bitcoin-dev

Adding New BIP Editors

Adding New BIP Editors

Original Postby Michael Folkson

Posted on: April 21, 2024 11:43 UTC

The discourse emphasizes the critical nature of decision-making processes within the Bitcoin Core development community, particularly regarding the integration and activation of soft forks into the main codebase.

It underscores a prevailing concern over the potential for individual maintainers to unilaterally merge changes related to soft forks without consensus or thorough discussion among the broader group of maintainers. This concern extends to the responsibilities of Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) editors in managing information about soft fork activation attempts, highlighting the importance of caution to prevent contentious modifications from being hastily incorporated.

A specific case cited involves Taproot, where notable disagreements emerged over the activation parameters for a non-contentious soft fork, suggesting that even less controversial updates can engender significant debate. This instance serves as a cautionary tale for handling future activations, especially given the complexities and higher stakes associated with contentious soft forks. The communication also references an individual, Laolu, who previously supported a contentious attempt to activate CheckTemplateVerify (CTV) in 2022. The mention of Laolu's stance raises concerns about the implications of his potential future role as a BIP editor, including fears that his past support for contentious updates could influence his editorial decisions in a manner that contrasts with the community's expectations for impartiality and consensus-driven processes.

This narrative not only sheds light on the intricacies of governance within the Bitcoin Core community but also calls for a reflection on the mechanisms of accountability and decision-making frameworks that guide the evolution of Bitcoin's technical underpinnings. It implicitly advocates for a more collaborative and transparent approach to discussing and implementing changes, especially those that could significantly impact the network's operation and stability.