[bitcoin-dev] Update on Taproot activation releases

[bitcoin-dev] Update on Taproot activation releases

[Michael Folkson]

I discussed in the last Taproot activation meeting notes the plans for
an alternative release to Bitcoin Core with the Speedy Trial
activation mechanism (BIP 8, consistent use of block height) followed
by a BIP 8(1 year, LOT=true). This has now been released (version 0.1)
under the name "Bitcoin Core 0.21.0-based Taproot Client".

The build is available from https://bitcointaproot.cc/ and the GitHub
repo is here: https://github.com/BitcoinActivation/bitcoin

Luke Dashjr (Bitcoin Core contributor, Bitcoin Knots, UASF) is
contributing to this release but there are a number of other
pseudonymous individuals contributing to it too. In my attempted
neutral stance I would say that it is not as thoroughly reviewed as an
upcoming Bitcoin Core release will be but if you support a consistent
use of block height (BIP 8 Speedy Trial) followed by a BIP 8 (1 year,
LOT=true) I would encourage you to review and test it. Of course there
may well be future version releases of "Bitcoin Core 0.21.0-based
Taproot Client". If you are unable to review the code yourself but you
support this effort it may be worth waiting for a future version
before running it or ensuring you update to the latest version when it
is released.

Moving onto Bitcoin Core and other alternative Bitcoin
implementations. As expected Bitcoin Core is proceeding with Speedy
Trial (mix of MTP and block height, BIP to be decided). If Speedy
Trial fails to activate on this Core release there is no follow up
activation mechanism. That is not to say there will never be one in a
Core release later in the year but as it stands there is no follow up.
Bitcoin Core PR 21377 has been merged and the activation parameters
(Bitcoin Core PR 21686) have also been merged. As discussed in my
previous email you would expect Speedy Trial to activate (or not
activate) on both Bitcoin Core and Bitcoin Core 0.21.0-based Taproot
Client. However, there is a small possibility it activates on one but
not the other. This is due to Bitcoin Core going with a mix of MTP and
block height and Bitcoin Core 0.21.0-based Taproot Client going with
consistent block height. Assuming they both activate due to Speedy
Trial they share the same activation block height of 709632
(approximately November 12th 2021). If Speedy Trial fails to activate
Bitcoin Core 0.21.0-based Taproot Client will attempt to enforce miner
signaling in November 2022 (approximately, it is defined by block
height). To be clear that is November **2022**.

There are of course alternative Bitcoin implementations to Bitcoin
Core. Jeremy Rubin has attempted to inform the maintainers of some
alternative Bitcoin implementations of the finalized activation
parameters in Core:
https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/pull/1104#issuecomment-820011540

At the time of writing Laolu Osuntokun (roasbeef, maintainer of btcd)
has ACKed the parameters and stated "I think we'll be able to get
everything reviewed+tested (likely adding signet support along the
way) by November." Piotr Narewski (maintainer of Gocoin) has also
notified that he's seen the parameters.

In terms of future meetings on the ##taproot-activation Freenode
channel there is only one meeting currently booked. That is on Tuesday
April 20th at 19:00 UTC and the meeting host will be Jeremy Rubin. The
mailing list has yet to receive an agenda but I suspect it will be
sent at some point in advance of the meeting.

As always if there are any errors or perceived bias in my attempts to
inform please respond. Ideally I would like all users to be informed
of the facts so they can make up their mind on what to run and what
they spend time reviewing and testing. Of course tensions are running
higher than normal but that is not an excuse to spread factual
inaccuracies.

-- 
Michael Folkson
Email: michaelfolkson@gmail.com
Keybase: michaelfolkson
PGP: 43ED C999 9F85 1D40 EAF4 9835 92D6 0159 214C FEE3