku).
Such good memories, from our first home goal to getting to see them win a cup!
If you are ever at a home game, I'd love to buy you a beer!
131 sats \ 3 replies \ @RecordShark 11 Jul 2022 freebie
Hello, I've been using Zeus for quite a while and I'm actually quite at peace. What bothers me the most about the app is the small display for the sats. Can't you enlarge it, like with the Zap wallet? There would be enough space.
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0 sats \ 2 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
In the main balance pane or elsewhere? Care to share what phone you use?
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @RecordShark 11 Jul 2022 freebie
Yes, the main balance area should be shown a little larger. That would be great. I am using an iPhone.
130 sats \ 1 reply \ @falsefaucet 11 Jul 2022
Why is Zeus just the god damn best?
Thank you for everything
Had a dust attack hit my node and your implementation was the first that allowed me to pick utxos on chain.
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100 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
Cheers! Love to hear it.
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130 sats \ 1 reply \ @bitcoingraffiti 11 Jul 2022
What you see happening with lightning?
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184 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022 freebie
So many exciting things going on:
Privacy: we're getting blinded paths, Taproot channels, and SCIDs. I'm confident receivers will be able to attain great privacy soon.
LSPs: new products are launching every month, standards are being worked on, zero-conf channels and becoming part of the spec
Adoption: more and more merchants, exchanges, and services are coming onboard. Taro is going to accelerate this greatly.
UX: a ton of work is happening to make for a better user experience, especially for newcomers, and especially on mobile and web
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130 sats \ 1 reply \ @nout 11 Jul 2022
This is a bit of UX question - in Zeus (and other apps) there is always some new thing, interaction or new concept that you have to introduce to users, give it a name and a label in the UI.
What is the right number of new concepts that single application can reasonably introduce? When is it too much? Do you have experience with users giving you feedback on complexity of the UI? Have you ever thought about the UX from this perspective?
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152 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022 freebie
Great question.
There's an enormous amount of complexity in building an app like this - especially in the stage LN is right now, which I feel is a stage of protocol divergence, where people are being more experimental and seeing what works and what doesn't.
One approach we're going to try - for some of the experimental stuff that hasn't been ironed out by protocol devs 100% - is to tuck that functionality into an experimental section that casual users won't have to wade through. Expect something like this for initial BOLT12 support.
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130 sats \ 1 reply \ @gs 11 Jul 2022 freebie
From a cybersecurity perspective, what do you think is better to use for a bitcoin wallet: dedicated GrapheneOS device or mainstream hardware wallet (Ledger/Trezor)?
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105 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
Haha this might sound ironic but there are too many antennas on a smartphone of any sort for me to be comfortable putting my life savings on there. I'd go with the hardware wallet.
I know it's not mainstream but big fan of the SeedSigner project and a seed in metal protected w/ BIP-38
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122 sats \ 1 reply \ @unix 11 Jul 2022 freebie
Do you plan to translate the project into Spanish? I feel that most projects are designed for people who speak English.
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5 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
Our Spanish translation is at ~85% and those strings are already in the app!
If you'd like to help us take us to 100% you can join the Spanish team here: https://www.transifex.com/ZeusLN/zeus/
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21 sats \ 1 reply \ @k00b 11 Jul 2022
If you had pick one thing that Bitcoin/Lightning community would achieve, generally, in the next 18 months, what would it be?
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241 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
Strong privacy. Let's lock it in and have a strong foundation to continue to build on.
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60 sats \ 1 reply \ @k00b 11 Jul 2022
Zeus is written in React Native as are many great apps. But most developers I've spoken only complain about it. What's your experience with it and would you choose to write it in a different language today if you could?
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20 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
I love it. It's super easy to write code once and target two platforms and you can still write native code when you need to.
If I had unlimited resources I would write everything twice, natively. Flutter has been pretty fun to work with in my experience but I don't think I would pick it over RN at this time.
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112 sats \ 1 reply \ @kr 11 Jul 2022
Are there any books that have meaningfully changed your view of the world?
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224 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
Rothbard's Anatomy of the State certainly comes to mind (free download via Mises: https://cdn.mises.org/Anatomy+of+the+State_3.pdf). It definitely has you question everything you were taught in formal schooling.
