We set up torrents for the API node snapshots a while back (implemented via a web seed). In the future, we'll add a new torrent roughly once a week with the latest incremental update (and at some point

I was independently thinking Canada could be a good choice for you because of it's immigration tolerance. I haven't lived there, but I've visited and it is a nice place. I would give it some thought.

By design, they will always remain unable to directly affect the 1st layer. This is an important safety feature for the first layer. But it will always be possible to "port" proven, desirable

I consider Lite accounts to be one of the key feature for creating a highly decentralized 2nd layer for Hive. It will let Hive users interact with unrelated Hive and offchain apps with a single identity.

Yes, we've actually been working on the HAF foundation for it for quite a while, but now we're moving into the final part of the design.

Yes, another of our main goals has been to make it easy to make useful changes to Hive without needing to change the core code much. The analogy I like to use is an operating system and software that runs

By design, initial/layout tries to match condenser for the most part.

I don't consider downvoting censorship. The information is still all there and available for anyone to read.

We run a copy locally, but there's not one that's publicly accessible yet as it's still too early (e.g. right now work is being done related to login). I've only played with the one that's directly accessible

In terms of tech in use, I think we're ahead of the curve for blockchain technology.

We have some servers at our own premises plus we rent bare-bones servers.

Good news is rc8 seems to have resolved all the issues associated with this.

Hi, we closed our exchange last year. More info about it here:

Yes, I agree. Actually @mahdiyari created an "api clone" for hivesql that should mitigate future problems if some of the API nodes deploy it. We haven't made it a part of the default stack yet

It doesn't require ZFS to use haf_api_node, so I strongly recommend you use the stack, even if you don't use ZFS. One of our internal systems doesn't have ZFS installed and it still uses the stack without

To create a lite account, you would create your own key and "register" it in the blockchain with an associated "human-readable" name. Any existing hive account including "app"

yep

Yes, since Hive started that's always been one of our key goals.

It won't require a hardfork, so we can release it at any time.

I don't think it is a good idea to make them transferable. I actually think the ACTs were a bad idea from the beginning: they were obviously created by Steemit to get away from their promise to use the