Aragon Community Votes to Reject ProgPOW for Ethereum

What is ProgPOW and Why the Controversy?

ProgPOW, or Programmatic Proof of Work, is a proposed update to Ethereum’s mining algorithm aimed at minimizing the efficiency advantage enjoyed by ASIC miners. In simpler terms, it tries to level the playing field for average miners and hobbyists by changing the way computational power is utilized. Sounds great, right? But not everyone sees eye to eye on this shiny new prospect.

Aragon Weighs In

On November 2, the Aragon community flexed its democratic muscles, voting decisively against the changes proposed by ProgPOW. In a tweet that sent waves through the crypto stratosphere, the official Aragon account shared their voting results, revealing that the majority of voters opposed the mining algorithm change.

The Voting Breakdown

The detail in the vote was striking: nearly 860,000 ANTs said “no way” to ProgPOW, while approximately 390,000 voiced their approval. This kind of landslide shows that the Aragon community is ready to put their money where their mouth is when it comes to safeguarding Ethereum’s future. So what does this all mean for Ethereum? 

The Impending Transition to Proof-of-Stake

This vote is particularly significant given the upcoming transition from Ethereum’s current proof-of-work model to a proof-of-stake system as part of the Ethereum 2.0 rollout. Aragon’s proposal made it clear: they oppose any changes to the existing mining methods unless they address a truly catastrophic flaw. They defined this fatal flaw as something that breaks Ethereum’s expected functionality. Because who needs more confusion in the crypto sphere?

The Implications of Ethereum’s Istanbul Upgrade

But the excitement doesn’t end there! As the Aragon community gears up for these changes, the Ethereum network also faces the Istanbul hard fork. According to Aragon One CTO Jorge Izquierdo, this upgrade will break around 680 smart contracts on the Aragon platform. That’s a hefty number! To top it off, DAOs will find themselves unable to send Ether to each other, a hiccup that may very well lead to chaos in their operations. How’s that for a plot twist?

Izquierdo’s Reactions

Izquierdo expressed his disappointment about the Istanbul upgrade’s impact on Aragon, stating, “The issue we’re going to have… hasn’t been deemed important enough for this hard fork not to happen.” It’s a tough balancing act, and unfortunately, not everyone is thrilled with the decisions being made.

Conclusion: A Community Standing Strong

In the end, the Aragon community signifies the importance of collective opinion in the blockchain ecosystem. As Ethereum shifts towards a future that may not be dominated by proof-of-work, the decisions made now will undoubtedly shape the landscape for years to come. With each vote, the Aragon community is making their stance clear: they are not just passive participants in the arena of crypto, but active stewards of its future.