Bootstrapping an Announce
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I'm a new user, a refugee from Symform shutting down. Reading through everything, Sia looks like a good/better replacement. I want to share storage, and then use the credits from that for my own storage.
Downloaded the Linux GUI client, and was surprised at how easy it was to get running. I created my wallet, I created my storage folder, I am accepting contracts, and my block chain is synchronized.
The client has been running for 24 hours now, but it doesn't appear as if anything is happening. The only thing that might be missing is that I need to announce my host. But clicking the Announce button says it costs 15SC to make the announcement. But if I need to announce my node to earn SC, then this seems like an unfortunate catch-22 for users that just want to share storage and get a little in return for it.
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There is a small fee to announce hosts, but 15SC ~ .3¢. The cost is there to prevent users from spamming the network with fake announcements. If you want to start hosting you will also need a fair bit of money for collateral, min 50,000SC if I remember, but the UI should have warned you if your funds were too low. You need that much for contract collateral. Basically its money that you forfeit if you lose the files or if your host goes offline for too long. You will get it back at the end of the contract period if you don't.
Right now hosting is a commitment, but this helps keep the system stable while Sia grows out of infancy. Imagine if large portions of hosts kept coming and going as they pleased, taking user's data with them. Without a stable host network it is impossible to have a stable storage solution. So to keep a stable host network you have to show some commitment before becoming a host, ie putting money on the table.
Ideally these restrictions can be relaxed down the road, as Sia matures and stable long term hosts become more common. In the mean time if you just want to use Sia for storage the prices are quite low, and SC is readily available via mining pools, or the exchanges you see on the side bar.
If you still want to become a host, this guide could be very useful: http://blog.sia.tech/2016/05/26/how-to-run-a-host-on-sia/
It was written before the Hosts plugin for the UI was made, but the concepts are the same and it does a good job explaining the details of hosting files on Sia.
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Thanks. That makes sense, though it is a barrier of entry for casual hosters; though as you specified, you don't want the people hosting the files to be too casual!
Alright, I guess my next step is looking into how to purchase 50,000SC. Via one of the exchanges is appears...
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50,015 you mean. :)