To: bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org
From: Segue <012mistery@frankentrikes.com>
Message-ID: <fd403450-cf7f-ce56-79ca-93c77c042289@frankentrikes.com>
Date: Wed, 9 May 2018 17:56:00 -0700
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Subject: [bitcoin-dev] Why not archive the backend of Bitcoin blockchain?
Precedence: list

On 3/17/18, someone posted on the Lightning-dev list, "Can I try 
Lightning without running a fully-fledged bitcoin block chain? (Yubin 
Ruan)."  The inquirer was asking because he didn't have much space to 
store the entire blockchain on his laptop.

I replied:

"Developers,

On THIS note and slightly off-topic but relevant, why can't chunks of 
blockchain peel off the backend periodically and be archived, say on 
minimum of 150 computers across 7 continents?

It seems crazy to continue adding on to an increasingly long chain to 
infinity if the old chapters (i.e. more than, say, 2 years old) could be 
stored in an evenly distributed manner across the planet. The same 150 
computers would not need to store every chapter either, just the index 
would need to be widely distributed in order to reconnect with a chapter 
if needed. Then maybe it is no longer a limitation in the future for 
people like Yubin. "

It was suggested by a couple of lightning developers that I post this 
idea on the bitcoin-dev list.  So, here I post :).

Segue