Community Spotlight — August 2018 Edition

arkecosystem (61)in #arkecosystem • 8 years ago

August is a wrap! We at ARK are proud of our determined and bright community, and our new monthly Community Spotlight newsletter will keep you apprised on some notable community activities. Let’s dive into just some of the ways the ARK community shined in August 2018.

FEATURED COMMITS

As they say, the best things happen with help. That’s why ARK runs monthly bounty programs for coders who contribute to our codebase on the ARK Ecosystem Github. Independent programmers can work side by side with our international team and make the ARK toolkit even more powerful and stable. Earn ARK tokens for ‘commits’ (completed tasks) and win larger monthly ARK prizes as well.

Here are some featured commits for August. Features may not be live until the next update:

We saw Github member ‘dated’ implement a new feature into the ARK Blockchain Explorer codebase. This will allow anyone using the explorer to view the estimated fiat value of a particular transaction from the past. It uses API calls to remove the guesswork and manual lookups when wondering about fiat values of transactions in the explorer.
Github member ‘wownmedia’ added a command to retrieve transactions by ID in the javascript-client library. This adds versatility and simplicity when gathering transactions and allows users of the library to implement more end-user features regarding transaction calls.
Meanwhile, in the python-crypto library, member ‘ciband’ added support for VS Code and Visual Studio, which is an integrated development environment many programmers use to get an organized view of their project code and deploy applications faster.
In the mobile wallet repository, Github member ‘Neurone’ provided a full update and revision for the Italian translation of mobile wallet content, and ‘Pedro-Souza’ provided better design of some UX elements.

Multiple coders are contributing to the ARK toolkit 24/7, and you can, too- it’s fun, rewarding, and you can earn and win ARK tokens, as well! This guide will show you how to get started.

NOTABLE REDDIT POSTS

The Ark Ecosystem Subreddit is a great place to seek ARK knowledge, and you can always find new and engaging content there.

Here are some notable August posts:

‘Yellow_rubber_jacket’ put forth a great exploratory piece on why being involved with ARK is a great idea, titled “Why I Am Still Here.” It offers some nice words and insight.
‘Dvd_ptr’ got a discussion going, asking the ARK subreddit what they thought made the ARK community special. Different users chimed in with their own unique perspectives.
‘Rhakht’ laid it all on the table in a post featuring the criteria of a well-working DPoS system, and applied that criteria to the current state of ARK. It’s a great read.
‘Ninjamanperson’ had a query regarding accessing pools of computer science majors at large universities. ARK has a very ambitious outlook on acquiring talent and generating interest among both seasoned and budding developers. With Back-to-School in full force, hackathon season is on! Be on the lookout for ARK hackathons, which can also tout ARK token prizes.
‘Skeuo’ submitted an infographic to the ARK Subreddit, highlighting the ARK code origins.

You can browse more content and contribute your own voice to the ARK Subreddit- who knows, you may even receive an ARK tip from a community member using Delegate Cryptology’s recently launched ArkTippr Reddit tipbot.

COMMUNITY SERVICE SPOTLIGHT

Some members mentioned in the community newsletter are ARK delegates, who secure the ARK network and provide community services. Their inclusion in the newsletter is in no way an endorsement from ARK.io to vote for specific delegates, and you should always do your own research and consider all the options when choosing a delegate for whom to vote. ARK.io does not run the ARK network.

Here’s the August 2018 Community Service Spotlight:

Delegate ‘Jarunik’ launched a community presence on Steemit for the ARK Ecosystem, allowing users to earn Steem for interacting with and providing ARK content on the Steem platform. Jarunik also curated summer ARK activity in a Summer 2018 ARK community recap video.
‘Colby’ of Delegate Golden Horde started the ARK Community Digest miniblog, highlighting the community similarly to this newsletter, but going into deep detail on a specific ARK community member every Sunday. August saw interviews with Highjacker, Yellow_Rubber_Jacket, and Fun.
The Golden Horde also opened up a community ARK and ETH design contest, allowing anyone to compete by creating ARK or ETH visual assets. That contest is still ongoing through September 14th, and sports an impressive $4000 USD equivalent prize pool sponsored by multiple sources, including ARK.io, GhostfaceUK, and the ArkCommunity.Fund.
Delegate ‘Arkship’ grabbed some free ArkStickers sticker codes to share in the month of August, claimable by contacting him through his username on Twitter, Slack or Discord.
I formed an unofficial group for collaboration called the Ark Community Committee. The purpose of this group is to give opportunities to people who want to get involved with ARK, with an emphasis on non-coding related projects. Learn more or get involved on the new Ark Discord.
An AMA with Swapblocks, a project that wants to use the ARK toolkit to optimize compliance in traditional trading markets, was held on the ARK Slack. Here’s the transcript.
Community member ‘Mithrandir75’ now accepts ARK at their company website Inistea.com.
The team from Delegate ‘Arkade’ ran a Fortnite video game tournament featuring ARK prizes on August 11th. These tournaments occur regularly, and you can stay up-to-date on the ARK Subreddit.

ARK COMMUNITY FUND

If you have an idea for an ARK project, small or large, and you are looking for funding, consider submitting a proposal to the ARK Community Fund for review. The ARK Community Fund started as a community initiative, and the elected board reviews ideas and projects that enhance ARK. Their website is ArkCommunity.Fund.