Once Bitten! A Bitcoin Podcast. Knots V Core And BIP 444, The Pleb Slop Edition. - Luke De Wolf # 576
Nov 25, 2025
In a fascinating discussion, Luke De Wolf, a Bitcoin commentator and cybersecurity expert, delves into the contentious Knots vs. Core debate and unveils the implications of Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) 444. He shares insights on Bitcoin’s structure and governance, the risks posed by arbitrary-data 'spam' transactions, and the need for layered defenses against cyber threats. Luke also emphasizes the importance of community involvement in shaping Bitcoin's future, advocating for more decentralized participation and vigilance in this evolving landscape.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Knots As A User-Controlled Node
- Bitcoin Knotts is an alternative full-node implementation that changes policy defaults while remaining compatible with Bitcoin Core.
- Users can run Knotts with Core-equivalent settings or stricter filters to express their preferences on relay and mining.
Origins And Intent Of Knots
- Luke Dash Jr. created Bitcoin Knots and influenced major Bitcoin changes like SegWit.
- Knots was designed to remove features seen as straying from Bitcoin's monetary purpose and dates back about a decade.
How Inscriptions Embed Large Data
- Inscriptions exploit script opcodes (op_false/op_if) to embed large files into witness data, letting near-4MB blocks carry images.
- This method leverages SegWit witness discounts, making embedding cheaper and abundant since February 2023.