There is no such thing as "Bitcoin Maximalism".
People who use that expression are usually just looking for a sorry excuse why their beloved Altcoin fails.
So-called "Bitcoin Maximalists" are usually simply conservative in that they prefer a decentralized, stable, well-developed blockchain as the basis for a digital currency over some random, premined or ICOed copycat with feature-bloat.
That's a false dichotomy that reflects the attitude of typical "maximalists."
So, if I understand you correctly, the wording of my argument leads to the conclusion that I'm a Bitcoin Maximalist?
I'd like to call myself one, but I'm actually quite sympathetic to a (select) few Altcoin projects, and always have been, starting with namecoin.
I do have a lot of contempt and even pity for the vast majority of Altcoin projects, though.
Not because I favor Bitcoin (which I don't), but simply because they are failed projects from the start, mainly because of fraudulent developers (if one can even call them developers), and in a few cases, simply ignorant, arrogant, idiot "developers".
These kinds of broad generalizations are completely useless and they just appear vitriolic and often envious.
Yeah, broad generalizations are usually (generally?) useless.
OTOH, how else would you cut through the undergrowth of thousands upon thousands of Shitcoins?
I for my part won't reject the possibility of a competitive Altcoin that might someday overpower Bitcoin, though I have a hard time believing that even a really good project could be able to overcame the head start of Bitcoin's network effect.
If push comes to shove, I'm a "Crypto-Darwinist" who will support the "stronger", more "adaptable" coin.
To me, maximalists are constantly fighting the market. They want so badly for altcoins to die but it will never happen.
I personally couldn't care less if those Altcoins die or live on.
What I'd love to happen were for them to shut up on the
Bitcointalk forum.
The vitriol from maximalists is always strongest when altcoins are in a bull market and the gains are far surpassing Bitcoin. That's no surprise -- as you point out, altcoiners are the same way with their derision of maximalists when altcoins are in a death spiral.
Not sure if that's right. Altcoiners seem to ridicule Bitcoiners most when they dream of "the Flippening"
Over the years, I've seen countless bitcoiners complain about how much higher the price BTC should be
Okay, now I see the confusion.
True Bitcoiners want the Bitcoin price to be lower, so they can buy more
(of course, they're happy about a rise after they've bought).
It just makes them so angry that there is demand for all these scammy altcoins!
Again, a common misunderstanding.
I'm angry when people lose their money by "investing" into Altcoins, because they tend to blame Bitcoin for it.
You say that Bitcoin is (or will be) the only "decentralized, stable, well-developed blockchain" and altcoins are limited to "random, premined or ICOed copycat with feature-bloat."
No, read again, that's not what I wrote.
So-called "
Bitcoin Maximalists"
are usually simply
conservative in that
they prefer a decentralized, stable, well-developed blockchain
as the basis for a digital currency over some random, premined or ICOed copycat with feature-bloat.
Nowhere did I mention that
a) Bitcoin is the only such blockchain
b) Altcoins are limited to not being such a blockchain
In fact, there are blockchains "out in the wild" that fulfill those requirements almost as well as Bitcoin or maybe even better (sometimes hard to tell). Unfortunately, none of them are highly successful, which lowers their network effect and renders them uncompetitive.
Perhaps you could establish standards for "decentralized, stable, well-developed" and then provide a rundown of the 2000 or so altcoins in existence explaining why each and every one can't fit those definitions?
As much as I'd love to do that, there's no way I can.
BTW, I'm pretty sure, if anyone ever could, he/she''d certainly be eligible for a noble prize.
The opposite probably holds true: whoever claims to be able to offer a competitive Altcoin should provide a rundown of the reasons why, how and where his or her respective Altcoin is better than Bitcoin.
Not because Bitcoin has some special quality, but simply because as the oldest and also "major" coin in existence it's as good a benchmark as anything.
Bitcoin can't possibly implement every worthy change or feature
No, it can't and it shan't.
Bitcoin should implement those features that are useful to a currency.
No more, no less.
Any competitor of Bitcoin who has all the same features of a currency as Bitcoin has, but has at the same time just one tiny little extra piece of complexity which is not useful to a currency must be considered less useful as a currency and thereby inferior to Bitcoin.
If that's Bitcoin Maximalism, I'm the King of Bitcoin Maximalists.
