Summary
Ethan Heilman introduced a Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) to add a new opcode, FOLDFUNCTIONSTREAM, modifying the existing NOP4 opcode for more complex and safer script executions in Bitcoin, such as efficient hashing over concatenated strings. This proposal aims to address computational and memory concerns within Bitcoin's scripting language, suggesting activation via the BIP9 "versionbits" method for a cautious and phased deployment. The discussion also touches upon considerations for optimizing the opcode's security and practicality, with further details and a reference implementation available on GitHub.
dgpv announced an update to B'SST on GitHub, shifting the project from a proprietary license to AGPLv3 with the update version 0.1.4, which includes a minor fix. This licensing change is intended to improve accessibility and foster a more inclusive development environment, as detailed here.
Jaswanth, a computer science student, is working on a project to enhance reward mechanisms in mining pools to defend against Fork After Withholding (FAW) attacks, aiming to design a system that tracks miner reputation through Proof of Partial Work (PPoW) submissions. This project seeks to improve the security of blockchain against fraudulent activities, with further insights and related studies accessible for additional reading on ACM Digital Library.
ZmnSCPxj explored how Bitcoin's halvening events impact its economics and consensus mechanism, suggesting a 'Law of Ossification' that implies it becomes increasingly difficult to achieve consensus on changes as the Bitcoin community grows and new users integrate into the ecosystem. This evolving dynamic suggests a gradual stiffening of Bitcoin's protocol, potentially making significant changes harder to implement over time, a detailed discussion of which is available here.
New posts
September 14, 2024 12:01 UTC
delvingbitcoin
- Bitcoin's halvening event halves its transient supply every four years, boosting its price.
- Newcomers to Bitcoin contribute to demand and the consensus process, influencing chainsplit outcomes.
- The 'Law of Ossification' posits growing consensus difficulty with each halvening, hardening Bitcoin's protocol.
September 14, 2024 07:01 UTC
delvingbitcoin
- The concept allows devices to authorize payments offline, ensuring security and efficiency.
- Transactions proceed with pre-computed identifiers and secret keys, even without internet.
- A proposed BOLT12 adjustment enhances transaction trust by verifying invoice authenticity.
September 12, 2024 05:08 UTC
delvingbitcoin
- Jaswanth aims to improve mining pools' reward systems against Fork After Withholding attacks.
- His solution monitors miner reputation to prevent fraudulent blockchain forks caused by false work proofs.
- He seeks simulation tools for practical implementation, referencing an ACM study for further insight.
September 9, 2024 12:40 UTC
bitcoin-dev
- A new opcode, FOLDFUNCTIONSTREAM, modifies NOP4 for efficient functional data folds in Bitcoin scripts.
- The proposal advances Bitcoin scripting with complex operations like SHA256 hashing over concatenated strings.
- Activation through "versionbits" BIP9 ensures a phased, secure introduction in mainnet and testnet phases.
September 9, 2024 10:54 UTC
delvingbitcoin
- B'SST transitioned to AGPLv3, updating from version 0.1.3 to 0.1.4.
- The update includes a minor fix and aims for greater accessibility and openness.
- The change seeks to foster a collaborative environment by broadening the user base.
Ongoing Discussions
September 12, 2024 08:51 UTC
delvingbitcoin
- Mutation testing ensures code robustness by detecting errors through introduced code modifications.
- [CoreCheck](https://corecheck.dev) facilitates this with automated tools, enhancing test suite evaluation.
- Choosing a mutation testing service depends on integration ease, scalability, and interpretative support.
September 11, 2024 15:14 UTC
delvingbitcoin
- Adding excess to funding output increased transaction fees by 14%, improving efficiency.
- The simulation showed a potential for reduced UTXO set sizes and lower excess fees.
- Detailed simulation results and methodologies are available for further exploration online.
September 10, 2024 13:13 UTC
delvingbitcoin
- The discussion promotes replacing DNS with direct IP addresses for network protocol efficiency.
- A Proof of Concept darknet seeder was developed, supporting various network addresses.
- It highlights using NULL instead of TXT records in DNS, addressing challenges in unconventional usage.
September 9, 2024 11:29 UTC
delvingbitcoin
- The email corrects a mathematical error in PPLNS share indexing and slicing.
- It reaffirms the scoring rule, where each slice's score totals one, ensuring fair payouts.
- The correction ensures the PPLNS payout system's scoring integrity and operational clarity.