Flare = XRP, and other common misconceptions

[Seoulite]

Can already tell this is going to be an uphill battle, but I've decided to try and clear up some things about Flare.

 

1. Is Flare the same as XRP? Does Flare run on the XRPL? Is Flare a fork of XRP?

No. Flare is its own network, its own blockchain, with its own native token. Flare does not rely on the XRPL to run, and while Flare does borrow some technical aspects from XRP, it is not a fork in any way close to the way that people usually use that term. 

Flare has been designed with an especially close relationship to the XRPL - a two-way bridge so that assets can move trustlessly between the two ledgers. But were the XRPL ledger to cease to exist, Flare would go on. Also you do not need to interact with XRP in any way to use the Flare network. 

 

2. Is Flare the same as ETH? Does Flare run on ETH?

No. As above, Flare is its own network, its own blockchain, with its own native token. Flare utilises the Ethereum Virtual Machine, and this is what confuses a lot of people. The EVM is not the same as the ETH blockchain; it shares the name because the people who created it are the same. Flare uses the ETH programming language Solidity and is compatible with ERC20 tokens so that developments on ETH can easily move to Flare (like Gala Games is going to). On the Flare network they are called FLR20, but they are essentially the same kind of thing. As above, you do not need to interact with ETH in any way to use the Flare network. 

 

3. Are Flare and Flare Finance the same thing?

No. They share the name, but that's it. Flare is the network, Flare Finance is being built on the network. The Flare team does not control Flare Finance or vice versa. So when you hear Flare Finance is adding 'meme coins', know that that is just happening in one part of the Flare ecosystem. I'm not including DOGE in the 'meme coin' category.

 

4. Is Flare proof of stake? Is Flare proof of work?

No. Flare consensus is a modified form of FBA (similar to XRP) coupled with the Avalanche consensus protocol. 

 

5. But what's this I hear about mining on Flare?

Flare Finance (not Flare) is creating a product where Asic miners can devote their mining power to Flare and earn F-assets. This is not related to the security of the Flare network. Furthermore, because of something called the State Connector System, Flare is able to use the security of PoW and PoS chains to add to its own security (like the Borg in Star Trek). It's complicated but basically Flare doesn't rely on any other network or any other consensus, but it can integrate the validators from other chains without affecting the other chains. 

 

6. Is Flare run by Ripple?

No. Flare received some funding from Ripple's investment arm, Xpring, but Ripple is not in control of Flare. The Flare airdrop was also designed to exclude Ripple wallets, meaning that Ripple does not have an outsized influence on Flare. 

 

Hope this helps clear some things up. I will add to this list if some other big confusions keep coming up.

 

 

 

[B088IN]

Thanks, this will help clear up a few of those questions. I have a feeling you’ll be adding to this list once it goes live 👌😎

[Julian_Williams]

 

[Seoulite]

11 minutes ago, Julian_Williams said:

 

Yes I'm not sure how I feel about this. In the beginning I didn't like all the Flare Finance memeing. When they started to talk more seriously I liked it but now they are back to memeing and 'community engagement'. Interoperability is great, more connections is great. But twitter votes and meme coins? I don't know. 

[BillyOckham]

59 minutes ago, Seoulite said:

Hope this helps clear some things up. I will add to this list if some other big confusions keep coming up.

Awesome work and sorely needed.  Well done.  Thanks for giving us all a place to direct the endless questions to.

 

And adding in a Borg reference...   priceless!    
 

 

Edited June 6, 2021 by BillyOckham

[Seoulite]

Just now, BillyOckham said:

Awesome work and sorely needed.  Well done.  Thanks for giving us all a place to direct the endless questions to.

Thanks to everyone for making this work and contributing for all of us. The questions help clarify things. We all want to make the most of this and we are all helping each other do that.

[Seoulite]

4 minutes ago, BillyOckham said:

And adding in a Borg reference...   priceless!

You know, the Borg reference made sense to me and then I heard Hugo use it in an interview and I was well chuffed. Thing is the Borg are undeniably villains in Star Trek and I can't shake this feeling that a fair number of people are not going to be happy if Flare starts rolling up and drawing everything into itself. But it is literally 'we will add your distinctiveness to our own' haha.

[Live4xrp]

Hi All,

Still bit confused while in XRP Toolkit i see this:

Domain:   Email hash: 

  Flare address: 0x283XXXXX

  Spark claim: FLR XXXXX

  Activated: 2019-06-04, 11:33

  Activated by: rXXXXX

  Activated with: XRP 21.00

  Reserve: XRP 20.00

  Next sequence: 9

And XRPscan shows:

Flare address:NOT REGISTEREDSet MessageKey →

Spark claim:40.892434 XRP

41.190949 FLR

Based on XRPtoolkit info, Am I ready (setup properly?) to receieve the Spark claim?

Why is there a difference between Toolkit and scan?...Cld it be that toolkit shows XRP on snapshot day in XUMM and XRPscan XRP I had in Gatehub wallet on snapshot day?

Main Question is...Do I need to do ANything bfore the 11th of June, to be able to receive the Spark claim?

 

Thanks in advance (I know it's a noob question, but bit lost)

[brianwalden]

XRPSCAN has been known to be delayed in updating when you've set the claim address. XRPToolkit shows it, if you want to double check, look up your wallet in bithomp. If it shows it there as well, I'd say you're good.

