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Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2012 18:46:29 +0100
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From: Mike Hearn <mike@plan99.net>
To: Bitcoin Dev <bitcoin-development@lists.sourceforge.net>
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Subject: [Bitcoin-development] Roadmap to getting users onto SPV clients
Precedence: list

At the moment if you visit bitcoin.org then you're recommended to
download the full client. I think we all agree that at some point we
need to start presenting users with something more like this:


To get started, download wallet apps A or B.

If you'd like to contribute your computing resources to the Bitcoin
network and have a fast computer with an unfiltered internet
connection, download:

   - for desktop machines, Bitcoin-Qt
   - for servers, bitcoind


Obviously not that exact wording.

I personally feel it's a bit early for this, but it's true that users
are being turned away by the fact that they're pointed to Bitcoin-Qt
by default, so having some kind of roadmap or plan for changing that
would be good.

I think MultiBit is maturing into a client that I'd feel comfortable
recommending to end users who take the fast-start path, though it
still has a few serious lacks (encrypted wallets aren't released yet,
bloom filters will help performance a lot, needs to catch up with some
newer features). But there doesn't have to be a one true client.

The alternative, I guess, is to make Bitcoin-Qt have an SPV mode. I'm
not convinced this is the best use of time, but if somebody steps up
to do it, that could also work. MultiBit has some unique features that
are quite useful like integrating charting and exchange rate feeds.

What does everyone think on this?