Simply Bitcoin Spam Wars: Bitcoin Core vs. Knots | Who Guards the Guardians? | Simply Originals
Sep 18, 2025
Samson Mao, CEO of Jan3 and a passionate Bitcoin advocate, dives into the complex dynamics between Bitcoin Core and the Knots fork. He discusses the waning trust in Bitcoin Core and the importance of accountability among contributors. Samson highlights how running nodes can empower individual sovereignty and protect the Bitcoin network. Jeff Booth joins in, emphasizing the resilience offered by client diversity, arguing that choosing Knots over Core v30 fosters a stronger ecosystem. Together, they explore the 'spam wars' as a vital sign of Bitcoin's immune system.
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OpReturn Limit Expansion Risks Spam
- Core v30 raises the OP_RETURN size limit from 83 bytes to 100,000 bytes, opening the protocol to large arbitrary data.
- This change shifts default relay policy and risks turning nodes into carriers of spam and non-money data.
Blind Loyalty Erodes Community Trust
- Samson Mao warns of 'blind loyalty' to Bitcoin Core that fractures the community and hides accountability.
- He links past GitHub bans and opaque decision-making to a loss of trust in maintainers.
Insist On Transparent Development Process
- Demand transparent process from maintainers and push back on forceful changes without broad feedback.
- Consider running alternative clients if Core's governance ignores user concerns.