A few days ago, I was tagged as a possible replacement for Gloria Zhao who stepped down from Core’s development team.

I jokingly replied that if they changed the codebase to COBOL, the last language I ever developed in, I’m your man.

But that got me to thinking. In corporate culture, developers work under management. The developers gain incredible insight and understand the nuance of the project far better than any manager could. But developers lack the strategy that comes from focus, understanding and a vision. In well run companies, developers need strategic managers and managers need staff to execute their vision.

Bitcoin as an open source project has grown beyond the vision of Satoshi Nakamoto and so we find a bifurcation of visions. Either Satoshi’s original lore, or the goals of individuals or corporations that focus on a path or future vision for Bitcoin.

And so we have conflicting agendas, not just historical, but future as well, with different visions having different benefits and issues. The current Core vs. Knots war being the latest example.

Into that void also, piles companies like (Micro)Strategy, Blockstream or Casa who hold their own visions.

If you are expecting a solution or vision to come about now, then prepared to be disappointed. I am merely stating the problem with FOSS projects that grow beyond the vision of their original founder. Such projects only resolution method is conflict and war, with winners and losers.

Not all FOSS projects are like this, Linux is overseen by its creator Linus Torvalds, but he doesn’t limit or restrict its development or applications, Linux is able to adapt itself to be all things to all people. Bitcoin, as a global money does not have this luxury. It requires a single vision, otherwise it bifurcates into other branches like Bitcoin Cash or Bitcoin Satoshi Vision.