synit/MILESTONES.md

Structuring the System Layer with Dataspaces

In this project, Dataspace theory will be co-developed with new system layer software in the setting of the user interface to and management of a cellular telephone.

The expected project outcomes are:

1. A capability-based security model for Dataspaces
2. A proof-of-concept dataspace-based system layer for a mobile phone
3. A qualitative evaluation of the suitability of the Dataspace model as structuring principle for system layers

The following artifacts are expected to realise the outcomes of the project:

1. Documents describing the theory of capabilities as applied to Dataspaces
2. Dataspace implementations reflecting this theory
3. Documents analysing the elements of a selection of existing system layers
4. Protocols capturing a synthesis of system layer behaviours, based on the analysis
5. A system layer implementation making use of Dataspaces
6. Associated demos and case studies
7. A website gathering together all project material
8. Software releases and developer-focused documentation

Subtasks

1. ✓✓ Project infrastructure setup

   • Project website up under the umbrella of https://syndicate-lang.org/
   • Project blog created
   • Software Bill of Materials

2. ✓✓ Capability theory

   • Description of Dataspace interaction model augmented with “data-capabilities” authorizing interaction within a dataspace

3. ✓✓ Rust Dataspace infrastructure

   • Dataspace implementation for dataspace-based Rust programming
   • Implementation of Dataspace protocol in Rust

4. ✓✓ Smalltalk Dataspace infrastructure

   • Dataspace implementation for dataspace-based Squeak Smalltalk programming
   • Implementation of Dataspace protocol in Smalltalk

5. ✓✓ Demo of capability-secure Dataspace interaction

6. ✓✓ PostmarketOS (pmOS) infrastructure

   • pmOS booting on cellphone to modified environment
   • Scripts for packaging of on-phone artifacts

7. ✓✓ Demo exercising phone infrastructure

8. ✓✓ Dataspace Protocol specification

   • Draft specification of interaction protocols for secure inter-process and inter-machine dataspace interaction

9. ✓✓ Dataspace “message bus”

   • Standalone on-phone generic Dataspace “message bus” service for coordinating system-layer activity
   • Implements Dataspace Protocol

10. ✓✓ Analysis of existing system-layers

    • Survey of a selection of system-layer components
    • Classification and categorisation of functionality

11. ✓✓ Synthesis of system-layer functionality

    • Development and description of Dataspace interaction protocols capturing system-layer features

12. ✓✓ Prototyping of Dataspace system layer

    • Development and description of mobile-phone-specific Dataspace interaction protocols
    • Development of generic system-layer components
    • Development of mobile-phone-specific components

13. ✓✓ Demo exercising realised system layer

14. Security & accessibility review

    • Security review of items 8, 9 and 12 would be most worthwhile.
    • Accessibility review of web content is likely to be trivial; review of the UI content of items 13 and 7 may be worthwhile (though user interface is not a focus of the project).