64 bit arithmetic soft fork

The recent discussion about the potential simplification of interpreter.cpp in the context of future soft forks has brought up the suggestion of removing the SCRIPT_VERIFY_MINIMALDATA flag. However, this proposal is met with skepticism due to the necessity for the interpreter to maintain compatibility with all historical scripts. Given this requirement, it seems highly unlikely that such integral parts of the code can be removed. The most feasible change that might be considered is the enforcement of this flag as a consensus rule, rather than eliminating it entirely.

This proposed change underlines the challenge in balancing the evolution of software with the need for backward compatibility. In blockchain technology and specifically in Bitcoin, maintaining historical consistency is crucial for network stability and trust. As a result, any modifications to core components like script interpreters must be approached with caution. The consensus-enforced nature of SCRIPT_VERIFY_MINIMALDATA would ensure that all participants in the network adhere to a standardized interpretation of scripts, which in turn could enhance overall system reliability without compromising on the legacy support.