Lerner Offers a Block Size Compromise with Segwit2MB

Security expert with Rootstock Smart Contracts, Sergio Demian lerner, tweeted March 31 about a “Segwit2MB” compromise for the block size concern. Lerner seeks to combine a hard fork with a soft fork as a solution. He meant for this idea to dissolve some of the rampant politicking that is miring the Bitcoin community in verbal warfare.

Also Read: Bitfury Mines a Block Signaling UASF Mandatory Segwit Deployment

[bitcoin-dev] Segwit2Mb – combined soft/hard fork – Request For Comments -> https://t.co/nUtEotk4bL

— Sergio Demian Lerner (@SDLerner) March 31, 2017

He elaborated on these ideas in a mailing list email he released on March 31:

“Segwit2Mb is the project to merge into Bitcoin a minimal patch that aims to untangle the current conflict between different political positions regarding segwit activation vs. an increase of the on-chain blockchain space through a standard block size increase. It is not a new solution, but it should be seen more as a least common denominator.”

Technical Aspects of Segwit2MB; Response and Feedback

Lerner goes on to explain the technical aspects of his project, which is referred to as Segwit2MB. He said Segwit2MB takes the Bitcoin protocol as it stands, but it adds a 2MB block size hard-fork that activates only if Segwit activates. He said 95% of miners are signaling this change, but at a later fixed date.

The responses on Lerner’s twitter feed were mixed, and his attempts at a compromise only caused ongoing tensions to flare.

His Twitter followers made comments like these: “Reimplementing SegWit as a hardfork requires at least 6 months of code review. The objective of this is to defuse the conflict,” and “So we are trying to please some politician and their marketing team that decided they just want anything that can green tick to “hard fork.”

He was also challenged by a colleague Matt Corallo, who said that Sergio had not done his homework in terms of what a hard fork implies. In a scathing email response on March 31, Corallo said:

“You appear to have ignored the last two years of Bitcoin hard fork research and understanding, recycling instead BIP 102 from 2015. There are many proposals which have pushed the state of hard fork research much further since then, and you may wish to read some of the posts on this mailing list.”

However, one well known Bitcoin player, Erik Voorhees, lauded Lerner’s potential compromise saying, “I would support this. Would get us SegWit faster, would get decent base block-size for short/medium term scale, and would take all the wind out of the sails of any hostile rebellion such as BU. In other words, this is the kind of proposal that imho is most likely to end the civil war.”

Collaborative Efforts May End the Civil War

Even though Lerner’s compromise has promise, it looks like there is still significant tension in the air, because some players in the community are not ready to capitulate. Many of them are still concerned about a hard fork, even if it comes with a Segwit activation.

The FUD is unlikely to dissipate anytime soon, but it is inspirational to see collaborative efforts—like Lerner’s Segwit2MB—materialize in an attempt to squash the current political tug-of-war.

These types of compromise-based projects may be what Bitcoin needs to spur its next phase of evolution, both in terms of the protocol and community diplomacy.

Do you think that Segwit2MB is a viable compromise for the block size problem? 

Images via Shutterstock.

Bitcoin News is growing fast. To reach our global audience, send us a news tip or submit a press release. Let’s work together to help inform the citizens of Earth (and beyond) about this new, important and amazing information network that is Bitcoin.

The post Lerner Offers a Block Size Compromise with Segwit2MB appeared first on Bitcoin News.