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From: Ben Woosley <ben.woosley@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2021 11:05:28 -0700
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To: Michael Folkson <michaelfolkson@gmail.com>, 
 Bitcoin Protocol Discussion <bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org>
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Subject: Re: [bitcoin-dev] Announcing a new standard for soft fork activation
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Hear hear, a true work of genius. Who's looking for Satoshi? I think we've
found him!

On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 8:15 AM Michael Folkson via bitcoin-dev <
bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org> wrote:

> There have been a vast number of proposals for soft fork activation in
> recent months and it is important that all these important ideas don=E2=
=80=99t go
> to waste. Hence I propose a new standard for soft fork activation
> incorporating all the ideas into one standard. I appreciate this standard
> has come too late for Taproot activation but it should be ready for any
> future soft forks. It is a multi phase, multi year standard. No soft fork
> can activate unless and until it has successfully passed through all of t=
he
> different 14 phases. This will demonstrate Bitcoin=E2=80=99s ultimate con=
servatism.
>
> Phase 1) Let=E2=80=99s See What Happens - BIP 8 (false, 0.25 years). The =
shortest
> phase just to whet appetites.
>
> Phase 2) Start now, improve later - BIP 8(false, 1 year) A confusing name=
,
> it starts but it doesn't improve later
>
> Phase 3) BIP 9 equivalent - BIP 8(false, 1 year)
>
> Phase 4) Gently discourage apathy - BIP 8(true, 1 year) Forced signaling
> at the end of this phase but obviously there are still many phases before
> the soft fork can actually activate.
>
> Phase 5) BIP 91 (1 year). As a nod to our SegWit history we have a BIP 91
> activation phase.
>
> Phase 6) BIP 148 (1 year). Some people disagree that BIP 91 activated
> SegWit so we do a BIP 148 activation phase to keep those people happy.
> Again forced signaling doesn=E2=80=99t actually mean activation. There ar=
e still
> many more phases to pass through.
>
> Phase 7) Speedy Trial (using block height, 0.5 years) on mainnet
>
> Phase 8) Speedy Trial (using MTP, 0.5 years) on mainnet
>
> Phase 9) Speedy Trial on the default signet (0.5 years)
>
> Phase 10) Speedy Trial on a combination of three different custom signets
> in parallel (0.5 years)
>
> Phase 11) Speedy Trial on testnet and a custom signet in parallel (0.5
> years)
>
> Phase 12) Modern Soft Fork Activation (3.5 years) This is the longest
> phase of the soft fork activation standard. It is itself multi phase and
> multi year so this can be considered a nested activation phase within thi=
s
> standard.
>
> Phase 13) UASF BIP 8 (LOT=3Dtrue, 1 year). Forced miner signaling at the =
end
> of this phase but ultimately the soft fork doesn=E2=80=99t yet activate a=
s there is
> one final additional phase the activation must pass through. This gives
> Samson the opportunity to sell some hats. We are close now. The natives a=
re
> getting restless.
>
> Phase 14) Second flag day (1 year) We don=E2=80=99t want those pesky user=
s
> actually activating a soft fork on their own so an additional flag day is
> added just so we can tell users that we prevented a chain split.
>
> Assuming a soft fork activation has successfully passed through all these
> 14 phases it should activate. It will take a minimum of 13 years. However=
,
> if it fails during any one of these phases it has to start from Phase 1
> again. We should take Bitcoin=E2=80=99s conservatism very seriously. If a=
 soft fork
> activation can=E2=80=99t pass successfully through all these phases it sh=
ouldn=E2=80=99t
> activate. Ultimately we don=E2=80=99t really mind what is in the soft for=
k (any
> idiot can design consensus changes and write secure bug free C++ code) th=
at
> is very much secondary in importance to *how* the soft fork is activated.
> The activation design absolutely must be conservative.
>
> I expect this rigorous standard for soft fork activation will get a BIP
> number. If you are going to propose a future soft fork I recommend you pl=
an
> for activation in approximately 13 years from the point the soft fork cod=
e
> is merged into Core.
>
> I am happy to settle the soft fork activation question once and for all
> for the community. I expect in time my contribution will be recognized in
> the annals of history with Satoshi Nakamoto and Hal Finney.
>
> Addendum: Although all future soft forks will ultimately use this
> standard, this standard is copyrighted. Every time it is used royalties
> must be paid into this quantum secure Bitcoin vanity address
> 1quantumsecureaddress
>
>
> --
> Michael Folkson
> Email: michaelfolkson@gmail.com
> Keybase: michaelfolkson
> PGP: 43ED C999 9F85 1D40 EAF4 9835 92D6 0159 214C FEE3
> _______________________________________________
> 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">Hear hear, a true work of genius. Who&#39;s looking for Sa=
