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In-Reply-To: <20210426194309.2k5exujz23vjrgwc@ganymede>
From: John Newbery <john@johnnewbery.com>
Date: Tue, 27 Apr 2021 12:33:48 +0100
Message-ID: <CAFmfg2uDiEAFHom8Bh4mjr_in3dpk++j+yfgHY3+gStU1Bii5A@mail.gmail.com>
To: Bitcoin Protocol Discussion <bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org>
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Subject: Re: [bitcoin-dev] Reminder on the Purpose of BIPs
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ACK. These seem like very reasonable next steps.

On Mon, Apr 26, 2021 at 8:43 PM David A. Harding via bitcoin-dev <
bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org> wrote:

> On Sun, Apr 25, 2021 at 05:31:50PM -0400, Matt Corallo via bitcoin-dev
> wrote:
> > In general, I think its time we all agree the BIP process has simply
> failed
> > and move on. Luckily its not really all that critical and proposed
> protocol
> > documents can be placed nearly anywhere with the same effect.
>
> I recommend:
>
> 1. We add additional BIP editors, starting with Kalle Alm (if there are
>    no continuing significant objections).
>
> 2. We seek Luke Dashjr's resignation as BIPs editor.
>
> 3. We begin treating protocol documents outside the BIPs repository as
>    first-class BIP documentation.
>
> The first recommendation permits continued maintenance of existing BIPs
> plus gives the additional maintainers an opportunity to rebuild the
> credibility of the repository.
>
> The second recommendation addresses the dissatisfaction of many BIP
> authors and potential authors with the current editor, which I think
> will discourage many of them from making additional significant
> contributions to the repository.  It also seems to me to be a better use
> of Luke's talents and interests for him to focus on protocol research
> and review rather than procedurally checking whether a bunch of
> documents are well formed.
>
> The third recommendation provides an escape hatch for anyone, such as
> Matt, who currently thinks the process has failed, or for anyone who
> comes to that same conclusion in the future under a different editing
> team.  My specific recommendations there are:
>
> a. Anyone writing protocol documentation in the spirit of the BIP
>    process can post their idea to this mailing list like we've always
>    done and, when they've finished collecting initial feedback, they can
>    assign themselves a unique decentralized identifier starting with
>    "bip-".  They may also define a shorter alias that they encourage
>    people to use in cases where the correct document can be inferred
>    from context.  E.g.,
>
>       bip-wuille-taproot (bip-taproot)
>       bip-towns-versionbits-min-activation-height (bip-vbmah)
>       bip-todd-harding-opt-in-replace-by-fee (bip-opt-in-rbf)
>
> b. The author then publishes the document to any place they'd like,
> although
>    they are strongly encouraged to make any document source available
>    under an open license to ensure others can create their own
>    modifications.
>
> c. Implementations of BIPs, whether original repository BIPs or
>    decentralized BIPs, link to the BIPs they implement to ensure
>    researchers and developers can find the relevant protocol
>    documentation.  E.g.,
>
> https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/fe5e495c31de47b0ec732b943db11fe345d874af/doc/bips.md
>
>      (It may also be advisable for implementations to mirror copies of
>      the BIPs they implement so later modifications to the document
>      don't confuse anyone.  For this reason, extremely liberal
>      licensing of BIP documents is encouraged.)
>
> d. To help maintain quality and consistency between documentation, the
>    BIP editors provide a BIP document template, guidelines similar to
>    the existing BIP2, and an easy-to-run format linter.
>
> I think this decentralized BIPs alternative also helps address some
> longstanding problems with the BIPs system: that many casual Bitcoin
> users and developers think of documents in the BIPs repo as
> authoritative and that there are some development teams (such as for LN)
> that have already abandoned the BIPs process because, in part, they want
> complete control over their own documentation.
>
> The recommendations above were developed based on conversations I had
> with a few stakeholders in the BIPs process, but I did not attempt a
> comprehensive survey and I certainly don't claim to speak for anyone
> else.  I hope the recommendations are satisfactory and I look forward to
> your feedback.
>
> Thanks,
>
> -Dave
> _______________________________________________
> bitcoin-dev mailing list
> bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org
> https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/bitcoin-dev
>

