I don't want to get all doom and gloomy, because the malleability problem will eventually get fixed. However, I'm not convinced that the market has come to terms with the "step backwards" that bitcoin usability has just taken.
What the malleability attack showed is that it is possible [and in some cases probable] that a zero-confirm transaction will become invalid even if both customer and merchant are honest, and proper fees were paid. This affects the usability of bitcoin at brick-and-mortar stores as I describe here: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.5113081
The "fix" that should appear shortly is more of a "work-around." Gmaxwell estimates it will be on the order of a year before the malleability issue is properly resolved.
The "work around" prevents wallets from using unconfirmed change outputs, thereby making all zero-confirm transactions in brick-and-mortar stores more trustworthy again. But remember, this degrades usability: there are situations where you may only have unconfirmed change outputs in your mobile wallet, and thus you would not be able to immediately pay for your coffee [see my linked post above].
There's a work-around for this work-around too, and that involves making "smarter" wallets. These smart wallets would ensure that you have a good supply of confirmed coins at your disposal, by breaking up large coins when necessary.
The point I'm trying to make is that the malleability issue cannot be easily or quickly fixed, and the work-arounds have consequences themselves and take us a step-backwards in usability. This will all be resolved eventually, but in the meantime, we've presented the forum trolls with an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord of troll food.
What the malleability attack showed is that it is possible [and in some cases probable] that a zero-confirm transaction will become invalid even if both customer and merchant are honest, and proper fees were paid. This affects the usability of bitcoin at brick-and-mortar stores as I describe here: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.5113081
The "fix" that should appear shortly is more of a "work-around." Gmaxwell estimates it will be on the order of a year before the malleability issue is properly resolved.
The "work around" prevents wallets from using unconfirmed change outputs, thereby making all zero-confirm transactions in brick-and-mortar stores more trustworthy again. But remember, this degrades usability: there are situations where you may only have unconfirmed change outputs in your mobile wallet, and thus you would not be able to immediately pay for your coffee [see my linked post above].
There's a work-around for this work-around too, and that involves making "smarter" wallets. These smart wallets would ensure that you have a good supply of confirmed coins at your disposal, by breaking up large coins when necessary.
The point I'm trying to make is that the malleability issue cannot be easily or quickly fixed, and the work-arounds have consequences themselves and take us a step-backwards in usability. This will all be resolved eventually, but in the meantime, we've presented the forum trolls with an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord of troll food.
Solid analysis. Probably wasted in our little trollbox here, though
)))) 
