BitShares Upgrade Announcements

[vikram]

GUI update release v0.4.27.2: https://github.com/BitShares/bitshares/releases/tag/v0.4.27.2

This is an optional upgrade that updates the GUI to allow for free new user account registration via faucet.

[dannotestein]

Hotfix release v0.4.27.1 for users that are currently having trouble switching to the correct blockchain fork:
https://github.com/BitShares/bitshares/releases/tag/v0.4.27.1

I strongly recommend that all delegates switch to 4.27.1 ASAP as 4.27 has a known bug that can potentially prevent it from switching back to the proper fork.

[vikram]

Hotfix release v0.4.27.1 for users that are currently having trouble switching to the correct blockchain fork:
https://github.com/BitShares/bitshares/releases/tag/v0.4.27.1

[vikram]

v0.4.27 has been released: https://github.com/BitShares/bitshares/releases/tag/v0.4.27

This is an optional upgrade intended for delegates only.

[bytemaster]

We have published a commit to github that fixed the most recent network freeze.   A official version fix will be out later today. 

As long as a couple delegates are running the most recent commit the freeze shouldn't happen again.   

All is clear on the network.

[vikram]

v0.4.26 has been released: https://github.com/BitShares/bitshares/releases/tag/v0.4.26

This release includes a checkpoint ensuring acceptance of the correct fork as explained in the post above.

We request that all seed nodes and delegates upgrade as soon as possible.


We recommend that normal users do not transact until the network fork is fully resolved.

[vikram]

The development team requests that all delegates that have upgraded to 0.4.25 should revert to 0.4.25-RC2: https://github.com/BitShares/bitshares/releases/tag/v0.4.25-RC2

Delegates that have not upgraded should stay on their current version and not upgrade anything.

0.4.25 included a bad fix to block validation which has forked the network. All 0.4.25 users are on the majority fork, while all users of 0.4.25-RC2 and earlier are on the minority fork. Only delegates were told to upgrade to 0.4.25, and GUI builds were not made--so regular shareholders are still operating on the minority fork. To minimize damage to the maximum amount of shareholders, we request that upgraded delegates throw out the majority chain by downgrading and rejoin the rest of the shareholders on the minority fork.


Reverting will require a full resync using the --resync-blockchain command line argument.

Delegates that are on 0.4.25 must downgrade to 0.4.25-RC2 due to the LevelDB upgrade that occurred which would prevent opening the wallet on an older version. Alternatively, delegates can attempt to export a wallet backup, and import it into a 0.4.24.1 client--note that this is untested.


A new upgrade 0.4.26 for delegates will be released ASAP, but it will be faster to revert in the meantime.


I and the rest of the development team apologize for the problems caused by this bad update.

[vikram]

v0.4.25 has been released as a required delegate-only upgrade: https://github.com/BitShares/bitshares/releases/tag/v0.4.25

All delegates should upgrade as soon as possible.

[vikram]

v0.4.25-RC1 was released for users that want to help test: https://github.com/BitShares/bitshares/releases/tag/v0.4.25-RC1

The final release will be a bugfix release and not a required upgrade.

Feedback can be posted here: https://bitsharestalk.org/index.php?topic=12105.msg159809#msg159809

[vikram]

0.4.24.1 was released: https://github.com/BitShares/bitshares/releases/tag/v0.4.24.1

This is not a required upgrade but fixes a bug that causes wallet transaction scanning to fail on a recent block in the blockchain.

0.4.25 will be released this week with additional bugfixes.

[DACSunlimited]

Just a reminder, for downloading binaries, please download tab from bitshares.org.

or

https://github.com/BitShares/bitshares/releases

bitshares-x.info will be redirect to bitshares.org later.

[Stan]

BitShares is going to rebrand BitSharesX to BitShares, so we guess that we will finish our duty to delivery BTSX.

Hope you all guys enjoy the journey on BTSX, thanks.

Thank you DAC Sun, you have done your job of DAC parenting well. 
But parents need to let go. 
Developers ultimately must cut the tether to let their DAC grow up. 
It is bittersweet, but gratifying to see it all unfold,
with the DAC ultimately hiring its own developers to defend and maintain it,
as foreshadowed long ago in
Bitcoin and the Three Laws of Robotics:

http://letstalkbitcoin.com/bitcoin-and-the-three-laws-of-robotics/

Software updates generally rely on trusting the developer. But now, it is way too likely that any trusted DAC provider will be shut down, prevented from offering its software, or seduced/coerced into installing back doors for Nefarious Secret Agencies in their next maintenance release. Developers are, after all, only human.

To date, Bitcoin has been well protected from such Trojan horses by its open source policy and a worldwide network of anonymous, independent Steely-Eyed Geeks (SEG) who would love to be the first to blow the whistle. Unfortunately, Steely-Eyed Geeks are a scarce resource that must be attracted like antibodies to a DACs defense. As DACs proliferate, novelty and fame will be less effective in attracting such resources. So DACs will need to find ways to autonomously compensate their human defenders. Direct hiring by the DAC’s creators would expose SEGs to the same seduction and coercion risks. To be effective, SEGs must remain motivated, anonymous and independent. Distributed Autonomous Corporations need a SEG benefits package!

Ultimately, to achieve complete incorruptibility, developers must be willing to let go of their own control. If there remains any centralized human control anywhere, it will eventually be exploited to the detriment of the DAC’s stakeholders. DACs need to be free to be trusted.

[DACSunlimited]

BitShares is going to rebrand BitSharesX to BitShares, so we guess that we will finish our duty to delivery BTSX.

Hope you all guys enjoy the journey on BTSX, thanks.

[vikram]

v0.4.24 final has been released: https://github.com/BitShares/bitshares/releases/tag/v0.4.24

This is a required upgrade.

[vikram]

v0.4.24-RC2 released for users that want to help test: https://github.com/BitShares/bitshares/releases/tag/v0.4.24-RC2

Final version will likely be released shortly after GUI builds are confirmed to be successful.