Yes, most people seem to forget that when criticizing bitcoin for a lack of features.
I hope they will improve privacy soon.
On the other hand, bitcoin should not be bloated with unnecessary features which could cause added security risks and reduce efficiency. From my point of view it would be a good idea to let some of the advanced features (like algorithmic contracts) simply "ride free" as an independent secondary layer (run by third parties) rather than making them integral part of Core. In that way a lot of risk can be mitigated, because problems on some advanced layer do not interfere with core functionality. Also Core developers can focus on the essential features. So I see use in systems like Mastercoin.
Topic: Developer JGarzik reiterates, upgradable nature of bitcoin! Challenges Ethereum! - page 3. (Read 3307 times)
July 14, 2014, 01:28:16 PM
July 14, 2014, 12:44:24 PM
yeah, and thats the reason why most of these systems will die or live in a niche (mastercooin, ehereum...)
July 14, 2014, 11:45:50 AM
Surprise, surprise 
July 14, 2014, 11:37:03 AM
The transaction format, the block format, script operations are all designed to be upgradeable. The bitcoin protocol is not locked in stone, as some claim.
BIP 16 (P2SH) demonstrated a "soft fork" network upgrade: https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0016.mediawiki
BIP 34 demonstrated a majority-lock-in block format change, exercising a decentralized upgrade process: https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0034.mediawiki
Bitcoin developers may let the ecosystem design interesting new features (hello, Ethereum!) and then incorporate them into bitcoin.
Bitcoin is a living, growing, changing thing.
http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/2anxr1/reminder_bitcoin_protocol_designed_to_be/
http://www.reddit.com/r/ethereum/comments/2ao1be/jgarzik_says_they_can_just_hack_ethereum_into/
BIP 16 (P2SH) demonstrated a "soft fork" network upgrade: https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0016.mediawiki
BIP 34 demonstrated a majority-lock-in block format change, exercising a decentralized upgrade process: https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0034.mediawiki
Bitcoin developers may let the ecosystem design interesting new features (hello, Ethereum!) and then incorporate them into bitcoin.
Bitcoin is a living, growing, changing thing.
http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/2anxr1/reminder_bitcoin_protocol_designed_to_be/
http://www.reddit.com/r/ethereum/comments/2ao1be/jgarzik_says_they_can_just_hack_ethereum_into/
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