Bitcoin Enhancement Proposals (BEPS)

I adapted the Python PEP 0001 to Bitcoin (its license is public domain):

https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Bitcoin_Enhancement_Proposals

https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/BEP_0001

BEP 0001 is open to additional authors and revisions.

Ideally these should go in a github.com/bitcoin/beps/ repo.

Lets have a standardisation track for changes to the protocol.

On Sunday, September 18, 2011 8:31:55 PM Amir Taaki wrote:

> Ideally these should go in a github.com/bitcoin/beps/ repo.

Please, somewhere people can freely commit to...

http://www.python.org/dev/peps/ is a good reference if you're interested in seeing how PEPs work in action. I would be more than willing to maintain a similar index if that's what people want.

Something to note is that Python does not use Git or GitHub (AFAIK). So we would need to update 001 to reflect the BEP involvement with Git, or transition away from it completely (which I discourage).

My full-time experience as a project manager with Basecamp, Redmine, Teamlab, Pivotal Tracker, SVN, and custom VC has taught me that it is hard to find a good solution for the organization of the development life cycle. Having examined Bitcoin for the past three weeks, it is hard to discern the willingness to implement meta changes.

It looks like Git/GitHub is working, but not ideal for everyone. My opinion is that there will always be a missing feature in VC systems. My major gripes with GitHub are the lack of prioritization options, voting system, and reporting/metrics.

Gavin has asked me to research various O/S projects, to see how they are doing things. I have been focused mostly on organizing a pull testing system, and learning the testing process - but I can spend more time on meta organization if that is in demand. It would be helpful to me if I could hear some feedback on what needs changing, and how important it is.

My recommendation is that we continue with the current system, but plan alternative organization voting around the time of 0.5 release. This could be an alternative to GitHub, or a supplement, or neither. Seeing as we are still in Beta, I don't believe there needs immense structure until we approach 1.0. The PEP system is outstanding, and is clearly a solid alternative/supplement to consider.

-Alex

> http://www.python.org/dev/peps/ is a good reference if you're
> interested in seeing how PEPs work in action. I would be more than
> willing to maintain a similar index if that's what people want.

Would the multi-signature proposal be a good test case for BEP-0002?

https://gist.github.com/dba89537d352d591eb36

I can reformat it and email here.

Gavin has a competing one: https://gist.github.com/39158239e36f6af69d6f

and I have a pull request matching a previous version of my proposal.

New 'standard' transaction forms would be perfect candidates for BEPS.

I think we aught to have a formal proposal to separate the protocol version from the client version, too.

I'm sorry that I misunderstood the protocol being separate from the client in regard to 'BEPS'. It definitely makes more sense that way.

As far as naming; I vote BER pronounced Beer.

On Mon, Sep 19, 2011 at 12:57 PM, Gavin Andresen <gavinandresen@gmail•com> wrote:

> New 'standard' transaction forms would be perfect candidates for BEPS.
>
> I think we aught to have a formal proposal to separate the protocol
> version from the client version, too.
>
> --
>
> Does anybody besides me think maybe we should name them something
> other than "BEP" ?
>
> I'm worried we'll regret it in two years when a google for "BEP003"
> takes you to the BitTorrent EPs instead of the BitCoin EPs.
>
> Maybe "BIP" == Bitcoin Improvement Proposal
> or "PEB" == Proposal to Enhance Bitcoin
> or "BER" == Bitcoin Enhancement Request
>
> I think I like "BIP"  (PEB sounds like a diet soda, and I don't know
> if BER should be pronounced "bear" or "beer").
>
> I generally don't care about names, but it seems like a little
> planning now might save some confusion later. And I don't want the
> BitTorrent folks to get pissed off at us for 'stealing' their acronym,
> either.
>
>
> --
> --
> Gavin Andresen
>
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Good idea.

How about BRC?

  Bitcoin Request for Comments?

Otherwise I like the sound of BERs, but it doesn't matter too much the name.

----- Original Message ----- From: Gavin Andresen <gavinandresen@gmail•com> To: bitcoin-development@lists•sourceforge•net Cc: Sent: Monday, September 19, 2011 6:57 PM Subject: Re: [Bitcoin-development] Bitcoin Enhancement Proposals (BEPS)

New 'standard' transaction forms would be perfect candidates for BEPS.

I think we aught to have a formal proposal to separate the protocol version from the client version, too.

> Does anybody besides me think maybe we should name them something
> other than "BEP" ?
>
> I'm worried we'll regret it in two years when a google for "BEP003"
> takes you to the BitTorrent EPs instead of the BitCoin EPs.

this is an excellent "painting the bikeshed" question, so i cannot resist participation :)

imo, anyone who has any business looking at the beps (which would generally be technically-minded people), will be smart enough to google for "bitcoin bep003" to find what he's looking for. so i don't see an issue, whatever acronym we end up using.

Hey,

Names aren't too important and people were in favour of BIPs. I've moved them from BEPs to BIPs (Bitcoin Improvement Proposals).

----- Original Message ----- From: Daniel F <nanotube@gmail•com> To: Gavin Andresen <gavinandresen@gmail•com> Cc: bitcoin-development@lists•sourceforge•net Sent: Friday, September 23, 2011 9:45 PM Subject: Re: [Bitcoin-development] Bitcoin Enhancement Proposals (BEPS)

> Does anybody besides me think maybe we should name them something
> other than "BEP" ?
>
> I'm worried we'll regret it in two years when a google for "BEP003"
> takes you to the BitTorrent EPs instead of the BitCoin EPs.

this is an excellent "painting the bikeshed" question, so i cannot resist participation :)

imo, anyone who has any business looking at the beps (which would generally be technically-minded people), will be smart enough to google for "bitcoin bep003" to find what he's looking for. so i don't see an issue, whatever acronym we end up using.