toshi? I think we&#39;ve found him!</div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><di=
v dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Thu, Apr 1, 2021 at 8:15 AM Michael F=
olkson via bitcoin-dev &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundat=
ion.org">bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blo=
ckquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left=
-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);paddi=
ng-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">There have been a vast number of proposals fo=
r soft fork activation in recent months and it is important that all these =
important ideas don=E2=80=99t go to waste. Hence I propose a new standard f=
or soft fork activation incorporating all the ideas into one standard. I ap=
preciate this standard has come too late for Taproot activation but it shou=
ld be ready for any future soft forks. It is a multi phase, multi year stan=
dard. No soft fork can activate unless and until it has successfully passed=
 through all of the different 14 phases. This will demonstrate Bitcoin=E2=
=80=99s ultimate conservatism.<br><br><div>Phase 1) Let=E2=80=99s See What =
Happens - BIP 8 (false, 0.25 years). The shortest phase just to whet appeti=
tes.<br><br></div><div>Phase 2) Start now, improve later - BIP 8(false, 1 y=
ear) A confusing name, it starts but it doesn&#39;t improve later<br><br></=
div><div>Phase 3) BIP 9 equivalent - BIP 8(false, 1 year)<br><br></div><div=
>Phase 4) Gently discourage apathy - BIP 8(true, 1 year) Forced signaling a=
t the end of this phase but obviously there are still many phases before th=
e soft fork can actually activate.<br><br></div><div>Phase 5) BIP 91 (1 yea=
r). As a nod to our SegWit history we have a BIP 91 activation phase.<br><b=
r></div><div>Phase 6) BIP 148 (1 year). Some people disagree that BIP 91 ac=
tivated SegWit so we do a BIP 148 activation phase to keep those people hap=
py. Again forced signaling doesn=E2=80=99t actually mean activation. There =
are still many more phases to pass through.<br><br></div><div>Phase 7) Spee=
dy Trial (using block height, 0.5 years) on mainnet<br><br></div><div>Phase=
 8) Speedy Trial (using MTP, 0.5 years) on mainnet<br><br></div><div>Phase =
9) Speedy Trial on the default signet (0.5 years)<br><br></div><div>Phase 1=
0) Speedy Trial on a combination of three different custom signets in paral=
lel (0.5 years)<br><br></div><div>Phase 11) Speedy Trial on testnet and a c=
ustom signet in parallel (0.5 years)<br><br></div><div>Phase 12) Modern Sof=
t Fork Activation (3.5 years) This is the longest phase of the soft fork ac=
tivation standard. It is itself multi phase and multi year so this can be c=
onsidered a nested activation phase within this standard.<br><br></div><div=
>Phase 13) UASF BIP 8 (LOT=3Dtrue, 1 year). Forced miner signaling at the e=
nd of this phase but ultimately the soft fork doesn=E2=80=99t yet activate =
as there is one final additional phase the activation must pass through. Th=
is gives Samson the opportunity to sell some hats. We are close now. The na=
tives are getting restless.<br><br></div><div>Phase 14) Second flag day (1 =
year) We don=E2=80=99t want those pesky users actually activating a soft fo=
rk on their own so an additional flag day is added just so we can tell user=
s that we prevented a chain split. <br><br></div><div>Assuming a soft fork =
activation has successfully passed through all these 14 phases it should ac=
tivate. It will take a minimum of 13 years. However, if it fails during any=
 one of these phases it has to start from Phase 1 again. We should take Bit=
coin=E2=80=99s conservatism very seriously. If a soft fork activation can=
=E2=80=99t pass successfully through all these phases it shouldn=E2=80=99t =
activate. Ultimately we don=E2=80=99t really mind what is in the soft fork =
(any idiot can design consensus changes and write secure bug free C++ code)=
 that is very much secondary in importance to *how* the soft fork is activa=
ted. The activation design absolutely must be conservative.<br><br></div><d=
iv>I expect this rigorous standard for soft fork activation will get a BIP =
number. If you are going to propose a future soft fork I recommend you plan=
 for activation in approximately 13 years from the point the soft fork code=
 is merged into Core.<br><br></div><div>I am happy to settle the soft fork =
activation question once and for all for the community. I expect in time my=
 contribution will be recognized in the annals of history with Satoshi Naka=
moto and Hal Finney. <br><br></div><div>Addendum: Although all future soft =
forks will ultimately use this standard, this standard is copyrighted. Ever=
y time it is used royalties must be paid into this quantum secure Bitcoin v=
anity address 1quantumsecureaddress<br><br><br>-- <br>Michael Folkson<br>Em=
ail: <a href=3D"mailto:michaelfolkson@gmail.com" target=3D"_blank">michaelf=
olkson@gmail.com</a><br>Keybase: michaelfolkson<br>PGP: 43ED C999 9F85 1D40=
 EAF4 9835 92D6 0159 214C FEE3</div></div>
_______________________________________________<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>

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