This report will provide factual links and enable users to access the database of information in order to form viewpoints.
"With the current resources available to educate yourself, if you do not understand what is being discussed, your opinion is irrelevant." ~Bytecoin
Before commenting or posting, be sure to have made use of the current information. Constructive discussion is welcome.
As far as we are aware, bytecoin has been the first implementation of cryptonote technology. Fantomcoin, Monero and Quasar are derivatives.
My view on non Cnote 'anon' coins is pessimistic. There has been a string of wild claims and promised features. The developers have fantastic marketing campaigns but have failed to deliver any of the technology. The networks thrive on hype and are yet to perform to promise.
In comparison to cryptonote, we have state of the art technology that performs to specifications. There has been no marketing thus far and we are in the preliminary stages of development.
At this current moment, Cryptonote coins must focus on developing the software for general users. It is here adoption will take hold. The current rate of growth is an expression of market demand for such technologies.
The coins of focus are those accepted by cryptonote as listed on https://cryptonote.org/coins.php
Links
Bytecoin- https://forum.cryptonote.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11 https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/bcn-bytecoin-secure-private-untraceable-since-2012-512747
Fantomcoin- https://forum.cryptonote.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=172, https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/fcn-fantomcoin-cn-based-anonymous-merge-mine-with-bcn-xmr-qcn-duck-598823
Monero- https://forum.cryptonote.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=162, https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/annbmr-bitmonero-a-new-coin-based-on-cryptonote-technology-launched-563821, https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/xmr-monero-a-secure-private-untraceable-cryptocurrency-583449
Quazar- https://forum.cryptonote.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=181, https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/qcn-quazarcoin-full-anonymity-privacydata-protection-egalitarian-pow-615732, https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/ann-qcn-quazarcoin-full-privacydata-protection-egalitarian-pow-600658
Cryptonote F.A.Q - https://forum.cryptonote.org/viewforum.php?f=2
Who are you? (2 pages) https://forum.cryptonote.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=21
There is a trail of breadcrumbs... more than enough to gain a clear perspective.
Summary
Bytecoin- With origins claiming a release date as far back as 2 years. Appearing as the first succsessful implementation of cryptonote technology, it has proven the software a success to date. Regardless of the claim to foundations, the coins emission curve is unattractive to todays community. Evidently, an approximate %80 of coins are in circulation.
Fantomcoin- An interesting concept that introduces merged mining to the equation. The emission curve represents a fair distribution, smoother than bitcoin. Besides MM, the coin seems to have relations with Quasar. It will be interesting to see the impact merged mining will have on the coin.
Monero- This coin has a close relationship with byte coin (~80% mined within 4 years instead of 2 years with BCN). It is unclear why the developers opted for such a steep emission curve. There is much activity on forums and developers seem to task.
Quazar- Launched through community discussion to combat instamine. The coin seems to have respectable emissions, tighter than bitcoin itself. The goal is usability optimisation.
From the information accessible, all of these coins possess the claimed 'anonymous' features. The technology is in the early development and will continue to progress. Bytecoin has paved the way and stood as tested. From the evidence, no one coin has a GUI. It can be expected once a single dev team implement the GUI, all others will follow suite. Each coin is a marketing dream and the potential to enter the top market caps has been observed. Currently, the coins can be difficult to use- this provides barriers to new users. There is a need of rapid development to instil confidence and dominate the "anon" sector.
Regardless of community thoughts, there is strong evidence these coins have already surfaced in darknet markets.
It may be wise to participate in cryptonote coins through community involvement, mining and investing. The coins have received limited exposure and remain in the markets niche. With an entirely different code base to bitcoin and its derivatives, exchange listings are not so simple- a higher level of skill is required. There is still much confusion and it is possible that only a fraction of the community have investigated the coins. I expect with further exposure that all crypronote coins will benefit.
-Significant positions taken in all Cryptonote coins. These coins remain offline for the foreseeable future.