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From: Peter R <peter_r@gmx.com>
In-Reply-To: <201511150304.41003.luke@dashjr.org>
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2015 19:17:08 -0800
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To: Luke Dashjr <luke@dashjr.org>
Cc: bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org, telemaco <telemaco@neomailbox.net>
Subject: Re: [bitcoin-dev] [patch] Switching Bitcoin Core to sqlite db
Precedence: list


> On Sunday, November 15, 2015 1:02:33 AM Peter R via bitcoin-dev wrote:
>> A group of us have been exploring this =E2=80=9Cmeta-cognition=E2=80=9D=
 idea with Bitcoin
>> Unlimited.  For example, Bitcoin Unlimited can be (optionally) made =
to
>> automatically fork to the longest chain if it =E2=80=9Cgets stuck=E2=80=
=9D and can neither
>> prove that a block is valid nor that the block is invalid.
>=20
> This situation isn't something that can be ignored and simply moved =
past. If=20
> you can't determine the validity of a block, you also cannot process =
its=20
> results correctly. Taking for example the BDB/LevelDB issue, the =
result was=20
> that BDB failed to accept further changes to the UTXO set. Unless the =
UTXO set=20
> could be updated correctly, there is no way to even attempt to =
validate the=20
> next block or any new transactions.

Great point, Luke!=20

Indeed, whether the program can or cannot continue after a Type 1 =
consensus mismatch depends on the specifics of the situation and exactly =
how the code was written.  But I agree: there are cases where the =
program *can=E2=80=99t* continue.  In those cases it would halt.  This =
would require manual intervention to fix but avoids the problem of =
potential double-spends during the fork event.  This would be preferable =
to knowingly causing a fork. =20

Peter=