bitcoin-dev
Adding New BIP Editors
Posted on: March 29, 2024 21:08 UTC
The Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) process aims to unify mechanisms across Bitcoin clients, irrespective of their language or operational layer, whether it be wallet interfaces or full nodes.
Having BIP editors with a diverse background in programming languages and contributions beyond the traditional C++ codebase could significantly benefit the ecosystem, especially in areas concerning compatibility and deployment.
Moreover, the relationship between Core maintainers and BIP editors is nuanced. In scenarios where both the Core and BIP repositories exist under the same GitHub organization, the highest privilege account could potentially override any BIP merging decisions or alter BIP editors' rights during conflicts or controversies. This raises a pertinent suggestion that perhaps the BIP repository should be independent to avoid such centralization of control.
Furthermore, the composition of the BIP editorial team should ideally reflect a broad spectrum of geographical and cultural backgrounds. This diversity is not just beneficial for inclusive representation but also crucial for ensuring the high quality and readability of standards’ terminology. Given that technical concepts may originate in various languages, having editors proficient in multiple languages, including Dutch, French, German, and Spanish, can aid in accurately translating these ideas into technical English. This approach underscores the importance of linguistic diversity among BIP editors to facilitate clearer and more accessible standards documentation.