Published on: 2017-06-11T14:29:08+00:00
In a recent discussion on the bitcoin-dev mailing list, Jorge Timón proposed that BIP 149 should only activate if BIP 141 has expired unsuccessfully. This would be done by not removing the BIP 141 deployment with bip9. If SegWit activates before November 15th, BIP 149 nodes can detect and interpret it correctly. However, if it activates after November 15th, a separate service bit in the p2p network will be needed for pre-BIP 149 nodes to know whether SegWit has activated or not. Timón's proposal has raised concerns about the testing requirements of BIP 149.Some individuals argue that BIP 149 should be merged and released immediately, while others believe that more testing is necessary. The concern is that if BIP 149 is deployed before the activation of SegWit pre-November 15th, then BIP 149 nodes would use the old service bit for SegWit instead of the new one. There has been some work done to modify the code to account for this scenario, but there seems to be little interest in releasing BIP 149 before November 15th. A query was raised about whether there would be any problem with activating BIP 149 on November 16th.The activation of BIP 149 on November 16th could potentially cause problems for some users of Bitcoin. While the activation would improve the scalability and security of the network, it could also lead to compatibility issues for wallets and exchanges that are not prepared for SegWit addresses. Additionally, users who have not upgraded their nodes to support SegWit may find themselves unable to validate transactions or participate in the network after the activation. It is recommended that users ensure their wallets and exchanges are compatible with SegWit and upgrade their nodes as soon as possible to avoid any potential issues.There is ongoing debate within the Bitcoin community about the best way to activate SegWit, with some advocating for BIP 148 as an alternative proposal. However, BIP 149 has gained significant support and is expected to proceed as planned.In an email conversation between Rusty Russell and Matt Corallo, they discuss the timing of releasing code related to SegWit. Corallo emphasizes that the timeout for SegWit is not as important as when the code can be released, which he predicts will take several months after the current timeout. Russell had assumed that the code would be included in the next point release.A discussion on the bitcoin-dev mailing list focused on the timeout and release of code for SegWit. Gregory Maxwell suggested that the BIP 149 timeout was set too far in the future and that it could take up to six months after release for a stable transition. Rusty Russell agreed and proposed a deadline of December 16th, 2017, or January 16th, 2018, to avoid interference from the end-of-year holidays. This delay has set back SegWit by one to two months beyond what would have been experienced with BIP 8. It is expected that the release of the code will take several months after the current timeout.In another email exchange on the bitcoin-dev mailing list, a Bitcoin developer suggested bringing forward the BIP 149 activation date. Originally set far out enough to avoid focusing on the date rather than the proposal itself, the activation date could potentially be reduced to six months or less from November 2017. The developer argued that the community's eagerness for SegWit, as evidenced by the quick upgrade to BIP 141, suggests that they will also upgrade quickly to BIP 149. Gregory Maxwell questioned the timeline based on the observed adoption rates of SegWit, suggesting that it could take up to six months after release for a stable transition. Rusty Russell agreed and recommended a December 16th, 2017 deadline (or January 16th during EOY holidays). This delay pushes back SegWit by one to two months beyond what would have happened with BIP 8.The speed of SegWit adoption has led to concerns about the distant future of the BIP 149 timeout. It is believed that it could take up to six months after release for the required density for a stable transition. However, this timeline may not be applicable if it were a different proposal and not SegWit, where network penetration has already been observed.
Updated on: 2023-08-01T20:45:02.556824+00:00