BUIP059: Make "sticky gate" optional (disabled by default)

[freetrader]

Summary

BUIP038 proposed to revert the "sticky gate", a proposal which was perhaps seen as too extreme and risky (see counterproposal BUIP041).

This BUIP proposes to make the "sticky gate" an optional feature, disabled by default, but allowing users to keep compatibility with the current software by enabling it.

Motivation

The "sticky gate" has been the subject of much debate and criticism, as it has featured prominently in the theorized "median attack strategy" described by BU's critics [1].

I would like to make this feature optional to give Bitcoin Unlimited users the means to negate the efficiency of the proposed automated attack, and thereby help to defuse criticism that BU's implementation of Emergent Consensus is somehow unduly risky.

Implementation

Conceptually as per BUIP038's original PR [2], except with addition of a governing boolean configuration option, 'stickygate', which shall default to 'false' (disabled).

When the configuration option is set to 'true' (enabled), the software shall behave as it currently does (as of release 1.0.2.0) with regards to the sticky gate processing.

References

[1] https://np.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/5ykr57/the_median_eb_attack_against_bu_explained_im/
[2] https://github.com/BitcoinUnlimited/BitcoinUnlimited/pull/169

 

[freetrader]

I would encourage all members who want to vote on this to re-visit the discussions in BUIP038 / BUIP041 to form a picture. Of course the discussion is re-opened here.

Forum links:

BUIP038: https://bitco.in/forum/threads/buip038-closed-revert-sticky-gate.1624/

BUIP041: https://bitco.in/forum/threads/buip041-closed-buip038-counter-prevent-minority-hash-power-from-injecting-very-large-blocks.1648/

 

[freetrader]

This BUIP was not tabled for the previous voting round by agreement between myself and Solex (which was before the Aug 1 hardfork).

Unless there is some indication of sufficient support for voting on this BUIP (and the lack of discussion in this BUIP seems to contra-indicate that), I would withdraw this BUIP.

Now's your chance to speak out, if no-one does consider this BUIP withdrawn by the end of the November 2017.