Edit: Oops, I forgot to quote you @Live4xrp

Edited June 7, 2021 by brianwalden

[brianwalden]

13 hours ago, Seoulite said:

Yes I'm not sure how I feel about this. In the beginning I didn't like all the Flare Finance memeing. When they started to talk more seriously I liked it but now they are back to memeing and 'community engagement'. Interoperability is great, more connections is great. But twitter votes and meme coins? I don't know. 

This is crypto. You may be at the circus to see the athleticism and precision of the trapeze artists, but the clowns and bearded lady come with the price of admission. It's a package deal, just enjoy the show.

[Live4xrp]

1 hour ago, brianwalden said:

XRPSCAN has been known to be delayed in updating when you've set the claim address. XRPToolkit shows it, if you want to double check, look up your wallet in bithomp. If it shows it there as well, I'd say you're good.

Edit: Oops, I forgot to quote you @Live4xrp

Thanks Brian!... Also Bithomp is not showing my claim, unfortunately...But, if I log into my Gatehub account, it says that this r-address is properly set up to receive FLR's.... If I log into XUMM account, with other r-address it appears that everything is properly set up as well.... Hmmm.... I used the tool underneath to learn that my XUMM wallet is properly set up, and tolearn that my GH-wallet is missing the message key, although GH says that all has been set up properly.

https://flare.tools/spark/

May be a good tool to verify if one is doubting aout his / her claim... I can sleep now ;-)

[thinlyspread]

Here's what I want to know:

1) What are the expected average TPS & latency of Flare?

2) Is the TPS/latency decided by the Avalanche consensus or something more like the XRP ledger?

3) Why do Ripple keep claiming XRP is the most efficient for payments if/when we know Avalanche is now a faster, more efficient system (assuming this is verified/tested)?

4) What happens if Flare ends up settling payments faster than the XRP ledger? Doesn't that seem kind of stupid in theory?! You have this "specialist" payments network which then becomes slower than the thing trying to hook into it, for fast payments...

5) Can the XRPL be "upgraded" to newer/better consensus mechanisms if required, or is it basically a total rewrite at that point?

Edited June 11, 2021 by thinlyspread

[thinlyspread]

FYI, I learned this today: xxNetwork (Chaum, Larsen) is already running at the following throughputs, quote:

Quote

We are now at +- 7000tps (which is for now MORE then enough) and a latency of 2 till 3 seconds. This is due the fact that the CMIX uses precomputation. So when a message or a payment is sent, the mayority is already done in advance.

https://dashboard.xx.network

But this includes total privacy, quantum resistance, messaging, and zero tx fees (unless for commercial operations)! So there is some stuff out there and much more stuff coming that is simply faster. I really hope XRPL doesn't get left behind, hence my questions. 

Avalanche is citing 4,500 TPS. That's THREE TIMES what the XRPL can (in theory) achieve! :/

Edited June 11, 2021 by thinlyspread

[Seoulite]

3 hours ago, thinlyspread said:

Here's what I want to know:

1) What are the expected average TPS & latency of Flare?

2) Is the TPS/latency decided by the Avalanche consensus or something more like the XRP ledger?

3) Why do Ripple keep claiming XRP is the most efficient for payments if/when we know Avalanche is now a faster, more efficient system (assuming this is verified/tested)?

4) What happens if Flare ends up settling payments faster than the XRP ledger? Doesn't that seem kind of stupid in theory?! You have this "specialist" payments network which then becomes slower than the thing trying to hook into it, for fast payments...

5) Can the XRPL be "upgraded" to newer/better consensus mechanisms if required, or it basically a total rewrite at that point?

A lot of great questions and I hope some of the guys chime in. As far as TPS, I did a quick search and there don't seem to be solid numbers. But considering that the consensus is modified FBA plus Avalanche consensus people are expecting the transactions times to be similar to AVAX. However I also know that AVAX uses side chains and I think this helps to increase the TPS so maybe Flare will be somewhat slower, but I think when you are in the thousands of transactions per second I'm not sure how much difference it makes.

With regards to XRP and payments, I don't know the details but my impression is that the XRPL has several special capabilities that give it an edge in some areas of payments. But honestly I don't know. 

[thinlyspread]

14 minutes ago, Seoulite said:

With regards to XRP and payments, I don't know the details but my impression is that the XRPL has several special capabilities that give it an edge in some areas of payments. But honestly I don't know. 

I've heard this too, but never with specifics. I want to know the exact pitch for these XRPL specific features. Because honestly, it seems XRPL has lost its edge in speed and throughput, which afaict are the two major aspects Ripple touts for XRPL! As for sidechains, it's funny because again Ripple have only just caught up to this concept recently despite this being a thing in crypto for a while now. I really don't get why anyone using Flare/Avalanche, would then switch to a SLOWER system on ANOTHER ledger with a highly volatile cryptocurrency to complete payments?!  

I'm sure I'm missing something; either that or the XRPL has just been outmatched now after a lot of wasted time but Ripple cannot backtrack because they're in too deep with it. I hope that isn't the case. Maybe XRPL sidechains can be expanded and speed/throughput increased. But again, Avalanche could do this already AND with each chain out the box doing 3x capacity. Besides, if you had a super speedy XRPL sidechain, if you still needed to settle up on XRPL mainnet, you'd be back to 3-4 sec.

Edited June 11, 2021 by thinlyspread