Ethereum News Today – Headlines for February 22

  • Ethereum ProgPow update set to go live on July 2020
  • ASIC may pose a threat to the Ethereum network
  • The ProgPow hard fork will bring changes to Ethereum

Ethereum News Today – according to reports, the Ethereum ProgPow update has been scheduled to launch in July this year as Ethereum’s core developers conclude preparations to make the digital asset more ASIC resistant. Ether’s core developers have reportedly reached an agreement to implement the ProgPow hard fork following the EIP-1962 upgrades which are scheduled for June 2020.

The EIP-1962 update is set to add some minor features to Ethereum’s cryptographic functions. The network’s core developers have reportedly been promoting this ProgPow hard fork vigorously. This is because are solidly behind the improvements that this initiative brings to Ether. Some developers have expressed concern as there are fears that the hard fork could split the Ethereum community.

The Update is a Cause for Concern for Some

The contentious update has been a cause for concern regarding crypto exchanges running different versions of Ether all comprising of the old and new mining models which can mean a new fork for Ethereum. The exchanges can also increase their fee and the Ethereum community might inevitably split. Now that a consensus has been reached its implementation will be a reality.

James Hancock, Ethereum’s hard fork coordinator, said there wouldn’t be any split in the Ether community because the hard fork is reportedly the ‘read-to-go’. Note that Ethereum split occurred some time ago when DAO (decentralized autonomous organization) split and took about three and a half million ETH tokens. The parties affected were refunded by developers, and dissenters launched Ethereum Classic as tagged the move a developer overreach.

Despite minor dissent to Ethereum’s ProgPow hard fork, the bulk of core developers working on the project have shown support for the update. The discussions brought to the fore fissures in the developer Blockchain, as many influential developers showed their contrarian viewpoints. All in all, the meetings were elaborate.

How Does ASICs Pose a Threat to Ether?

Ethereum has resisted ASIC mining since it began. It was always more favorable for the Ether community to distribute coin via simple computer hardware. This invoked more community participation and even helped to decentralize the efforts of the ETH token. When Bitmain launched its Ethereum ASIC in 2018, it was regarded as an attack on the Ethereum community. Eventually, other manufacturers followed and launched similar products.

Another development was staking which was also in the works and would have rendered any future updates unnecessary. To date, resistance to ASIC has reportedly been successful because developers are keen to keep the platform as transparent as possible.

Princess Ogono is a writer, lawyer and fitness enthusiast. She believes cryptocurrencies are the future. When she's not writing, she spends time with her adorable cat, Ginger and works out often.

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