The changelog from the GitHub repository:

Code:

# Release 2.9 - Independence
  * Blockchain fork detection and management:
    - The SPV module will download and verify block headers from
      multiple branches
    - Branching points are located using binary search
- The desired branch of a fork can be selected using the network dialog

I believe this version was announced way before BIP91 lock in. Bitcoin Unlimited seem to be pretty much dead at this point, but there is this Bitcoin Cash that is going to happen no matter what, from my understanding. Is the upcoming Electrum update going to cover this? It will detect forks no matter what rules they use (ABC, BU, etc.)?

I did read the post on the documentation regarding the hardfork but I believe that won't be needed as he will release this version (If he (Thomas) manage to do so before 1st august) that will makes things easier for us. If that's indeed the case, what control we will have? we will be able to spend the two different coins as we wish to with a click of a button?

We all know that there will be whats called BitcoinCash (BCC), I'm not sure how they will apply this to exchanges though If there is already BitConnect which has the same ticker.
Anyway, I thought It would be very useful to make a thread and compile a list of the exchanges that will support both chains and the ones that will only support the current bitcoin. Feel free to submit the sites on the thread and I will add them.

I have no reason to believe that exchanges will lie about their standpoint regarding BitcoinCash but please don't misunderstand the purpose of this thread, I'm not recommending anyone to store their coins in exchange during the 1st august period, do it at your own risk.

Veteran US Republican Senator John McCain has been diagnosed with brain cancer and is reviewing treatment options, according to his office.
The options may include chemotherapy and radiation, his doctors said. The 80-year-old politician is in "good spirits" recovering at home.

BBC: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-40664635

I'm buying them at 80% (Amazon US only). I won't go first unless you are a trusted member otherwise we use an Escrow and to avoid any kind of accusations that the card was working before giving it to me, I will give my account to him (the escrow) and he redeem the gift cards in behalf.

I believe the only reason they don't list a wallet there is because It's not secure enough just like they did with Blockchain.info so what's the case for Multibit HD and what's the issue preventing them from being listed there?

The title says it all, the way I understand it is that SegWit2X is SegWit then the block increase comes after a few months, 2mb blocks instead of 1mb. In the other hands, isn't SegWit alone supposed to make the block like 2.3mb technically? I saw some people saying that Luke Dashjr call it 8mb as well (and not sure why) so I'm a little bit lost.

I have plans on building a new overkill PC and thought It would be nice If I can help the network by running a node as I always had issues doing so with my current PC and also takes ages. I heard that running bitcoin core and having to download the blockchain could ruin my hardware (SSD), how accurate is that?

Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead, according to senior members of the beleaguered terrorist group, who spoke to a reputable Syrian information source.

Baghdadi's death has been reported several times before but today's (11 July) claim from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a London-based information office, is by far the most credible.

Source: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/isis-leader-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi-dead-according-senior-isis-militants-1629892

A lot of coins are being traded on ShapeShift but I never see them on the "Markets" tab on CoinMarketCap for some reasons, any idea why is that? I can see their trading volume for everything but not anything specific on their site. Any other way to get specific details for a specific coin?

Pope Francis has warned world leaders against forming "dangerous" and distorting alliances that could harm the poor and migrants, including between the US and Russia.

The 79-year-old Argentine made the comments to Italian newspaper la Repubblica on Saturday (8 July) as world leaders gathered for the G20 conference in Hamburg.

Ibtimes: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/pope-francis-warns-dangerous-alliance-between-trumps-us-putins-russia-1629610

What are your plans currently and what are you planning to do before this date? sell everything? hodl no matter what? maybe try to profit from a chain split? I'm personally still confused and I'm not sure what to do, I prefer waiting to see what is the standpoint of more exchanges and services.

I rarely visit twitter but I came across Roger ver account and I saw his description, he is basically an investor in multiple services such as Kraken, Blockchain.com (which associated with blockchain.info), Purse.io and much more. I believe he is not really supporting UASF? In that case, It would be wiser to withdraw our funds from these services until we see what happens? I don't really know how much influence he has as an investor but just a thought..

[Slack Tipbot]

The blog article: http://lightning.community/software/lnd/lightning/2017/07/05/emerging-lightning-developer-ecosystem/

Slack Tipbot



Lightning MacOS GUI Wallet




Mobile and Desktop app for Lightning



I only listed a few applications, you can check more on the link I gave above. Just imagine the possibilities here, LN is not even launched yet but there is a lot of developers working on different projects! I'm honestly very excisted about this and I'm only hoping that 1st august will go as planned at this point.

Is it safe to say that? assuming that everything will go as planned, UASF will get activated and everyone will switch to it and support it. (both services and individuals with more nodes etc.)

I'm starting to see a lot of threads regarding pump and dump groups in the forums with some links to the Telegram groups associated with them. With all honesty, what do you think about these groups and do you support them?

Bitcoin isn’t based on gold, but mathematics, and there is a limit to have many can be created. However, given that nobody controls the production of bitcoin - Starikov asks – by which mechanism does a computer programme generate its own code? Is this artificial intelligence? If so, we didn’t know this kind of level of artificial intelligence exists. Furthermore, why is it that it has been allowed to exist, given that it is only Central Banks of any one country that are constitutionally allowed to create legal tender? If you or I tried to create our own currency, that would be against the law.

The video from here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F89zKhUu1s&t=77s

Honestly, It doesn't look like this (Nikolai Starikov who is a famous writer, politician etc.) knows what he is talking about so I thought I share it with the community to see their opinions on this.

Eighteen people died when their tour bus collided with a lorry and burst into flames on the A9 motorway in southern Germany, police say. Another 30 on the bus were hurt and two of them were fighting for their lives.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40479021

I don't understand. I know that SegWit was tested and everything and since SegWit2X is SegWit, just with bigger blocks. What are they testing exactly and why they are on Alpha, they could just take the SegWit code? can't they simply activate it as SegWit since they reached the 80% then after 6 months, they activate the 2 blocks thing?

Anyone used this new bot? I guess It's not as expensive as the other bots but I don't really know how effective is it compared to them. I found it on bitcointalk ads (the auction). The site: http://marginsoftware.de/product.html
If someone have used this software before and could give me some information's/review about it, It could really help me and the community as well.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nkXhrwFoME
Official site: http://lifeonbitcoin.com/
The Documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LBV_igeviA
I haven't watched it personally but from the trailer, It looks good. The content from Youtube is not available for my country so I might need to wait or I will just try to make an account on VIDANGEL and see how things goes from there.