Bitcoin-dev Archives Purged From Linux, Re-Homed On Google Groups
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The ‘bitcoin-dev’ mailing list, a cornerstone of Bitcoin development for over a decade, is now exclusively hosted on Google’s centralized servers.
On Nov.5, Bitcoin Core developer Bryan Bishop announced that the mailing list had been purged from the Linux Foundation archives.
The bitcoin-dev archives and ongoing communication now exclusively reside on Google Groups, an ironic twist for a technological phenomenon staunchly committed to decentralization and open-source development.
“After working through a few roadblocks, we are now finally ready to migrate the mailing list to Google Groups,” Bishop said. “Emails to the old list are no longer accepted as of February 2024. We aren't relying on Google for anything critical here and are merely using them as a conduit for information that is already meant to be public.”
The Linux Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting open-source initiatives, had hosted the bitcoin-dev list since 2011. The mailing list was pivotal for discussing protocol changes, debating proposals, and coordinating Bitcoin core updates.
On Nov. 2, 2023, Bishop announced that the Linux Foundation no longer intended to maintain the mailing list software, prompting developers to explore alternative platforms.
Historically, discussions relating to Bitcoin's core development took place by email or on forums. Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, primarily used BitcoinTalk.org to communicate.
“There is a long history of using email in open-source software development,” Bishop told The Defiant. “Forums just don't have the same kind of email integration. Maybe the closest to this is groups.io with their web interface, but it's not self-hosted forum software,”
Weighing New Hosting Options
Bishop had identified Google Groups and the paid Groups.io service as potential alternatives for mass email communication citing concerns over censorship.
Defending the decision to migrate to Google, Bishop asserted that the same threats of the service being shut down or censored exist with any third-party host.
Concerns over censorship and long-term reliability loom, given Google’s history of terminating services like Google Hangouts and Google+.
On Feb.10, Bishop first announced that the mailing list would be hosted on Google Groups.
Satoshi Nakamoto Claims Resurface
The mailing list migration comes as the mysterious identity of Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, continues to stir controversy.
On Oct. 31, Stephen Mollah, a self-described economic and monetary scientist claimed to be Nakamoto during a press conference in London, held at the Frontline Club. However, the event quickly descended into a farce when Mollah failed to provide credible evidence such as cryptographic verification or control over Bitcoin’s Genesis block — despite charging eventgoers £500 ($646) to attend.
BBC journalist Joe Tidy, who attended the conference, described it as chaotic.
“An odd set up to the press conference as the organiser asked me to pay £500 ($648) to attend and appear on stage to ask questions of the billionaire mystery man,” Tidy tweeted. “Mr Mollah is showing a series of easy-to-fake screenshots. I asked if he will move some of the Genesis bitcoins to finally prove he is Satoshi. He said he will in the next few months. I have left the conference.”
An HBO Max documentary recently speculated that Canadian cryptographer Peter Todd, who was involved in Bitcoin’s early development, could be Nakamoto. Todd denied the claims, with onlookers expressing concerns about privacy and personal safety.
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