Re: [gentoo-dev] News item for upcoming Bitcoin consensus protocol change (Taproot)

[Craig Andrews]

On 2021-11-04 17:59, Luke Dashjr wrote:
> From 2ca9bb266d18e35e0dd5d14149bb9aa7f9eae792 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
> From: Luke Dashjr <luke-jr+git@×××××××.org>
> Date: Thu, 4 Nov 2021 21:32:55 +0000
> Subject: [PATCH] 2021-11-04-bitcoin-taproot: add news item
>
> Signed-off-by: Luke Dashjr <luke-jr+git@×××××××.org>
> ---
>
> Due to the sensitive nature of changes to the Bitcoin consensus
> protocol[1],
> Bitcoin node software[2] implementing such a proposed change has been
> masked[3][4] since release and should remain such until it becomes
> clear that
> the upgrade has been accepted, activated, and is being enforced by
> users
> without any contentious disagreeing faction.
>
> This news item should ensure that users are aware of the change, and
> how to
> upgrade when/if they consent to it.
>
> Luke
>
>
> [1] users must actively act to change what they enforce; potentially
> significant financial risk; etc
>
> [2] net-p2p/bitcoind, net-p2p/bitcoin-qt, and
> net-libs/libbitcoinconsensus
>
> [3] the mask was erroneously removed a few weeks ago; this will
> hopefully be
> corrected ASAP, perhaps even before the news item gets posted.
>
> [4] Yes, there are probably better ways to handle things like this (and
> quite
> a few good suggestions at https://github.com/gentoo/gentoo/pull/21490),
> but
> using a mask is what we got stuck with this time.
>
> diff --git
> a/2021-11-04-bitcoin-taproot/2021-11-04-bitcoin-taproot.en.txt
> b/2021-11-04-bitcoin-taproot/2021-11-04-bitcoin-taproot.en.txt
> new file mode 100644
> index 0000000..2136ec4
> --- /dev/null
> +++ b/2021-11-04-bitcoin-taproot/2021-11-04-bitcoin-taproot.en.txt
> @@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
> +Title: Bitcoin protocol change Taproot
> +Author: Luke Dashjr <luke-jr+gentoobugs@×××××××.org>
> +Posted: 2021-11-04
> +Revision: 1
> +News-Item-Format: 2.0
> +Display-If-Installed: || ( net-libs/libbitcoinconsensus
> net-p2p/bitcoin-qt net-p2p/bitcoind )
> +
> +In a few weeks, the Bitcoin community will be attempting a change to
> the
> +consensus protocol, called "Taproot". Protocol changes to Bitcoin
> activate
> +contingent on the users of the network all agreeing together and
> enforcing
> +the new rules on each other. Failure to enforce new rules, or
> enforcing them
> +when others do not, compromises your security and may lead to using a
> +different currency than the rest of Bitcoin. Bitcoin users must each
> decide
> +if they will enforce the new Taproot changes, or reject them.
> +
> +To learn more about Taproot, see https://bitcointaproot.cc
> +
> +If you wish to enforce Taproot, you should unmask version 0.21.1
> and/or 22.0.
> +For example: echo '~net-p2p/bitcoin-qt-0.21.1'
> >>/etc/portage/package.unmask
> +
> +If you wish to reject Taproot, neither Bitcoin Core or Knots intends
> to
> +support this, so you will need to create an upgrade path or find
> likeminded
> +developers who have already done so. Note that simply using an older
> version
> +is not a safe alternative: that will be insecure under all scenarios.
> +
> +When it becomes clear that Taproot has activated successfully and
> there is no
> +alternative, older versions will be removed and Taproot-enforcing
> versions
> +will be unmasked for all Gentoo users. If you wish to continue without
> +enforcing Taproot for whatever reason (but, again, this is NOT a
> secure way
> +to reject Taproot), ensure you have explicitly masked >=0.21.1
> yourself.

As previously discussed at https://github.com/gentoo/gentoo/pull/21490 
we agreed that users would be kept informed via logs in the ebuilds and 
a package mask that would be lifted before the November 16 taproot 
activation date so users have time to upgrade. That mask was lifted as 
agreed in commit ae7251a476 on October 13, giving users just over a 
month to upgrade their bitcoin nodes.

This news item is, in my opinion, useless, and should not be added. It 
basically says, "you must upgrade, as not upgrading is insecure and you 
have no other options to be secure. However, we made it hard for you to 
upgrade, so now you have to jump through these hoops."

Also, the mask was just re-added ~10 minutes ago: 
https://github.com/gentoo/gentoo/pull/22818

I find the re-addition of the mask to be very frustrating. Now users who 
upgraded since October 13 may now be _downgraded_ and unexpectedly find 
themselves in an insecure state.

Taproot is happening on November 16. The bitcoin project followed its 
defined process that took over a year to get this point. And yet, Luke 
is apparently now proposing that we have a package mask, a news item, 
and ebuild logs, all for a bitcoin version upgrade that the user must do 
to remain secure. Having this debate now, in Gentoo, 12 days before a 
cut-over that has been in the works - coordinated and approved by 
upstream for a year - is purely FUD and a disservice to our users.

I say we remove the just re-added package mask immediately and not 
publish this news item.

Thank you,
~Craig