A change of the block-size limit requires a hard fork, meaning all users need to make the switch in order to not be left behind on the old blockchain. This is no easy feat on a decentralized network, especially if different participants of that network vary in their preferences. Furthermore, since the number of transactions on the Bitcoin network is optimistically expected to keep rising, while the cost of bandwidth and hardware is optimistically expected to keep falling, it is broadly assumed that the block size should grow over time.
no it doesnt. uninformed little twat.
Any change if this magnitude requires a fork.
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1347.0As stated by Satoshi himself in the above thread, any change to the block size will render the client incompatible with the others. That will require a fork of the code to a new version with the changes, triggered to "on" by a specific set of criteria.
Although Im not on board with XT's proposed changes, they are correct in the way they need to roll it out, it needs to be forked. If Core comes to a consensus about the block size increase, whenever it happens it will be the same thing.
EDIT: Also on the "informed" mantra - I also suggest anyone who doesn't think a block size increase is needed, go read the thread I posted above, and others related. If the original original core group saw that this would be needed way back in 2010, there should be little argument against it now. One of the core visions was to someday be able to replace a processor like Visa. There's many threads out there with the actual math behind the number of Tps it would take to do so, and 1MB is simply not enough to handle that. It was a temporary measure to stop spam. Guess what? Those spam attacks we've had (and supposedly will have again soon) are exactly what's capable of hurting us now.
There's also plenty of reading to do on Satoshi's original visions which address his ideas of centralization as Bitcoin grows. Staying true to the original vision actually supports the idea of consolidation of nodes as Bitcoin grows, along with introduction of what we now have as SPV wallets for those that can't run it.