---

title: SSB Log Entry 610
date: 2020-05-12T07:59:24-05:00
tags:

---

# Pigeon Protocol Daily Update

## Done

 * Fixed a mistake I made in the Lipmaa link implementation

## TODO

 * Fix a bug where a message containing `\n` in a key causes `StringScanner` to hang indefinitely.
 * Re-order header fields to be more readable
 * Cleanup and documentation

## IDEAS WELCOME (Naming Things)

Yesterday I talked about how I [want to get rid of SSB-style sigils](%HKZ687D5pkUjfvbPn3CLhHquJ4PaIIXJm2GYHAQ1MO8=.sha256) in favor of ones that are URL-safe and human readable. The idea was well received, but **there's some disagreement as to what we should use instead of the current sigils**.

Right now, we use `@`, `%`, `&` sigils to represent identities, messages and blobs, respectively. 

I had originally proposed changing them to the following:

 * Change `@` to `feed.`
 * Change `&` to `blob.`
 * Change `%` to `mesg.`

The first two seem to work. The last one was not as popular, mostly based on the feedback that people don't like abbreviating words for various reasons. Eg: makes it harder for non-native English speakers to look it up in a dictionary, and it will act funny in screen readers (though I think the Base32 that follows a sigil would do the same anyway).

I'm not sure what I should use instead of `mesg.`.

 * I don't want to use `message.` because pigeon multihashes are already longer than SSB multihashes (52 characters, last time I checked).
 * It would be nice if the new sigil is exactly 4 letters long because you can perform string indexing more easily when writing lexers or working in constrained environments / languages with minimal string support. It is also a lot easier on the eyes when multihashes all line up neatly.
 * [@kas](https://scuttlebutt.nz/) suggested using `post.` This is probably what I will use if I can't find a better alternative.

Does anyone have any other ideas? Another alternative I've considered is using single character sigils, such as `F` for feeds, `B` for blob, `M` for message. It's not as readable, but it _is_ more URL safe and only slightly less anglocentric than the current sigils.

I'm open to more ideas. I will probably just go with `post.` otherwise.

#pigeon-protocol