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div>ACK. These seem like very reasonable=
 next=C2=A0steps.</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr=
" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, Apr 26, 2021 at 8:43 PM David A. Harding via=
 bitcoin-dev &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org">b=
itcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote cl=
ass=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid=
 rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">On Sun, Apr 25, 2021 at 05:31:50PM -040=
0, Matt Corallo via bitcoin-dev wrote:<br>
&gt; In general, I think its time we all agree the BIP process has simply f=
ailed<br>
&gt; and move on. Luckily its not really all that critical and proposed pro=
tocol<br>
&gt; documents can be placed nearly anywhere with the same effect.<br>
<br>
I recommend:<br>
<br>
1. We add additional BIP editors, starting with Kalle Alm (if there are<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0no continuing significant objections).<br>
<br>
2. We seek Luke Dashjr&#39;s resignation as BIPs editor.<br>
<br>
3. We begin treating protocol documents outside the BIPs repository as<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0first-class BIP documentation.<br>
<br>
The first recommendation permits continued maintenance of existing BIPs<br>
plus gives the additional maintainers an opportunity to rebuild the<br>
credibility of the repository.<br>
<br>
The second recommendation addresses the dissatisfaction of many BIP<br>
authors and potential authors with the current editor, which I think<br>
will discourage many of them from making additional significant<br>
contributions to the repository.=C2=A0 It also seems to me to be a better u=
se<br>
of Luke&#39;s talents and interests for him to focus on protocol research<b=
r>
and review rather than procedurally checking whether a bunch of<br>
documents are well formed.<br>
<br>
The third recommendation provides an escape hatch for anyone, such as<br>
Matt, who currently thinks the process has failed, or for anyone who<br>
comes to that same conclusion in the future under a different editing<br>
team.=C2=A0 My specific recommendations there are:<br>
<br>
a. Anyone writing protocol documentation in the spirit of the BIP<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0process can post their idea to this mailing list like we&#39;v=
e always<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0done and, when they&#39;ve finished collecting initial feedbac=
k, they can<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0assign themselves a unique decentralized identifier starting w=
ith<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0&quot;bip-&quot;.=C2=A0 They may also define a shorter alias t=
hat they encourage<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0people to use in cases where the correct document can be infer=
red<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0from context.=C2=A0 E.g.,<br>
<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 bip-wuille-taproot (bip-taproot)<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 bip-towns-versionbits-min-activation-height (bip-vbmah=
)<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 bip-todd-harding-opt-in-replace-by-fee (bip-opt-in-rbf=
)<br>
<br>
b. The author then publishes the document to any place they&#39;d like, alt=
hough<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0they are strongly encouraged to make any document source avail=
able<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0under an open license to ensure others can create their own<br=
>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0modifications.<br>
<br>
c. Implementations of BIPs, whether original repository BIPs or<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0decentralized BIPs, link to the BIPs they implement to ensure<=
br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0researchers and developers can find the relevant protocol<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0documentation.=C2=A0 E.g.,<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0<a href=3D"https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/fe5e495c31d=
e47b0ec732b943db11fe345d874af/doc/bips.md" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_bl=
ank">https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/fe5e495c31de47b0ec732b943db11f=
e345d874af/doc/bips.md</a><br>
<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0(It may also be advisable for implementations to mirror=
 copies of<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0the BIPs they implement so later modifications to the d=
ocument<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0don&#39;t confuse anyone.=C2=A0 For this reason, extrem=
ely liberal<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0licensing of BIP documents is encouraged.)<br>
<br>
d. To help maintain quality and consistency between documentation, the<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0BIP editors provide a BIP document template, guidelines simila=
r to<br>
=C2=A0 =C2=A0the existing BIP2, and an easy-to-run format linter.<br>
<br>
I think this decentralized BIPs alternative also helps address some<br>
longstanding problems with the BIPs system: that many casual Bitcoin<br>
users and developers think of documents in the BIPs repo as<br>
authoritative and that there are some development teams (such as for LN)<br=
>
that have already abandoned the BIPs process because, in part, they want<br=
>
complete control over their own documentation.=C2=A0 <br>
<br>
The recommendations above were developed based on conversations I had<br>
with a few stakeholders in the BIPs process, but I did not attempt a<br>
comprehensive survey and I certainly don&#39;t claim to speak for anyone<br=
>
else.=C2=A0 I hope the recommendations are satisfactory and I look forward =
to<br>
your feedback.<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
<br>
-Dave<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
bitcoin-dev mailing list<br>
<a href=3D"mailto:bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org" target=3D"_blank">=
bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org</a><br>
<a href=3D"https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/bitcoin-dev" =
rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/mail=
man/listinfo/bitcoin-dev</a><br>
</blockquote></div></div>

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