Segwit Reading Assignment

[Cameleon]

1. Increasing the block size to 2 mB

2. It solved tx malleability which enables the implementation of second-layer protocols and smart contracts.

3. The lightning network is a feature relying on unconfirmed transactions. Without the implementation of Segwit, TX malleability made it too risky and more complicated to operate on the bitcoin blockchain.

4. No, because it is a soft fork update, but since 2017, many big names such as Trezor, Ledgor, Electrum and Kraken have already done so.

[Alko89]

@Cameleon

which prevents the implementation of second-layer

It enables second layer solutions, not prevent them

[Cameleon]

I was trying to say that TX maleability prevented second layer solutions and smart contracts. Am I wrong ? I phrased it incorrectly.

[Alko89]

Ohh sorry, I may have misinterpreted your answer. You are correct. Though malleability makes second layer solutions harder to implement, they are not entirely impossible

[Dominik_Szopa]

1. What was a proposed alternative to Segwit?
   larger block size limit rather than rely on a new transaction structure.
2. What did Segwit solve more than just the scaling issue?
   Added support for the development of second layer protocols, such as the lightning network
   Boosted development work on other features such as [MAST](which enables more complex bitcoin smart contracts), [Schnorr signatures] (which would enable another transaction capacity boost) and TumbleBit (an anonymous top-layer network).
3. How is Segwit and the Lightning network connected?
   Segwit made possible to develop second layer protocols such as lightning network
4. Are people, wallets and other services forced to use Segwit?
   No old addresses are still compatible

[Ay_Jay]

1. Increasing the block size to 2mb.
2. TX malleability.
3. The Lightning Network is a layer 2 solution, which Segwit makes possible.
4. No - Segwit is a sof fork, meaning it is picked up by nodes when they are ready. Googling adoption says that currently it sits at about 66% (dated Jan 2020).

[Jigawatt]

1. What was a proposed alternative to Segwit? Bitcoin Cash
2. What did Segwit solve more than just the scaling issue? Malleability
3. How is Segwit and the Lightning network connected? On the bitcoin and litecoin networks.
4. Are people, wallets and other services forced to use Segwit? No.

[AnaG]

1. What was a proposed alternative to Segwit?
   to double the size of the blocks.
2. What did Segwit solve more than just the scaling issue?
   it solved the issue of signature maleability.
3. How is Segwit and the Lightning network connected?
   Lightening network is a second layer making faster transactions possible.
4. Are people, wallets and other services forced to use Segwit?
   No. adopting segwit was a choice - bitcoin cash is the result of those who didn’t make the choice.

[Bitcoinstache]

1. The proposed alternative to Segwit was a hardfork of increasing the block size.
2. More than just scaling issues Segwit solved Transaction Malleability.
3. Segwit and the Lightning network are connected because before fixing Transaction Malleability it was possible to change the Transaction ID by changing non-transactional data inside the block (such as signatures and scripts) thus making second layer solutions like the Lightning network impossible before Segwit.
4. People, wallets, and other services are not forced to use Segwit because it is a softfork meaning the consensus rules are contracted or tightened inside of previous consensus rules. Previously valid blocks are still valid under the old consensus just invalid under the new stricter Segwit consensus.

[Bitcoinstache]

For question 2 answer under Segwit signatures (witness data) are still malleable but they are moved out of (segregated from) the block making the Transaction ID unmalleable.
For question 3 answer I agree Lightning can make faster transactions possible but how does that make Segwit and Lightning connected?

[Alko89]

@AnaG

No. adopting segwit was a choice - bitcoin cash is the result of those who didn’t make the choice.

You can also still use old style transactions on Bitcoin as well

[Santanet]

1. What was a proposed alternative to Segwit? The alternative was to increase the block size.
2. What did Segwit solve more than just the scaling issue? The malleability when one can make small changes in a signature so the transaction hash changes too.
3. How is Segwit and the Lightning network connected? Segwit made the development of lightning network possible.
4. Are people, wallets and other services forced to use Segwit? No.

[Phuong]

1. To increase the block size.

2. With segwit they fixed transaction malleability by removing the signature information and storing it outside the base transaction block

3. Segwit supported development of second layer protocols, such as lightning network.

4. No, it’s a soft fork. Not everybody agreed on the segwit solution, that’s why we have Bitcoin Cash.

[tomas819]

• What was a proposed alternative to Segwit?
  alternative: increase the limit of the block size from 1 MB to 2 MB; it would lead to hard fork

• What did Segwit solve more than just the scaling issue?
  it solved also transaction malleability (before a transactions is confirmed, someone can modify the signature of this transaction and by that change the transaction ID)

• How is Segwit and the Lightning network connected?
  the Lightning network is an additional layer on top of the blockchain protocol (taking frequent, small transactions off-chain); this was possible because of Segwit

• Are people, wallets and other services forced to use Segwit?
  no, they can choose the option to use Segwit; people can decide between normal transactions and segwit

[Alko89]

@Phuong

No, it’s a soft fork. Not everybody agreed on the segwit solution, that’s why we have Bitcoin Cash.

You can still use old style transactions on Bitcoin as well

[niore]

1. What was a proposed alternative to Segwit?
   Increasing of the Block Size
2. What did Segwit solve more than just the scaling issue?
   it also solves the problem with manipulate the Tx Signature with removing the Signature out of the blocks
3. How is Segwit and the Lightning network connected?
   Segwit makes Lightning network possible. With Segwit second layer solutions are possible
4. Are people, wallets and other services forced to use Segwit?
   No

[Danielsan]

1. Increase the size of the blocks.
2. Solved the transaction malleability.
3. Segwit made second layer solutions possible.
4. No they are not, it is a soft fork.

[horn]

1. What was a proposed alternative to Segwit?

To do a hard fork by increasing the block size to 4MB

1. What did Segwit solve more than just the scaling issue?

It solved the transaction malleability problem.

1. How is Segwit and the Lightning network connected?

Segwit supports the development of the lightning network by making any feature that relied on unconfirmed transactions less risky and easier to design.

1. Are people, wallets and other services forced to use Segwit?

No they are not as older nodes are still present on the network which do not implement it

[steeve]

1. To increase the size of the block
2. It solves the transaction malleability.
3. It made possible the second layer protocols
4. No, they are not forced to use segwit which means that it is a soft fork

[abrilau]

1. Block size increase;
2. Transaction malleability;
3. Lightning network required transaction malleability fix;
4. No, you can opt out, but transaction fees will be larger.