Just like the International Space Station is comprised of modules, Station is too. The first module that will run in Station is Spark.
Eventually, developers will be able to create their own peer-to-peer network modules and use Station as a safe deployment target.
// What is Station ....... :
Your computer’s hardware sits idle most of the time.
With Station, you can safely contribute underutilized resources to the Web3 data economy. There’s nothing to configure, just launch the app and you’re all set.
// How Station works ....... :
Simple and safe
Station securely connects your computer to Filecoin’s global peer-to-peer network, which rewards you for your participation. Once you’ve connected, you will begin completing network jobs.
01.
Download
Just download Station like any other desktop app and open it. If you want to take a look what is under the hood before you start, head to Github. It’s all open-sourced.
02.
Connect
Set up your FIL wallet so that you can be rewarded for your participation.
03.
Contribute
Safely complete jobs on behalf of the network. These include testing Filecoin Storage Providers from the edge of the network.
// Statistics ....... :
Numbers that make the contributors proud
Station has already empowered a huge peer-to-peer network of home computers to emerge, rewarding them with FIL for completing jobs.
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FIL earned
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downloads
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jobs completed
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downloads
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jobs completed
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FIL earned
// Roadmap ....... :
Station’s flight path
Where is Station heading?
.
July 2022
TBD
....... :
Station PoC running Saturn L2 module
We launched a Proof of Concept distribution of Station. Selected Station operators were able to download the desktop app, built using Electron. Station’s backend process downloads and then spins up a Saturn L2 binary. No other modules will be available to the operator.
.
October 2022
TBD
....... :
Station alpha with Saturn L2 in testnet
Station will be available to download from Github. The first module to run will be L2 Saturn Testnet nodes. Users will not be able to earn FIL yet, but we can begin to load test the Station network and evaluate our early UX assumptions.
.
January 2023
TBD
....... :
Built-in FIL Wallet
A wallet module is integrated and allows users without prior cryptocurrency experience to start contributing.
.
February 2023
TBD
....... :
Bacalhau Worker Module without Incentives
Station will ship with a Bacalhau worker module. Station users will not get paid for the jobs performed by the Bacalhau worker as the Bacalhau incentive model is not yet developed.
.
February 2023
TBD
....... :
Station Runtime Public Alpha
Allow the first adventurous Station Module builders to experiment with the new Station Runtime platform called Zinnia and let us know what features they are missing in Zinnia.
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June 2023
TBD
....... :
Station Runtime Hackathon
We want to organise a public hackathon for building new Station Modules on top of the new Station Runtime called Zinnia. The runtime must offer a meaningful set of features like networking to make the hackathon meaningful.
// Frequently Asked Questions ....... :
Still not clear?
What are modules?
How does Station work?
Most of us own incredible devices like phones and laptops, far more powerful than those that put mankind on the moon. But we don't use them to their potential. It is like we own a Ferrari and just keep it in the garage. Station puts your underutilised resources to work, like your storage space, computation power, bandwidth and even your location in the network, all of which can be valuable to certain networks like Filecoin. Think AirBnB, but for your devices instead of your spare bedrooms.
What are the system requirements?
The first Station module is Spark which tests retrievals from Filecoin Storage Providers. Very roughly, Spark requires 1 GB of RAM and 2 GB of free disk space, and the bandwidth of any normal internet connection.
How will my resources be used?
Spark, the first module on Station, test retrievals from Filecoin Storage Providers. It uses the disk space to store the retrieved file. It uses your bandwidth to retrieve the file. It uses each Station Operator’s position in the Network to create a diverse range of requests to the Filecoin Storage Providers.
If you are in any doubt about how your resources are used, then remember that everything is open source! The desktop app, the Spark protocol & the reward smart contract are all open source. Any misuse of resources would be visible to see in the codebase.
How can I check what Station is doing?
In the Desktop App, you can see a summary log of what is happening on the home screen. For a more details log, you can click on the menu bar icon and select “Save module logs as"