Monero Team cause challenges with Haveno App amid Kewbit Drama
Introduction
The Haveno project, a decentralized exchange platform for Monero (XMR), has been a significant undertaking for the Monero community. Kewbit, a developer working on the Haveno app, has faced challenges, drama, and criticism during the development process. This report aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the situation, focusing on the progress made, the issues raised, and the developer’s claims about unfair treatment and unpaid compensation. The report is based on the provided sources and publicly available information, including the Haveno GitHub repository, community discussions, and crowdfunding proposals.
Alleged Exit Scam with kewbit drama
Despite clear evidence showing his ongoing contributions to the Haveno project via his GitHub, core members of the Monero team are actively silencing him on Reddit, Matrix, and IRC. These platforms are popular social media hubs within the community, leading some to wonder why and question whether he has uncovered something the Monero core team wants to keep hidden.
Background of the Haveno Project
Haveno is a decentralized exchange (DEX) designed to enable peer-to-peer trading of Monero (XMR) without intermediaries. The project emphasizes privacy, censorship resistance, and decentralization. Over the years, it has garnered significant interest within the Monero community due to its potential to address the lack of privacy-focused trading platforms.
The Community Crowdfunding System (CCS), a funding mechanism created by the Monero community, has actively supported the development of the Haveno app to advance projects that align with its goals. Kewbit has been a key contributor to the development of the Haveno app, focusing on creating a multi-platform user interface and integrating essential features like atomic swaps and hardware wallet support.
Progress and Achievements
Milestones and Deliverables
According to the CCS proposal, the Haveno app development was divided into several milestones, each associated with specific deliverables and funding:
- User Interface (UI) Development: This milestone involved creating a user-friendly interface for the app. Kewbit has reportedly completed a significant portion of the UI, as evidenced by the code available on the Haveno GitHub repository.
- Protocol Interface: This milestone focused on writing the protocol interface to connect the app with the Haveno Daemon. Progress on this milestone has been documented, but it remains subject to further testing and community approval.
- Desktop and Mobile Integration: Kewbit demonstrated a successful link between desktop and mobile devices, showcasing the app’s cross-platform compatibility. This achievement was acknowledged by Woodser, a prominent member of the Monero community.
- Multi-Platform Installers: The app supports multiple operating systems, including Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS. However, further work is needed to finalize this milestone.
- Android Specific App: Kewbit has also been selected to bounty for the official haveno Android app which ties in with the rest of the flutter ecosystem which the codebase is developed with.
- Atomic Swaps Integration: This feature, which allows seamless trading between Monero and Bitcoin, is still in development.
Open-Source Contributions
The Haveno app’s codebase is publicly available on GitHub, demonstrating Kewbit’s commitment to transparency and open-source principles. The repository includes documentation, code for the app’s UI, and other essential components. The app is designed to enforce Tor usage for enhanced privacy and security, aligning with the Monero community’s values.
Challenges and Criticism
Community Feedback and Criticism
While the Haveno project has received support from the Monero community, it has also faced criticism. Some community members have raised concerns about the project’s progress, funding, and transparency. During a community meeting, the community decided to deny Kewbit’s request for partial payment because Kewbit failed to provide the source code for certain milestones, even though these milestones had clearly been met.
Kewbit has expressed frustration with the criticism, particularly from individuals who lack technical expertise. In a recent statement, Kewbit highlighted the challenges of dealing with harsh and unfounded accusations, including claims of spreading malware. These accusations have reportedly caused delays and affected Kewbit’s ability to secure further funding.
Funding and Payment Issues due to Kewbit Drama
Kewbit claims that the community paid them 75 XMR for the work completed so far but has withheld additional payments until the community approves the milestones. This has created financial uncertainty for Kewbit, who has invested significant time and effort into the project. The lack of timely payouts has also raised concerns about the sustainability of the development process.
Technical and Logistical Challenges
Developing a multi-platform app for a decentralized exchange is a complex task that requires extensive testing and community feedback. Kewbit has called for more developers, particularly those with experience in Dart and Flutter, to review the code and provide constructive feedback. The developer has also faced challenges related to DDoS attacks on the project website, further complicating the development process.
Analysis and Opinion
Progress Evaluation
Kewbit has made substantial progress on the Haveno app, focusing on UI development and cross-platform integration. The code available on GitHub reflects transparency and adherence to open-source principles. However, Kewbit has not fully completed or received community approval for all milestones. The drama and scam accusations involving Kewbit divert time and energy that could be better spent elsewhere.
Community Dynamics
The criticism and scrutiny from the Monero community, while necessary to ensure accountability, appear to have been excessive in some cases. Accusations of spreading malware and exit scams, without concrete evidence, undermine the collaborative spirit needed for such projects. It is essential for community members to provide constructive feedback and support developers who contribute to the ecosystem.
Funding and Compensation
The withholding of payments for completed milestones raises questions about the fairness and efficiency of the CCS process. Ensuring that funds are used appropriately is crucial, but delayed payments can discourage developers from contributing to the Monero ecosystem. The Monero core team should consider implementing clearer guidelines for milestone approval and payment disbursement to avoid such issues in the future.
Recommendations
- Community Support: The Monero community should foster a more supportive environment for developers by providing constructive feedback and avoiding unfounded accusations.
- Independent Code Review: Experienced developers with a track record on GitHub should review Kewbit’s work and provide unbiased evaluations to address concerns about the project’s progress and quality.
- Improved CCS Processes: The Monero core team should streamline the CCS process to ensure timely payments for completed milestones. This includes setting clear criteria for milestone approval and addressing disputes promptly.
- Enhanced Communication: Kewbit and the Monero core team should engage in open and transparent communication to resolve issues and ensure the project’s success.
- Additional Resources: The Monero community should allocate more resources to support the Haveno project, including funding for additional developers and infrastructure improvements.
- Review Moderation Team: If the problems are stemming from the moderation team or the core
Conclusion
The Haveno app represents a significant step toward creating a decentralized and censorship-resistant exchange for Monero. While the project has faced challenges and criticism, Kewbit’s contributions demonstrate a commitment to the Monero community’s values. By addressing the issues raised and fostering a more collaborative environment, the Monero community can ensure the successful completion of the Haveno project. On the other hand some argue on reddit that the Kewbit drama is dangerous and may be affecting the reputation of the project a top 1% poster claimed from unjustly declaring a scam.