Weekly musing #11 - Homework
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Bitcoin ABC
Work is progressing towards the Bitcoin ABC implementation. Already it was able to digest blocks slightly larger than 8MB on BU's no-limits testnet. In regression tests, sizes up to 16MB have not posed a problem.
Scaling Bitcoin Core may not be as simple as adjusting a single constant, but ABC proves it can be done.
UAHF
The release of the UAHF contingency plan [3] and the accompanying technical specification [4] marked a decisive answer to the threat posed to Bitcoin's security by BIP-148 (UASF).
ABC adaptations for the counter HF to the upcoming UASF are in an advanced stage and expected to be ready for validation soon.
Bitcoin Unlimited
BU is working on a UAHF-compatible specification [5]. It is provisionally called 'BUIP-HF'. Development is going to be channeled through the 'buip-hf' branch on my Github repository, from where I will feed Pull Requests back to BU.
A guidance document has been created for contributing BU developers.
Preparations are also underway for another point release of BU prior to a major release later this year which should bring most of the 'dev' branch changes over to 'release'.
BTCfork MVF
I'm considering adapting the SegWit trigger condition of the MVF's to take into account the planned SegWit2x activation conditions (which seem to have swung in favor of BIP-91 now). Still to be decided, but my stance is unchanged - in the event of SegWit activating on the main chain, there should be a spin-off to provide a SegWit-free alternative. This could be UAHF, but since that is planned to activate some hours after UASF, it could make sense to activate an earlier spin-off at the same time as UASF.
References
[1] Image of blackboard derived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36633029
by Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine - own work, CC0
[2] Image of academic with square cap derived from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14939026
by Gardner Cotrell Leonard - “Academic Costume.” in A Cyclopedia of Education, edited by Paul Monroe, 17, New York: The Macmillan Company, 1911., Public Domain
[3] UAHF: A contingency plan against UASF (BIP148)