Hardfork transition

[romerun]

If btc really need a hardfork, what is the procedure to tell everyone to upgrade ?

[DannyHamilton]

I'd expect it to be announced on this forum, and on bitcoin.org.

You may or may not see various merchants indicate it on their websites (blockchain.info, MtGox, BitFloor, BitInstant, Coinbase, BitcoinStore.com, etc).

Beyond that I'd expect that everyone needs to be responsible for their own money and make sure they are keeping up with any new developments in Bitcoin.

EDIT: As of 2013-04-17 BitFloor has ceased all operations.

[romerun]

Since bitcoin is decentralized, introducing new client will be minority initally, how do we make sure that 50%+ users are to run this new client.

[mitty]

Since bitcoin is decentralized, introducing new client will be minority initally, how do we make sure that 50%+ users are to run this new client.

Maybe the new hard fork features (variable block size limit and whatever else) could be built into a release and set to activate at a certain time (certain block?) in the future.  The majority of users can then be expected to support the hard fork if the activation time is set far enough away.

(I'm sure solutions to this problem have been brought up by other people... this is just my guess)

[Stephen Gornick]

If btc really need a hardfork, what is the procedure to tell everyone to upgrade ?

 - http://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Contingency_plans