Nick Szabo, the computer scientist, cryptographer, and legal scholar famous for introducing the concept of “smart contracts,” is diving into the knot vs. core debate. Szabo warned that this change would effectively put non-financial and potentially questionable data on the blockchain for everyone to see.
Szabo’s warning ignites debate over Bitcoin Core v30
Nick Szabo has resurfaced on social media and isn’t staying quiet about the ongoing Knots vs. Core controversy. These days, more users are choosing to run Bitcoin Knots nodes instead of Bitcoin Core v30, preferring Knots for its tighter user controls, advanced spam filters, and flexible policy settings. Core v30 features were recently removed in the name of neutrality and clean code.
Mr. Szabo weighed in on Oct. 1 and put his thoughts down to the pointy X thread. “This is a highly publicized increase in the OP_RETURN slot that openly attracts more non-financial data to Bitcoin,” he wrote. “Apps are already able to put data elsewhere in Bitcoin, but this increase sends a signal to attract more such data. There is no need for additional safeguards to allow archive node operators to nondisruptively remove illegal content that often exposes them to criminal charges.”
Need more information on this issue? Read more: Decoding Bitcoin OP_RETURN and what’s important?
Essentially, Core v30 removed the long-standing 80-byte cap on OP_RETURN and opened the door to unlimited data storage within a transaction. Also, some mempool filtering tools have been deprecated. The combined move has been criticized by Knotts supporters, who argue that it will unleash a torrent of non-financial data on the Bitcoin blockchain, potentially clogging the network and even embedding illegal content. Core proponents counter that the 80-byte OP_RETURN cap was never a real safety net anyway, arguing that with or without a cap, determined users can always find a way to slip non-financial data into the blockchain.
Following his remarks on October 1, Szabo doubled down a week later, urging users to take matters into their own hands, at least for now. “As a temporary measure (if possible), please run Knots. We strongly recommend that you do not upgrade to Core v30,” he advised on October 8, hinting at his apparent skepticism towards the latest Core release. Although many agreed, some critics were not at all thrilled with Szabo’s comments and took issue with his position, sparking a new wave of debate across the Bitcoin community.
“I recommend learning about Knots before you run them,” software developer Jameson Ropp replied to Szabo. Thomas Rossi replied, “Well, this legal interpretation doesn’t make sense. Someone told me you studied law.” “Judges and regulators also consider the feasibility and enforceability of their decisions. It is no coincidence that nothing happened with the ‘bad bytes’ that were already present in the blockchain,” Rossi added.
Others, however, agreed with Szabo’s opinion. “Alternatively, you can stay on v29, which is also an option for those who are afraid of other changes that may be made to Knots. In any case, we recommend not upgrading to v30,” said Timón Lee of the X account. “Have any Bitcoin Core developers asked for a pause to evaluate before going over the cliff?” another account asked.
As the rift between Knot and Core deepens, Szabo’s warning further fuels long-standing tensions between Bitcoin’s financial purists and developers who reportedly prioritize simplicity and neutrality. In fact, many people are choosing sides on this issue.
