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Just your average, humble sat stacker ⚡️ I make custom bitcoin hardware/art under the handle @5centvalentine on Twitter

Remember way back when? They said this life was a dream

Well it still is, I never wanna wake

https://dergigi.com/2024/11/15/he-hanged-himself-in-the-morning/

A year ago today, nostr:nprofile1qythwumn8ghj7ct5d3shxtnwdaehgu3wd3skuep0qyt8wumn8ghj7etyv4hzumn0wd68ytnvv9hxgtcqyphydppzm7m554ecwq4gsgaek2qk32atse2l4t9ks57dpms4mmhfx5ltf6v published this profound article pertaining to suffering. I send this to anyone I know who is going through tough times. I have made it a point to read it every few months as a reminder to:

1) Call your loved ones and tell them you love them

&

2) Always choose life

Thank you, Gigi. I hope you are doing well.

everyone is trying to control the narrative

Resist change at your own risk 🔺

So many have lost their desire for wonder, and it shows

I'll reach out to him and see if I can get him purple pilled by this weekend. He's playing the O4 Center in ATX on 10/24. I'll be passing any sats from this post to him once I get him set up with a wallet

🪕 Jack Barksdale - The Wealthy Man's Debt 💸

nostr:nprofile1qy0hwumn8ghj7cnfw33k76twd4shs6tdv9kxjum5wvhx7mnvd9hx2qg4waehxw309ajkgetw9ehx7um5wghxcctwvsqzq3e0gs8jnmued6f2rp4c6vs07xqvs4vs8zpwt82smcdch4txjvq76kl2yj seems like the Zoomers are gonna be alright. This is Jack. He's 17 and understands the problem with our money better than most other adults. Gonna try & get him on Nostr (accepting zaps) next week when he's in Austin, TX

#tunestr #americana #txmusic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_sDIRtpXBE&list=RDZ_sDIRtpXBE&start_radio=1

Likewise, I appreciate we could discuss this in a civil manner (quite rare these days)

I find appealing to the text in the white paper, in today's context vs. when it was written, requires also acknowledging that the code pushed on Jan 3 2009 is not the same as it is today. Hell, even the 21M supply cap wasn't coded in the original software release (see https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0042.mediawiki ), nor was the supply cap even mentioned in the white paper. Op_return wasn't added until 2014 (same version release [Bitcoin Core version 0.9.0] that the above BIP was added to consensus). So to appeal to the white paper as the absolute intent of the project would be a little faulty in my opinion

From what I've looked into it, running knots doesn't protect you from other's using the network for their own agenda (I'm not co-signing anyone else's agenda, as I only control what I can control). You can run knots, but know that the node software will still carry (cache) at least 100 non standard transactions in order to help with block reconstruction. I get the fact that no one wants to be associated with things they believe are abhorrent (I don't either), but it simply is not true that these things would be plain text and human readable/discernible without willingly running the bytes through a translator (decryption). *Also, this type of info is being XOR'd (obfuscated) through randomized XOR-key (making it more difficult to simply unscramble, kinda like the idea of a nonce [number once])

*This is assuming you are running Core 28 or newer with initial block download. If running a prior version, there is an XOR tool that does not require you to re-download the entire block history again.

The main goal should be to have honest users making transactions using bitcoin's network to drown out any perceived illicit materials making it's way into blocks (gate-kept by block size and fees), not appeal to authority based on subjective (albeit consensus) morality

I'd push back on point 1.

You want bitcoin to be a monetary network (and by your measure it very well might be). This won't be absolutely true until it is unanimously used as such by all humans on this planet. Until then, the absolute truth is that bitcoin is a messaging system (based on concise design of the code being run)

I agree with point 2. The only problem here is that what is considered 'illicit' or undesirable changes throughout history. This creates a constant power struggle over the narrative of what is subjectively undesirable to the largest cohort of humans

As to point 3., my original post was being facetious, being we are using that platform right now. I'm trying to draw the parallels between both networks. Nostr, at is foundation, is a messaging network (just as bitcoin is). The problem of content (or transaction) curation leads to the issue mentioned above about point 2.

I appreciate your response and respect it. These are ultimately my thoughts and it is not meant to be imposed on you. Please run Knots or whatever software you choose. Ultimately I find we can all be stronger together and will find the way through discourse. Cheers!

I apologize, I must take a step back myself 😅

I got lost in a thread of your studybitcoin posts that were quote-posting prior study material. So that led me to make one comment generally on the AI text (not specific to the post wrt to analyzing P's original post). For clarity, this method of learning is great, but some of the info is missing context or full information. I understand getting the general gist is normally sufficient, but with bitcoin there are so many nuances that are normally missed (evidenced by Grok, for example, having convos with tenured & technical individuals on X needing to be corrected on certain aspects it responded confidently on)

src: https://x.com/evoskuil/status/1962793264433566006

Feel free to ignore me, as I'm a complete stranger to you. But I appreciate the discourse!

Yeah, however...P's post is an opinion, it's not objective truth. LLMs are always a product of what they are trained on, so it is possible to absorb biases and present them as absolute truth.

I'm not intending to impede you doing your own research, and I actually applaud you for actually doing it!

