Why use ripple and not just use the testnet?
The advantageous of allowing testnet to be used as an alt-coin are That Non standard transactions can be tested in a pseudo live environment where because the coins have some nominal value people are incentivized to try and steal and come up with clever ways of gamin the system. This sort of knowledge would be invaluable if non standard transactions are ever going to become a reality on main net.
It also allows developers a chance to develop in advance new technologies and services that currently won't run on bitcoin main net but might be enabled in the future at which point they can switch over to main net. Additionally without any development happening with non standard transactions as currently there is no economic incentive , there might be a strong argument to never bother enabling non standard transactions as the risk of doing so might not justify in many people's minds the benefits as if no one develops anything in advance most users might not find the theoretical possibilities worth the risk, thus permanently hobbling the full potential of satoshis idea. Rather if testnet were allowed to act as an alt coin something cool might be developed that the main net users might desire enough to overcome the inertia of the status quo.
Additionally it should be considered that the time in the future when non standard transactions might be enabled might be so far in the future when bitcoin has hit mass adoption and changing anything might require far more political negotiations between users and devs then currently. Meaning that perhaps much more proof of functionality and value as well as testing might e required.
Dennison
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