It’s been quite some time since the project launch earlier this year. Research, design, and thought have prevailed over writing code to build this thing right.
First was research into a possible new binary-to-text encoding algorithm based on yEnc, developed by Juergen Helbing with the goal of reducing overhead when sending non-text files like attachments and encryption keys. yEnc uses the most of the ASCII character set, unlike the standard encoding algorithm, base64. Based on initial testing, base85 was chosen as the preferred encoding method, increasing efficiency while still staying compatible.
Also new is AnTM, a new text format designed to balance safety and expressiveness. It was inspired by BBCode, which was originally designed for online message boards. “Why do we need ANOTHER format” you ask? Because HTML is a mess in terms of security, complexity, and privacy. Messages on the Anselus platform need to be expressive without compromising safety. You can have both in this case: AnTM is easy to write with just a text editor and easy to read and write from code, privacy-friendly, and it closes a potential attack vector made available by e-mail.
The server structure and architecture has also been better fleshed out. PostgreSQL is the first supported database engine because of its exemplary support, technical excellence, and cross-platform compatibility. It will also be written in the Go language.
The next months will focus on building the server side of individual workspaces, starting with completing the database interaction layer. It is an exciting time for the project to see first steps toward a bright future.