Subject: [Bitcoin-development] Incentivizing the running of full nodes

From: "Odinn Cyberguerrilla" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 01:12:39 -0700

I have been noticing for some time the problem which Mike H. identified as
how we are bleeding nodes ~ losing nodes over time.

This link was referenced in the coindesk article of May 9, 2014:

http://sourceforge.net/p/bitcoin/mailman/bitcoin-development/thread/CANEZrP2rgiQHpekEpFviJ22QsiV%2Bs-F2pqosaZOA5WrRtJx5pg%40mail.gmail.com/#msg32196023

(coindesk article for reference: http://www.coindesk.com/bitcoin-nodes-need/)

The proposed solution is noted here as a portion of an issue at:
 https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/issues/4079

Essentially that part which has to do with helping reduce
the loss of nodes is as follows:

"a feature similar to that suggested by @gmaxwell that would process small
change and tiny txouts to user specified donation targets, in an
incentivized process. Those running full nodes (Bitcoin Core all the
time), processing their change and txouts through Core, would be provided
incentives in the form of a 'decentralizing lottery' such that all
participants who are running nodes and donating no matter how infrequently
(and no matter who they donate to) will be entered in the 'decentralizing
lottery,' the 'award amounts' (which would be distinct from 'block
rewards' for any mining) would vary from small to large bitcoin amounts
depending on how many participants are involved in the donations process.
This would help incentivize individuals to run full nodes as well as
encouraging giving and microdonations. The option could be expressed in
the transactions area to contribute to help bitcoin core development for
those that are setting up change and txouts for donations, regarding the
microdonation portion (which has also has been expressed conceptually at
abis.io"

This addresses the issue of how to incentivize more
interested individuals to run full nodes (Bitcoin Core).  The lottery
concept (which would be applicable to anyone running the full node
regardless of whether or not they are mining) is attractive from the point
of view that it will complement the block reward concept already in place
which serves those who mine, but more attractive to the individual who
doesn't feel the urge to mine, but would like to have the chance of being
compensated for the effort they put into the system.

I hope that this leads to additional development discussion on these
concepts regarding incentivizing giving. This may also involve a process
BIP.  I look forward to your remarks.

Respect,

Odinn