Return-Path: Received: from smtp1.linuxfoundation.org (smtp1.linux-foundation.org [172.17.192.35]) by mail.linuxfoundation.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 196CB6C for ; Thu, 6 Apr 2017 06:24:09 +0000 (UTC) X-Greylist: from auto-whitelisted by SQLgrey-1.7.6 Received: from c.mail.sonic.net (c.mail.sonic.net [64.142.111.80]) by smtp1.linuxfoundation.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id A00FB101 for ; Thu, 6 Apr 2017 06:24:08 +0000 (UTC) Received: from [192.168.1.190] (63.135.62.197.nwinternet.com [63.135.62.197] (may be forged)) (authenticated bits=0) by c.mail.sonic.net (8.15.1/8.15.1) with ESMTPSA id v366O5ui018984 (version=TLSv1 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES128-SHA bits=128 verify=NOT) for ; Wed, 5 Apr 2017 23:24:06 -0700 Content-Type: multipart/signed; boundary="Apple-Mail=_86F49DC1-34C4-49E2-83B0-0BFAC4802FA9"; protocol="application/pgp-signature"; micalg=pgp-sha512 Mime-Version: 1.0 (Mac OS X Mail 9.2 \(3112\)) X-Pgp-Agent: GPGMail From: Jonathan Toomim In-Reply-To: Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2017 23:24:04 -0700 Message-Id: References: <20170406023123.GA1071@savin.petertodd.org> <20170406024910.GA1271@savin.petertodd.org> To: Bitcoin Protocol Discussion X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.3112) X-Sonic-CAuth: UmFuZG9tSVY2gXk4XRVhqdFPUGreXxmxDNxgF7on+IyRXToOBnPBn6urR/IggEeoVSI6a1nqH43aFxy61j0SVAdiEAgzWN6e X-Sonic-ID: C;4DehopEa5xGfL9RbNyX4rQ== M;YqkWo5Ea5xGfL9RbNyX4rQ== X-Sonic-Spam-Details: 0.0/5.0 by cerberusd X-Spam-Status: No, score=-2.1 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,RCVD_IN_DNSWL_LOW, RCVD_IN_SORBS_SPAM autolearn=ham version=3.3.1 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.3.1 (2010-03-16) on smtp1.linux-foundation.org X-Mailman-Approved-At: Thu, 06 Apr 2017 11:42:53 +0000 Subject: Re: [bitcoin-dev] BIP proposal: Inhibiting a covert attack on the Bitcoin POW function X-BeenThere: bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12 Precedence: list List-Id: Bitcoin Protocol Discussion List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 06 Apr 2017 06:24:09 -0000 --Apple-Mail=_86F49DC1-34C4-49E2-83B0-0BFAC4802FA9 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Ethically, this situation has some similarities to the DAO fork. We have = an entity who closely examined the code, found an unintended = characteristic of that code, and made use of that characteristic in = order to gain tens of millions of dollars. Now that developers are aware = of it, they want to modify the code in order to negate as much of the = gains as possible. There are differences, too, of course: the DAO attacker was explicitly = malicious and stole Ether from others, whereas Bitmain is just = optimizing their hardware better than anyone else and better than some = of us think they should be allowed to. In both cases, developers are proposing that the developers and a = majority of users collude to reduce the wealth of a single entity by = altering the blockchain rules. In the case of the DAO fork, users were stealing back stolen funds, but = that justification doesn't apply in this case. On the other hand, in = this case we're talking about causing someone a loss by reducing the = value of hardware investments rather than forcibly taking back their = coins, which is less direct and maybe more justifiable. While I don't like patented mining algorithms, I also don't like the = idea of playing Calvin Ball on the blockchain. Rule changes should not = be employed as a means of disempowering and empoverishing particular = entities without very good reason. Whether patenting a mining = optimization qualifies as good reason is questionable. --Apple-Mail=_86F49DC1-34C4-49E2-83B0-0BFAC4802FA9 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=signature.asc Content-Type: application/pgp-signature; name=signature.asc Content-Description: Message signed with OpenPGP using GPGMail -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Comment: GPGTools - https://gpgtools.org iQEcBAEBCgAGBQJY5d8FAAoJEIEuMk4MG0P1qagH/0BDweWPcotBCsymosKd9W0q gLRiHmRhlO8HWxBV01QaUwGID3nHuFxyfLLxMNCPk34EYYoVYNS7GjDNkPk1diHt SHCp/zqjCJGosz68EI22vgESpOQQVX9NmNVOCl7cWTC4dc/0Vq5ZPtb2B4FDFgqq 3KCnIgmhUfyBPQhXk9kE7l/xJb/aD+aW7YDutUT3mhsrNWXTsFFb8kiwuqi/wAEA OpiaYVEhv8xTZa55dSP6zgmupY8v8mStgDAODoV2OgwUlB0Gn+j4VIgsAV/BtWS8 yi8/YugY323QDL+GqPDpxOiP+oTZXh6HfYtyy5XOac57fIEFosF4jjXudpMez+A= =GsrF -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --Apple-Mail=_86F49DC1-34C4-49E2-83B0-0BFAC4802FA9--