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authorFlorian Dold <florian.dold@gmail.com>2020-01-15 23:00:20 +0100
committerFlorian Dold <florian.dold@gmail.com>2020-01-15 23:00:20 +0100
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@@ -888,3 +888,158 @@ Merchant
Wallet
Also "Taler Wallet". Software component that manages the user's digital cash
and payments.
+
+
+Developer Glossary
+==================
+
+This glossary is meant for developers. It contains some terms that we usually do not
+use when talking to end users or even system administrators.
+
+.. glossary::
+ :sorted:
+
+ auditor
+ trusted third party that verifies that the :term:`exchange` is operating correctly
+
+ bank
+ traditional financial service provider who offers wire :term:`transfers <transfer>` between accounts
+
+ coin
+ coins are individual token representing a certain amount of value, also known as the :term:`denomination` of the coin
+
+ contract
+ the proposal signed by the wallet.
+
+ FIXME: this one is totally wrong!
+
+ denomination
+ unit of currency, specifies both the currency and the face value of a :term:`coin`,
+ as well as associated fees and validity periods
+
+ denomination key
+ RSA key used by the exchange to certify that a given :term:`coin` is valid and of a
+ particular denomination
+
+ deposit
+ operation by which a merchant passes coins to an exchange, expecting the
+ exchange to credit his bank account in the future using a wire transfer
+
+ dirty
+ a coin is dirty if its public key may be known to an entity other than
+ the customer, thereby creating the danger of some entity being able to
+ link multiple transactions of coin's owner if the coin is not refreshed
+
+ exchange
+ Taler's payment service provider. Issues electronic coins during
+ withdrawal and redeems them when they are deposited by merchants.
+
+ expired
+ Various operations come with time limits. In particular, denomination keys
+ come with strict time limits for the various operations involving the
+ coin issued under the denomination. The most important limit is the
+ deposit expiration, which specifies until when wallets are allowed to
+ use the coin in deposit or refreshing operations. There is also a "legal"
+ expiration, which specifies how long the exchange keeps records beyond the
+ deposit expiration time. This latter expiration matters for legal disputes
+ in courts and also creates an upper limit for refreshing operations on
+ special zombie coin.
+
+ WebExtension
+ Cross-browser API used to implement the GNU Taler wallet browser extension.
+
+ fresh
+ fresh coin
+ a coin is fresh if its public key is only known to the customer
+
+ master key
+ offline key used by the exchange to certify denomination keys and
+ message signing keys
+
+ message signing key
+ key used by the exchange to sign online messages, other than coins
+
+ offer
+ specification of the details of a transaction, specifies the payment obligations
+ for the customer (i.e. the amount), the deliverables of the merchant and other
+ related information, such as deadlines or locations; However, it lacks some
+ information that the backend is supposed to provide.
+ In other words, after the backend adds the missing information to the offer and
+ signs it, it becomes a proposal.
+
+ FIXME: completely wrong
+
+ owner
+ a coin is owned by the entity that knows the private key of the coin
+
+ payback
+ Operation by which an exchange returns the value of coins affected
+ by a :term:`revocation` to their :term:`owner`, either by allowing the owner to
+ withdraw new coins or wiring funds back to the bank account of the :term:`owner`.
+
+ Also called "recoup".
+
+ proof
+ Message that cryptographically demonstrates that a particular claim is correct.
+
+ proposal
+ a sketch that has been completed and signed by the merchant backend.
+
+ FIXME: completely wrong
+
+ reserve
+ Funds set aside for future use; either the balance of a customer at the
+ exchange ready for withdrawal, or the funds kept in the exchange;s bank
+ account to cover obligations from coins in circulation.
+
+ refreshing
+ operation by which a :term:`dirty` :term:`coin` is converted into one or more
+ :term:`fresh` coins
+
+ refund
+ operation by which a merchant steps back from the right to funds that he
+ obtained from a :term:`deposit` operation, giving the right to the funds back
+ to the customer
+
+ revocation
+ exceptional operation by which an exchange withdraws a denomination from
+ circulation, either because the signing key was compromised or because
+ the exchange is going out of operation; unspent coins of a revoked
+ denomination are subjected to payback.
+
+ sharing
+ users can share ownership of a :term:`coin` by sharing access to the coin&#39;s
+ private key, thereby allowing all co-owners to spend the coin at any
+ time.
+
+ spending
+ operation by which a customer gives a merchant the right to deposit
+ coins in return for merchandise
+
+ transfer
+ wire transfer
+ transfer
+ method of sending funds between :term:`bank` accounts
+
+ wtid
+ wire transfer identifier
+ Subject of a wire transfer; usually a random string to uniquely
+ identify the transfer.
+
+ FIXME: inaccurate
+
+ transaction
+ method by which ownership is exclusively transferred from one entity
+
+ transaction id
+ unique number by which a merchant identifies a :term:`transaction`
+
+ FIXME: completely obsolete by now
+
+ wallet
+ software running on a customer's computer; withdraws, stores and
+ spends coins
+
+ withdrawal
+ operation by which a :term:`wallet` can convert funds from a reserve to
+ fresh coins