Hello ENS community!
Herodotus has recently announced the Herodotus Data Processor (HDP), a powerful solution for defining extensive sets of on-chain data and running complex computations over them in a fully sound and proven environment using STARKs and Storage Proofs. During this process, we’ve identified some interesting applications where verifiable compute could potentially be used by ENS. We’re curious about the community’s perspective on these ideas and hope to spark some dialogue:
Dynamic Renewal Terms Based on Ownership Duration
We could implement a system where the grace period for domain renewals is dynamically adjusted based on the length of continuous ownership. For example:
- Standard ownership (0-2 years): 90-day grace period (current system)
- Long-term ownership (2+ years): Extended grace period (e.g., 180 days)
This could be achieved by using HDP to verify the continuous ownership duration of an ENS name. The system would calculate the average ownership time over a long period (e.g., checking ownership every month for the past two years) to prevent manipulation through short-term transfers.
Resolver Stability Checks for Smart Contracts
HDP could be used to verify if the account that a name resolves to has remained unchanged within a specified range of blocks. This feature would be particularly useful for smart contracts interacting with ENS names.
Why this matters for smart contracts:
- Contracts could verify that an ENS name hasn’t suddenly changed its resolved address, reducing the risk of interacting with an unexpected address.
- Contracts could implement different behavior based on the stability of an ENS resolution. For example, allowing higher-value transactions only if the resolution has been stable for a certain period.
Verifiable On-Chain Loyalty Programs for Long-Term Holders
We could implement loyalty programs for long-term ENS holders that are verifiable on-chain. This would reward dedicated users and encourage long-term engagement with the ENS ecosystem. Here’s how it could potentially work:
- Discounts on renewals or new registrations based on proven continuous ownership of other ENS names
- Preferential terms (e.g., exclusive access to certain names or sub-domains) for accounts with a history of long-term ENS engagement
- Other criteria, such as factoring in both ownership duration and historical ENS token balance
For example, a user who has owned multiple ENS domains for over three years and maintained a significant ENS token balance could receive a 20% discount on future renewals or registrations. This could all be verified on-chain, ensuring transparency and fairness in the loyalty program.
These are by no means all the possible ways that HDP could be used by ENS. HDP is currently in Beta and is not production ready, but building a limited MVP of any of these three ideas is possible today. If there’s interest, our team could develop such a demo.
What do you think? We’d love to hear the community’s thoughts on these concepts, particularly the loyalty program idea, and any potential challenges or improvements you see.
Additional Resources
https://docs.herodotus.dev/herodotus-docs/developers/data-processor