Launching Tari Universe: a beautiful, magical one-click exploit for Tari

Do you want to be the first to try it out on the testnet? Join the waitlist now at https://t.co/TPOZKuOMFM

In a bid to simplify the convoluted world of crypto for a new generation, a team of developers that previously worked on Monero, including core member Riccardo Spagni (known as “fluffypony”), have launched a testnet version of their desktop application, Tari Universe, to mine the Tari token.

In a bid to simplify the convoluted world of crypto for a new generation, a team of developers that previously worked on Monero, including core member Riccardo Spagni (known as “fluffypony”), have launched a testnet version of their desktop application, Tari Universe, to mine the Tari token.

The idea for Tari, according to Naveen Jain, a contributor to the project, was inspired by the early days of Bitcoin when anyone could mine the cryptocurrency on their personal computer without the need for specialized and energy-intensive hardware—before complex mining rigs became the norm.

The idea for Tari, according to Naveen Jain, a contributor to the project, was inspired by the early days of Bitcoin when anyone could mine the cryptocurrency on their personal computer without the need for specialized and energy-intensive hardware—before complex mining rigs became the norm.

“If you think about somebody who's never installed MetaMask or set up an exchange account, how do they participate?” said Jain, an early Monero miner. “Back in the day when Bitcoin started, you could just use your home computer to mine Bitcoin—that's how this whole industry started. So what if we went back to the early days of Bitcoin, where you could just download free software from the internet, install it and start mining a new blockchain protocol?”

“If you think about somebody who's never installed MetaMask or set up an exchange account, how do they participate?” said Jain, an early Monero miner. “Back in the day when Bitcoin started, you could just use your home computer to mine Bitcoin—that's how this whole industry started. So what if we went back to the early days of Bitcoin, where you could just download free software from the internet, install it and start mining a new blockchain protocol?”

The Big Announcement 📣

The Big Announcement 📣

Meet Tari Universe: the magical, beautiful, one-click miner for Tari

Meet Tari Universe: the magical, beautiful, one-click miner for Tari

Want to be the first to try it on testnet? Join the waitlist now at https://t.co/TPOZKuOMFM

Want to be the first to try it on testnet? Join the waitlist now at https://t.co/TPOZKuOMFM

And now a thread on how Tari Universe will forever change crypto 🧵 pic.twitter.com/a5brllqJwc

And now a thread on how Tari Universe will forever change crypto 🧵 pic.twitter.com/a5brllqJwc

— Tari (@tari) August 15, 2024

— Tari (@tari) August 15, 2024

The Tari Universe mining software and testnet will be released on Sep. 12, with the main Tari network set to go live later this year, said Jain. In May, Tari announced that members of the community could earn the Tari token by completing online tasks such as liking and retweeting on Twitter, joining the Tari community on Reddit and creating memes featuring Tari's turtle mascot, Soon.

The Tari Universe mining software and testnet will be released on Sep. 12, with the main Tari network set to go live later this year, said Jain. In May, Tari announced that members of the community could earn the Tari token by completing online tasks such as liking and retweeting on Twitter, joining the Tari community on Reddit and creating memes featuring Tari's turtle mascot, Soon.

“It's best to think of [the Tari token] like an Ethereum token,” said Jain. “It's the token that powers the entire network. You will use it to pay for transactions and use applications on the Tari network in the future.”

“It's best to think of [the Tari token] like an Ethereum token,” said Jain. “It's the token that powers the entire network. You will use it to pay for transactions and use applications on the Tari network in the future.”

While Tari is its own blockchain, Jain explained that it uses the same Proof-of-Work consensus algorithm as Bitcoin and also leverages the technology of privacy-focused cryptocurrency Monero. He said that Tari uses a “hybrid” model where half of the blocks on Tari are mined and the other half are mined through merge mining on Monero.

While Tari is its own blockchain, Jain explained that it uses the same Proof-of-Work consensus algorithm as Bitcoin and also leverages the technology of privacy-focused cryptocurrency Monero. He said that Tari uses a “hybrid” model where half of the blocks on Tari are mined and the other half are mined through merge mining on Monero.

However, Jain was keen to note that Tari is separate from the privacy-focused Monero project. “It's not accurate to say that Tari is a sidechain,” he said. “But we are piggybacking on Monero's RandomX security model through merge mining.”

However, Jain was keen to note that Tari is separate from the privacy-focused Monero project. “It's not accurate to say that Tari is a sidechain,” he said. “But we are piggybacking on Monero's RandomX security model through merge mining.”

Merge mining is a process that allows miners to simultaneously mine two or more cryptocurrencies that share the same consensus protocol and hash function. As a result, miners can earn rewards from both networks without using additional resources. Merge mining benefits smaller networks by boosting their security and cost-efficiency.

Merge mining is a process that allows miners to simultaneously mine two or more cryptocurrencies that share the same consensus protocol and hash function. As a result, miners can earn rewards from both networks without using additional resources. Merge mining benefits smaller networks by boosting their security and cost-efficiency.

Jain said that using this approach benefits the Tari community because it will make the network decentralized and accessible from day one. “Whether or not you believe in an ETF or whatever your optimal vision is, the reality is that the current system has become a closed box—it's no longer something that's open and accessible—and all these new protocols that come out cater to the people who are already here.”

Jain said that using this approach benefits the Tari community because it will make the network decentralized and accessible from day one. “Whether or not you believe in an ETF or whatever your optimal vision is, the reality is that the current system has become a closed box—it's no longer something that's open and accessible—and all these new protocols that come out cater to the people who are already here.”

In response to critics within the crypto community who may question the need for something like Tari Universe, Jain highlighted the importance of onboarding new users and not relying solely on legacy cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin to do the work.

In response to critics within the crypto community who may question the need for something like Tari Universe, Jain highlighted the importance of onboarding new users and not relying solely on legacy cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin to do the work.

“What about the next generation? What about Gen Alpha, Gen Z, these new folks?” asked Jain. “You literally had a former 78-year-old president shilling Bitcoin on stage at a Bitcoin conference in Nashville. If that's not the definition of an old person's coin, I don't know what is.”

“What about the next generation? What about Gen Alpha, Gen Z, these new folks?” asked Jain. “You literally had a former 78-year-old president shilling Bitcoin on stage at a Bitcoin conference in Nashville. If that's not the definition of an old person's coin, I don't know what is.”

According to Jain, the Tari Universe software has two modes for mining the token: ECO and Ludicrous, the latter being a reference to Mel Brook's comedy classic Spaceballs. ECO mode, said Jain, uses fewer computer resources and is ideal for mining while actively using your computer. Meanwhile, Ludicrous mode uses more resources and is best used when your computer will be unattended, like overnight.

According to Jain, the Tari Universe software has two modes for mining the token: ECO and Ludicrous, the latter being a reference to Mel Brook's comedy classic Spaceballs. ECO mode, said Jain, uses fewer computer resources and is ideal for mining while actively using your computer. Meanwhile, Ludicrous mode uses more resources and is best used when your computer will be unattended, like overnight.

“You don't need to get expensive custom hardware like you do to mine Bitcoin in order to mine Tari,” said Jain. “If you have an existing laptop or desktop, you can mine Tari.”

“You don't need to get expensive custom hardware like you do to mine Bitcoin in order to mine Tari,” said Jain. “If you have an existing laptop or desktop, you can mine Tari.”