Eventually the client needs to support downloading compressed "recent" copy of blockchain via a bitorrent type protocol. The client can still verify every block back to the genesis block locally so there is no risk of fraud.
The blockchain will only get larger and larger. By "recent" I mean the network could take a snapshot of the client every say 1000 blocks (roughly week) on the even 1000. Compress the blockchain and offer it as a seed via private bittorrent type protocol. The ability for all clients to download larger compressed "chunks" of the blockchain in out of order allocation to maximize throughput should speed up new block downloads. The error checking built into bittorrent protocol would reduce the issue of block corruption. Many people like myself would gladly devote bandwith to provide highspeed continual seeds of the "block snapshot".
Once client has completed the torrent (w/ nice progress bar) it will verify each block from genesis block and then begin to download new blocks beyon xxx000 which at most would be 999 more blocks.
You should outline this suggestion somewhere (here or github) where the devs will see it and can evaluate the idea. The blockchain will only get larger and larger. By "recent" I mean the network could take a snapshot of the client every say 1000 blocks (roughly week) on the even 1000. Compress the blockchain and offer it as a seed via private bittorrent type protocol. The ability for all clients to download larger compressed "chunks" of the blockchain in out of order allocation to maximize throughput should speed up new block downloads. The error checking built into bittorrent protocol would reduce the issue of block corruption. Many people like myself would gladly devote bandwith to provide highspeed continual seeds of the "block snapshot".
Once client has completed the torrent (w/ nice progress bar) it will verify each block from genesis block and then begin to download new blocks beyon xxx000 which at most would be 999 more blocks.
