[Bitcoin-segwit2x] Bitcoin Protocol Change Specifications

[bitPico]

Thanks Jeff!

Good to see other Bitcoin developers understand the IETF process and how non-chaotic it is. Bitcoin has been plagued since its inception with a basically nonexistent development process. Good to see something that other implementors can follow and participate in.


> On Oct 9, 2017, at 1:19 PM, Jeff Garzik via Bitcoin-segwit2x <bitcoin-segwit2x at lists.linuxfoundation.org> wrote:
> 
> Introduction
> ----------------------
> A familiar claim is that specifications for segwit2x do not exist, or segwit2x is "unspecified."   This was false (link <https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2017-July/014708.html>, link <https://github.com/btc1/specifications/commit/49191e2a90418c4e80096475e561842a5434ff95>) -- but it is a fair criticism that you have to google for them, and that shouldn't be the case.
> 
> Specifications are also an issue in our wider community.  To make it easier for both segwit2x and post-segwit2x development, there is a repository and simple process for Protocol Change Specifications (PCS) at https://github.com/btc1/specifications <https://github.com/btc1/specifications>
> 
> The process
> -------------------------
> 1) Create a specification, stored as drafts/PCS-$username-$featurename format.
> 
> 2) When code exists, is production ready and may potentially activate, move the specification to PCS/PCS-$year-$number-$featurename
> 
> Engineers will be familiar with an IETF-like process.
> 
> It is important for non-engineers to understand creating a specification does not mean a change is accepted on the network - that's outside anybody's control.  The goal is to document what changes are live, or may go live.
> 
> Current contents
> -------------------------------
> The first few documents are the tx-size PCS and a clone of Sergio's segwit2x BIP into the PCS repo.
> 
> 1) tx-size:  tl;dr Goal is to state "tx limits don't change, even as block size increases" - tx limits are frozen for wallet compatibility.
> 
> 2) segwit2x:  Document SegWit + 2M multi-phase upgrade.
> 
> This will also be where the replay protection proposal would be documented.
> 
> 
> Who is welcome?
> ----------------------------------
> 
> The wider community needs to open the innovative process to more developers.  We would welcome and encourage Bitcoin and Bitcoin-compatible developers to contribute specifications:   Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Zcash, Bitcoin-compatible Drivechain, etc.
> 
> The current BIP process and the overall toxic environment do not create welcoming, pro-developer outcomes where we all work together to create the best technology possible.  Let's change that.
> 
> 
> What are the goals?
> ---------------------------------------
> 
> 1. Shared innovation:  It is way too early in the crypto game for infighting, or innovation gatekeeping by a small clique.  We need to be sharing innovations across teams and chains, working together, beta testing with real money on litecoin or bitcoin cash or a sidechain, then adding that feature to bitcoin more conservatively (or not at all, if RM testing shows flaws).  This was the flight path of SegWit (litecoin RM testing first) and now block size increase (Bitcoin Cash RM testing first).
> 
> The best way to share innovation is working together on common specifications and best practices across chains.
> 
> "Way back" in 2010, many of us simply assumed that bitcoin governance and upgradability would allow bitcoin to rapidly digest the latest innovations such as zero-knowledge proofs.  This has not happened.
> 
> 
> 2. Increase focus on specification - push back on "the code is the spec" mentality.  Work towards a multi-implementation network.
> 
> 
> 3. Solution sharing.  Sharing of bug fixes (vs. features, #1, above).
> 
> Real world example - A performance problem in bitcoin-derived zcash, found & fixed by zcash team, can be backported to bitcoin and other bitcoin clones.
> 
> Most of these codebases are derived from Bitcoin, and benefit from sharing fixes.
> 
> -- 
> Jeff Garzik
> CEO and Co Founder
> Bloq, Inc.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Bitcoin-segwit2x mailing list
> Bitcoin-segwit2x at lists.linuxfoundation.org
> https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/bitcoin-segwit2x

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