Author: ZmnSCPxj 2017-05-22 14:39:19
Published on: 2017-05-22T14:39:19+00:00
In an email to the Bitcoin Dev mailing list, Paul Sztorc introduced the concept of "drivechain," a sidechain enabling technology that would remove the blocksize limit from the Bitcoin system. Soft forks can add new chains to the system, and each chain will have its own block space, so users who want a larger block Bitcoin can move their BTC over to such a network. Sztorc explained that while the upgrade does not increase scalability per se, it may put an end to the scalability debate forever by allowing users to scale as much as they want through the use of sidechains. Sztorc also addressed the relatively new concept of "Blind Merged Mining" (BMM), which he developed in January. This technology allows SHA256^2 miners to merge-mine drivechains without running the actual sidechain software. BMM is not required for drivechain, but it would address some of the last remaining concerns. Additionally, Sztorc presented on why he believes a maximum block size limit is not necessary to ensure future non-negligible transaction fees. However, a user named ZmnSCPxj raised concerns about the security of sidechains, specifically regarding the proposal's ability to protect against a sidechain reorg. ZmnSCPxj suggested that Sztorc's proposal should scan a series of sidechain block headers backed by the mainchain, rather than just mainchain depth, to prevent reorgs. Additionally, ZmnSCPxj argued that blinded merged mining is inferior to proof-of-burn, which integrates a lottery to reduce the ability of a mainchain-rich attacker to reorg the sidechain by burning its greater funds.
Updated on: 2023-06-12T01:01:25.710378+00:00