Blog: Bitcoin.org Position On Hard Forks

_posts/2015-06-16-hard-fork-policy.md

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+---
+type: posts
+layout: post
+lang: en
+category: blog
+
+title: "Bitcoin.org Hard Fork Policy"
+permalink: /en/posts/hard-fork-policy.html
+date: 2015-06-16
+---
+It appears that the recent block size debate will likely result in a
+contentious hard fork attempt.
+
+Contentious hard forks are bad for Bitcoin. At the very best, a
+contentious hard fork will leave people who chose the losing side of the
+fork feeling disenfranchised. At the very worst, it will make bitcoins
+permanently lose their value. In between are many possible outcomes, but
+none of them is good.
+
+The danger of a contentious hard fork is potentially so significant
+that Bitcoin.org has decided to adopt a new policy:
+
+> Bitcoin.org will not promote software or services that will leave the
+> previous consensus because of a contentious hard fork attempt.
+
+This policy applies to full node software, such as Bitcoin Core,
+software forks of Bitcoin Core, and alternative full node
+implementations.
+
+It also applies to wallets and services that have the ability to detect
+the contentious hard fork, and which release code or make announcements
+indicating that they will cease operating on the side of the previous
+consensus.
+
+To be clear, we encourage wallet authors and service providers to offer
+their opinions on hard fork proposals, and we will not penalize anyone
+for contributing to a discussion. We will only stop promoting particular
+wallets and services if they plan to move their users onto the
+contentious hard fork by default.