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Topic: What are checkpoints? (Read 524 times)

sr. member
Activity: 259
Merit: 250
May 15, 2014, 01:27:23 PM
#12
Thank you everybody!
legendary
Activity: 996
Merit: 1013
May 15, 2014, 01:18:22 PM
#11
Yep.. the "offficial" reason for
checkpoints is to ward off situation where someone starts to mine either mistakenly or maliciously
low difficulty blocks, thus forking the earlier part of the chain.

The presence of checkpoints enable other clients to reject these forked blocks and not waste time storing
and processing them.  

More info here
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/what-are-checkpoints-in-bitcoin-code-194078
legendary
Activity: 1260
Merit: 1000
May 15, 2014, 01:11:41 PM
#10
Bitcoin uses checkpoints to stop people from creating low difficulty side chains as an annoyance/attack vector.  PoS coins use it to stop block chain reorgs in general.
legendary
Activity: 1148
Merit: 1001
Official Zeitcoin community ambassador
May 15, 2014, 12:54:48 PM
#9
@stevegreer

What you posted was an excellent simile which was perfect for somebody who didn't seem able to use Google or the search function in here.

Thanks!

@jukka, I was just messing with you. I wasn't offended at all.  Smiley
sr. member
Activity: 259
Merit: 250
May 15, 2014, 12:49:47 PM
#8
Does anybody have more specific explanation?

Jeez, sorry guy. Made it too simple for you did I?

I littlebit, but thanks anyway! I appreciate it!
member
Activity: 109
Merit: 35
May 15, 2014, 12:48:00 PM
#7
@stevegreer

What you posted was an excellent simile which was perfect for somebody who didn't seem able to use Google or the search function in here.
legendary
Activity: 1148
Merit: 1001
Official Zeitcoin community ambassador
May 15, 2014, 12:42:21 PM
#6
Does anybody have more specific explanation?

Jeez, sorry guy. Made it too simple for you did I?
sr. member
Activity: 259
Merit: 250
May 15, 2014, 12:32:19 PM
#5
The way I understand it, and the simplest way to explain it, is that checkpoints are kinda like saves in a game (sorry, I'm not a gamer, so I don't know exactly what it is called).

Funny enough, saves in a game are usually called..... checkpoints  Wink

As for the description:  https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Checkpoint_Lockin

Thanks, will go thru these...
hero member
Activity: 802
Merit: 1003
GCVMMWH
May 15, 2014, 12:24:05 PM
#4
The way I understand it, and the simplest way to explain it, is that checkpoints are kinda like saves in a game (sorry, I'm not a gamer, so I don't know exactly what it is called).

Funny enough, saves in a game are usually called..... checkpoints  Wink

As for the description:  https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Checkpoint_Lockin
sr. member
Activity: 259
Merit: 250
May 15, 2014, 12:09:51 PM
#3
Does anybody have more specific explanation?
legendary
Activity: 1148
Merit: 1001
Official Zeitcoin community ambassador
May 15, 2014, 10:16:55 AM
#2
The way I understand it, and the simplest way to explain it, is that checkpoints are kinda like saves in a game (sorry, I'm not a gamer, so I don't know exactly what it is called). A checkpoint is a certain point in the blockchain that is saved which will allow all users to revert to in the case of something like a 51% attack so they don't lose too much of the blockchain. Maybe someone can explain it better, but that's how I understand it.
sr. member
Activity: 259
Merit: 250
May 15, 2014, 09:55:14 AM
#1
With some wallets you sometimes see a warning that "checkpoint too old" and with some coins the new wallet contains "the latest check points"?

Could somebody explain me what are these checkpoints?
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