[bitcoin-dev] Update on "Speedy" Trial

[Michael Folkson]

(The email last week was an April Fools. I did my best to make light of the
situation...)
https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2021-April/018724.html

I'd like to give the list an update on where we are with Speedy Trial
because it is just as absurd as it looks to an outside observer. As a
reminder of the timeline:

February 2nd: Community meeting (100+ attendees including Core
contributors) where there was broad consensus that BIP 9 was "dead" in
favor of BIP 8. BIP 8 (which uses block heights) was revised to be a BIP 9
replacement.
https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2021-February/018379.html

March 6th: With no clear community consensus on whether the LOT parameter
should be set to true or false in BIP 8, Russell O'Connor proposed "Speedy
Trial". Taking an excerpt from David Harding's mailing list post "Speedy
Trial is a way to generate fast progress" and can "fail fast".
https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2021-March/018583.html

April 6th: There are two open PRs in Bitcoin Core. PR #21377 from AJ Towns
which attempts to bring BIP 9 back to life and use MTP over block height
because MTP is better for test networks. (Apparently mainnet is a test
network for testnet and signet these days) And PR #21392 from Andrew Chow
which uses BIP 8 and block height as discussed in those first community
meetings. BIP 8 has been revised to incorporate Speedy Trial while BIP 9
hasn't.

I think we are fast approaching a time where we are in exactly the same
situation as we were with the LOT parameter. Bitcoin Core is unable to
merge anything because of limited opposition to using block height of all
things.

I do encourage everyone to look at this and understand which individuals
are making this situation absurd. They will most likely be the same
individuals that decry the dangers of a future UASF having made "Speedy"
Trial a total oxymoron.

I won't be attending the meeting later, I'd rather pull teeth. If people
are in agreement with me on no further progress being possible in Core I
think we will need to restart the UASF discussions. Luke warned that these
kinds of shenanigans could happen but I really lacked imagination on the
tricks some people could pull.

-- 
Michael Folkson
Email: michaelfolkson at gmail.com
Keybase: michaelfolkson
PGP: 43ED C999 9F85 1D40 EAF4 9835 92D6 0159 214C FEE3
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