Deterministic, bit-identical and/or verifiable Linux builds

Re:Deterministic, bit-identical and/or verifiable Linux builds by raving-richard on Friday July 11, 2014 @08:37PM (#8023259)

Even if you hate Bitcoin for other reasons, this is one reason to appreciate it. Gitian, the software used by Tor for deterministic builds (of their build of Firefox especially), was originally written by Bitcoin developers. Which makes sense, you want to make sure your money is secure.

Good things come out of things you might hate.

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Re:Deterministic, bit-identical and/or verifiable Linux builds by zaroth on Friday July 11, 2014 @08:54PM (#8023311)

Deterministic builds are pretty neat. I think the second equally important piece is a a Web of Trust full of people willing to reproduce the build and sign off on the hashes.

I was able to reproduce the sha512sum of the Bitcoin back when 0.9.0 came out without too much trouble, but it definitely took a couple hours to get it all working.

I feel a bit bad I didn't take the next step and attach my digital signature signifying that I could reproduce it. There are only a few people other than Gavin who go to the trouble of signing off on the hashes.

I wonder if Docker could be used to speed up the overall process and make builds more accessible. As I recall, the current scripts setup a single-core KVM which definitely slowed things down.

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Re:Deterministic, bit-identical and/or verifiable Linux builds by taeric on Friday July 11, 2014 @09:24PM (#8023384)

Docker could speed up parts. But, unless I misunderstand what you mean it wouldn't really help the trust aspect. You'd just be shifting your trust to the docker pieces. (That is, then the goal shifts to "can anyone reproduce the docker container?") Right?

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Re:Deterministic, bit-identical and/or verifiable Linux builds by fanquake on Friday July 11, 2014 @09:51PM (#8023445)

Work has already started on supporting Docker images in Gitian Builder. https://github.com/devrandom/gitian-builder/issues/53

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Re:Deterministic, bit-identical and/or verifiable Linux builds by mpyne on Saturday July 12, 2014 @11:25AM (#8024777)

Bitcoin has tons of reasons to appreciate it, especially technically.

That doesn't by itself make it a good idea to actually use, of course, but you'd have to be blind to miss the wonder of what Bitcoin brought to technology.

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Re:Deterministic, bit-identical and/or verifiable Linux builds by colordrops on Saturday July 12, 2014 @12:28AM (#8023707)

Wait, Bitcoin is something to be hated?

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Re:Deterministic, bit-identical and/or verifiable Linux builds by snitko on Saturday July 12, 2014 @12:43AM (#8023731)

Didn't you know? It's a thing on HN.

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