bitcoin-dev

Adding New BIP Editors

Adding New BIP Editors

Original Postby Michael Folkson

Posted on: March 30, 2024 11:51 UTC

The discussion highlights the complexities and potential conflicts within the Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) process, specifically addressing concerns over decision-making authority and the structure of BIP management.

The issue at hand centers on whether the BIP repository should be relocated to its own GitHub repository to mitigate past disagreements between Core maintainers and BIP editors. Such disagreements exemplify the tension between Luke and Core maintainers regarding Taproot activation parameters, illustrating the challenges of merging pull requests and editorial control within a shared organizational framework.

Despite these conflicts, there's an argument against creating a new, separate GitHub organization for BIPs. The current setup, where different repositories are managed by distinct groups yet housed under the same organizational umbrella, provides clarity and accessibility despite its flaws. The proposal to establish a form of "United Nations" for overseeing the BIP process is critiqued as overly bureaucratic and impractical. The envisioned committee, characterized by diversity in nationality and language, could hinder the efficiency and responsiveness of the BIP assignment process. This critique underscores the importance of maintaining a balance between administrative control and the agile, decentralized ethos of Bitcoin development.

Ultimately, the correspondence underscores the need for thoughtful consideration in how the BIP process is structured and governed. While aiming to address valid concerns about decision-making and conflict resolution, it cautions against introducing excessive bureaucracy that could detract from the project's core principles and operational effectiveness.