I simply want to bring up the fact that some of the information I read in the text was either hallucinated or based on incorrect assumptions

Replying to Avatar Diyana

#studybitcoin

This note really captures the heat of the Bitcoin Core vs. Knots saga. Let me unpack it in context of what’s going on…

---

1. The Historical Flashback

The post is referencing a well-known story:

Around 2013–2014, Vitalik Buterin considered building Ethereum on top of Bitcoin.

He ultimately decided against it because Bitcoin’s developers (including Adam Back, Luke Dashjr, and others) were not interested in turning Bitcoin into a general-purpose “world computer.”

One of the sticking points was OP_RETURN, the part of Bitcoin’s scripting language that lets people embed arbitrary data in transactions. Core devs imposed an 80-byte cap to prevent abuse.

That restriction made Ethereum-style functionality impossible on Bitcoin… so Vitalik went and launched his own chain.

So when the post says “OP_RETURN stopped Vitalik from building ETH on Bitcoin”—that’s historically accurate. Bitcoin Core drew a line: “We’re money, not a computer.”

---

2. Why It’s Relevant Now

Fast-forward to today (2025)…

Bitcoin Core plans to remove the OP_RETURN cap in v30 (October 2025).

Critics (including Knots supporters) say this reopens the floodgates for on-chain spam, NFTs, inscriptions, Ethereum-like experiments, etc.

Supporters argue: If users pay fees, they should be free to use blockspace as they want.

So the irony: the very thing that kept Ethereum off Bitcoin in 2015 may now be undone by Core—potentially making Bitcoin attractive again for the same “bad actors” (as the poster puts it).

---

3. The Allegations in the Post

The original poster is drawing a sharp line:

Core = aligned with Ethereum service providers, Taproot Wizards, “shitcoiners,” bad actors

Knots = keeps Bitcoin clean, monetary, sovereign

This is ideological framing. It’s not just about code—it’s about who Bitcoin should serve:

Only sound money maximalists?

Or anyone who pays for blockspace, even if they’re embedding art, JPEGs, or running Ethereum-style protocols?

---

4. The Reply in Context

The reply says:

> “You’re mad at Core. Knots is Core software. When are you selling?”

This is partly a troll, partly a real point:

Knots is indeed a fork of Bitcoin Core, kept consensus-compatible. It doesn’t rewrite Bitcoin from scratch—it builds on Core.

So critics of “Core” often still run Knots… which means they’re still downstream of Core’s work, just with added filters and stricter defaults.

The “When are you selling?” jab is a way of saying: if you really think Core is corrupted, why are you still in Bitcoin at all?

---

5. The Deeper Saga

Bitcoin Core devs lean toward neutrality: Bitcoin should be a base layer, flexible and uncensored.

Knots devs (Luke Dashjr & co.) lean toward sovereignty: Bitcoin should defend itself against misuse, keep blockspace scarce, and not become a data dumpster.

This debate is now peaking because of the upcoming OP_RETURN policy change—a symbolic reversal of what once kept Bitcoin from turning into “Ethereum on Bitcoin.”

---

✨ In short:

This post is calling out Core devs for “betraying” the philosophy that once pushed Vitalik away. Knots is positioning itself as the defender of Bitcoin’s monetary purity. Core is accused of sliding toward Ethereum-style permissiveness. And the community is being forced to pick sides… or at least pay closer attention to what client their node is running.

---

Do you want me to break down the technical side of OP_RETURN (how it actually works and why the limit matters), or would you prefer I map the political/ideological camps in this debate more clearly (Core devs, Knots supporters, miners, node runners)?

nostr:nevent1qqsgv6tus2huht2wqhrl6ws3ggtkhn3awlgaeaqj7cxqmrzmkdw9hwspremhxue69uhkvet9v3ejumn0wd68ytnzv9hxgtmvv9hxwtm9dcpzq5x7fyk0u4rjg5xlrgqhdl0kmy27jl94m8ud8mxw7lf9lu9gsuw7qvzqqqqqqywk7vwt

This AI is insanely biased and is only basing its analysis on conversations on X/Twitter. It doesn't take into account the bitcoindev mailing list, delving bitcoin or the bitcoin core meeting logs. I'd caution ingesting this info as absolute truth with regards to the history of OP-Return

And don't forget to hit local pastures to pick up some shirttail creek farms goods (eggs are so good)

I've watched you build this brand over the past 2 years. It's inspiring, keep it up!

nostr:nprofile1qy0hwumn8ghj7cnfw33k76twd4shs6tdv9kxjum5wvhx7mnvd9hx2qg4waehxw309ajkgetw9ehx7um5wghxcctwvsqzq3e0gs8jnmued6f2rp4c6vs07xqvs4vs8zpwt82smcdch4txjvq76kl2yj & nostr:nprofile1qyv8wumn8ghj7urjv4kkjatd9ec8y6tdv9kzumn9wsq3vamnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwwpexjmtpdshxuet5qqsqfjg4mth7uwp307nng3z2em3ep2pxnljczzezg8j7dhf58ha7ejgqgzx3h Keonne changing his plea to guilty today!?! RHR gonna be a wild one this week