micro Dalle-2

Current status of micro Dalle-2

Micro Dalle-2 is an experiment in text-to-image generation and micro-payments that was launched by Micropay in 2022; it was created by Dillion and Haseab. This solution transformed DALL-E 2 into a service that could be used without the need for registration, with purchases made on a per-use basis, thereby addressing the issue of having to pre-purchase a certain amount of generation credits at the time.

The project page is still accessible, but it clearly states that the software has been discontinued since 2022. The buttons, prices, and tutorials on the page are intended only for understanding the former product; they do not indicate that the service is still operational, that payments can be made, or that images will be provided.

Core historical functions

• Text-to-image generation: The user enters a description, and the system utilizes the DALL-E 2 service to create images that do not exist on the internet. The quality of the generated images, their size, the number of images produced, as well as the boundaries of their content depend on the capabilities of the underlying systems at that time.
• Purchase per use: The historical price for the Dalle option was 0.16 US dollar per use; there was no need to purchase 115 units in advance to obtain the right to generate content. This price is information from the page before it was discontinued, and it is not the current valid rate.
• Lightning Network payments: The website generates a Lightning invoice, and users make payments using wallets that support the Bitcoin Lightning Network. This method allows transactions of small amounts to bypass the minimum fee structures associated with traditional bank cards.
• Anonymous use: There is no need to create an account or log in to use the service; it functions like a pay-per-use machine. Anonymity does not mean that no technical logs are kept or that identification is completely impossible; the privacy policy still specifies information such as IP address, browser type, device details, usage patterns, and Cookie data.
• Free Non-DALL-E mode: The home page still shows the free \"Non DALL-E\" option along with a count of 0/3, indicating that each user can attempt this option up to three times. Public information does not reveal the specific model used, nor is there any evidence suggesting that images can still be generated using this mode.
• Public status and roadmap: The website used to feature public roadmaps and status pages to show product plans and service availability. Since the main product has been discontinued, these pages cannot serve as a substitute for current availability checks.

Historical input, payment, and output

The page does not disclose any verifiable information regarding the output resolution, file format, duration for which files can be downloaded and saved, maximum length of prompts, or rules for retrying in case of failures. Since the product is no longer in use, it should no longer be possible to send any assets based on the historical tutorials.

Historical usage process

1. Open the creation page and enter a description of the image you wish to create.
2. Choose between the paid Dalle mode and the free Non Dalle mode, and check the price displayed at that time as well as the remaining quota.
3. The payment method generates a Lightning invoice, and payments must be made using Cash App, Strike, or other compatible wallets.
4. Wait for the network to confirm and generate the image, then check whether the resulting image meets the guidelines and content rules.
5. Download the required images, and save the prompt details, payment, and authorization records by yourself.

The steps above describe the design prior to deactivation only, and they are not recommendations for current actions. The page does not provide any instructions on restoring the service, bringing it back online, or migrating to a new brand.

Historical prices and availability

The old version of the page did not provide information regarding subscription options, the enterprise version, point packages, refund processes, or procedures for resolving payment disputes. Even if an amount is displayed on the interface, no payments should be made for services that have been discontinued.

Platform, API, and open-source status

• The historical version is a web application; native clients for Windows, macOS, iOS, or Android have not been confirmed.
• General terms for services related to private text include APIs, software, and developer services; however, it has not been confirmed that micro Dalle-2 has provided any public developer endpoints, keys, SDKs, or official documentation.
• The GitHub organization referenced by the database records does not have any public repositories at the moment; therefore, it is not possible to determine the licenses for the front-end, back-end, payment-related components, or the model packaging code.
• The overview of GitHub Organizations emphasizes anonymity and pay-per-use pricing, but this does not mean that the source code of the products is open source. micro Dalle-2 should be regarded as a discontinued hosting service whose open-source status has not been confirmed.
• The product relies on OpenAI’s DALL-E 2 API at the time; it does not possess nor make available the underlying models as open source.

Privacy and content guidelines

• The privacy policy states that communication content may be collected, along with technical information such as IP addresses, browser type, time, country, device details, usage patterns of various functions, and cookies.
• Websites may use analysis and cross-site tracking technologies, and they do not respond to Do Not Track signals; anonymity means that no account is required, but it does not imply no data collection at all.
• The policy permits the use of information for operations, research, improvement, security, and legal obligations, and it may be shared with hosting, cloud, communication, marketing, and analysis service providers.
• The policy specifies that it is possible to publish the generated images and their corresponding prompts on social media, without revealing the identity of the person who created them. Entering private, confidential, or identifiable information poses a significant risk of exposure.
• Personal information may be transferred to the United States; the security measures are described only as being commercially reasonable, and no absolute security for internet or email transmissions is guaranteed.
• The policy states that personal information will not be sold, and it grants eligible California residents the rights to be informed, to have their data deleted, and to avoid discrimination.
• The copyright ownership of the generated images, the permissions for commercial use, rules regarding refunds and deletion timelines, as well as the guidelines for model training have not been clarified; therefore, former users cannot assume that they possess full commercial rights merely because the relevant pages exist.

Scenarios suitable for understanding

• Research on AI products: Understanding how early generative image services utilized the Lightning Network to enable very low-cost pay-per-use pricing.
• Payment product design: Study historical interactions that involve no need for an account, with a one-time payment made prior to invoking the API.
• Maintenance of the AI tool catalog: It identifies cases where a page is still online but the corresponding product is no longer in use, thereby preventing old prices and features from being listed as current ones.
• It is not suitable for tasks such as current image creation, commercial content production, API integration, or those that require a refund guarantee.

Advantages and limitations

• Historical advantages: The pay-per-use model reduces the barrier to pre-purchasing entire packages, and it demonstrates the application of the Lightning Network in software micro-transactions.
• Historical advantage: The process requires no account and is relatively quick, making it suitable for one-time experiments.
• Limitation: The product was discontinued in 2022, and the current page does not constitute proof of its availability.
• Limitations: There is insufficient publicly available information regarding the models in the free version, image specifications, compensation in case of failures, refunds, and commercial licensing.
• Restrictions: Anonymous claims are subject to significant limitations in relation to the provisions on the disclosure of logs, analyses, and prompts outlined in the privacy policy.
• Limitations: There is no public code repository, and it is not possible to audit the actual processing of payments, prompts, or image data.

Summary

The main value of micro Dalle-2 lies in its role as a historical example of anonymous, pay-per-use AI image generation, rather than as a tool for current use. Users who need image generation services should opt for alternative products that are still under maintenance, have clear pricing and copyright policies, and offer adequate privacy and refund provisions.