I read Howe & Strauss's Fourth Turning last year and it blew my mind. Love the framing. Really makes you think about where we're heading and the role Bitcoin can potentially play.
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100 sats \ 0 replies \ @toxicduck 15 Jul 2022
Love your product ⚡
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100 sats \ 2 replies \ @BukoBobby 12 Jul 2022 freebie
Ball?! Thoughts on the bucks and their new pickup?
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10 sats \ 1 reply \ @evankaloudis OP 12 Jul 2022
Love the Bucks. Only other team I follow closely other than my Knicks, thanks to Giannis (I'm Greek American).
Got to watch a bit of Beauchamp at Summer League (game 1); he looked solid. Happy to see them rolling the dice on Ibaka again. Still think they need some more shooting.
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @BukoBobby 12 Jul 2022
Same! I’m super hopeful we have some solid shooter now though :)
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100 sats \ 1 reply \ @sn 11 Jul 2022 freebie
What is the biggest challenge standing in the way of mainstream Lightning Network adoption?
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240 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
We need way more merchants, services, and exchanges onboard.
Beyond that I think the biggest challenges are channel 'liquidity' for onboarding users and finding a way for LSPs to help allow users to receive payments offline in a non-custodial manner that is also somewhat private.
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30 sats \ 1 reply \ @gschaco 11 Jul 2022 freebie
Hi! I´m from Argentina. When will be available ZeusLN.app for us? I've Android 11 and Google play says "This app is not compatible with this device" I´m running an Umbrel node (BTC + LN)
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20 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
I believe Google Play displays this warning if you don't have NFC on your phone. We're currently looking for a workaround.
In the meantime you can manually download the APK from our website (https://zeusln.app/) or from GitHub
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @tosky 13 Jul 2022
If you are not restricted, am curious what led you to project work for Lightning Labs and what are your expectations from it. What area of improvement would you like to deliver there?
Have you considered to add some auto-rebalancing channel feature into Zeus?
You are my go to phone app and I appreciate your work, Evan. Until we see eachother again!
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Ge 13 Jul 2022
so many questions....app looks sick from what i understand i can connect to my umbrel and use...also favorite btc book favorite non btc book what have you learned so far on you journey that you would tell your young self starting on this path!!??
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @hector 12 Jul 2022
What football team do you support?
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1 sat \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 12 Jul 2022
#43602
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0 sats \ 1 reply \ @kilianbuhn 11 Jul 2022
Is Zeus a FOSS that can bring people into Bitcoin or just thriving from the preexisting Bitcoin community?
I feel like Zeus is not the first thing people use when they come to Bitcoin ... So rather the second? Any plans to expand into the first?
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31 sats \ 0 replies \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
Zeus is definitely not an app for onboarding newcomers.
We're building a second app that has the node and wallet built-in that may do the trick though. Stay tuned.
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0 sats \ 2 replies \ @k00b 11 Jul 2022
As you've built a connector for each of the major Lightning implementations, and afaik you're doing some work with LNC, what's lacking in terms of connectors? How do you see them improving in the long term?
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140 sats \ 1 reply \ @evankaloudis OP 11 Jul 2022
It would be nice if implementations settled on unified API patterns but that's never going to happy, especially when there's no feature parity and implementations have bigger fish to fry.
We'd really like to break our connectors off into its own library for others to use at some point. That could go a long way in helping developers integrate multiple implementations at once and give users more options. That being said we have a lot of things we're working on, so who knows when we'll get around to it
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100 sats \ 0 replies \ @dolu 11 Jul 2022
I started one and asked the same question on the previous Alby AMA #41443 https://github.com/dolu89/una We had some discussions with Bumi from Alby about an unified API. Maybe you should come talk with us?
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0 sats \ 0 replies \ @026df2a72d 16 Jul 2022 freebie
Thank for this amazing⚡wallet ⚡
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @RecordShark 11 Jul 2022 freebie
Hello, I've been using Zeus for quite a while and I'm actually quite at peace. What bothers me the most about the app is the small display for the sats. Can't you enlarge it, like with the Zap wallet? There would be enough space.