From: Tom Zander <tomz@freedommail.ch>
To: bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org
Date: Mon, 02 Jan 2017 23:01:08 +0100
Message-ID: <14697942.X052BYpMyZ@cherry>
In-Reply-To: <201701022119.11115.luke@dashjr.org>
References: <CAGCNRJoN7u3yvzitH2KSmVty-p0tX9jxWLHPb8uO5CPZmxmoRg@mail.gmail.com>
	<1944321.hguq3JoYe1@cherry> <201701022119.11115.luke@dashjr.org>
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Subject: Re: [bitcoin-dev] BIP - 'Block75' - New algorithm
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On Monday, 2 January 2017 21:19:10 CET Luke Dashjr wrote:
> On Monday, January 02, 2017 8:35:40 PM Tom Zander via bitcoin-dev wrote:
> > A maximum is needed, yes. But does it have to be part of the protocol?
> > A simple policy which is set by node operators (reject block if greater
> > than X bytes) will solve this just fine, no?
> 
> If you reject a block based on a particular condition, that is BY
> DEFINITION part of the consensus protocol, and NOT a policy. The protocol
> is literally the set of rules by which blocks are determined to be valid
> or invalid.
> 
> Policies are things that can vary node-to-node without affecting the
> validity judgement of blocks.

Policy is thus expanded to allow an individual node to reject blocks that 
are technically speaking valid, just unacceptable to them.

It would be fun to ponder of the effect of that when applied to many nodes. 
Many people already have pondered that question and find it intriguing. So 
don't reject it out of hand :)
-- 
Tom Zander
Blog: https://zander.github.io
Vlog: https://vimeo.com/channels/tomscryptochannel