There are 3 values that need to be specified for this feature trigger:
- blockRewardBatchSize: the number of blocks per batch (1000 recommended).
- blockRewardBatchStartHeight: the block height at which the system switches to batch reward distributions. Must be a multiple of blockRewardBatchSize. Ideally this would be set to a block height that will occur at least 1-2 weeks after the release / auto update goes live.
- blockRewardBatchAccountsBlockCount: the number of blocks to include online accounts in the lead up to the batch reward distribution block (25 recommended).
Once active, rewards are no longer distributed every block and instead are distributed every 1000th block. This includes all fees from the distribution block and the previous 999 blocks.
The online accounts used for the distribution are taken from one of the previous 25 blocks (e.g. blocks xxxx975-xxxx999). The validation ensures that it is always the block with the highest number of online accounts in this range. If this number of online accounts is shared by multiple blocks, it will pick the one with the lowest height.
The idea behind 25 blocks is that it's low enough to reduce load in the other 975 blocks, but high enough for it to be extremely difficult for block signers to influence reward payouts.
Batch distribution blocks contain a copy of the online accounts from one of these 25 preceding blocks. However, online account signatures and online accounts timestamp are excluded to save space. The core will validate that the copy of online accounts is exactly matching those of the earlier validated block, and are therefore valid.
Fairly comprehensive unit tests have been written but this needs a lot more testing on testnets before it can be considered stable.
Future note: Once released, the online accounts mempow can optionally be scaled back so that it is no longer running 24/7, and instead is only running for 2-3 hours each day in the lead up to the batch distribution block. In each 1000 block cycle, the mempow would ideally start at least an hour before block xxxx975 is due to be minted, and continue for an hour after block xxxx000 (the reward distribution block). None of the ideas mentioned in this last paragraph are coded yet.
- PUBLICIZE transactions are no longer possible.
- ARBITRARY transactions are now only possible using a fee.
- MESSAGE transactions only confirm when they are being sent to an AT. Messages to regular addresses (or no recipient) will expire after 24 hours.
- Difficulty for confirmed MESSAGE transactions increases from 14 to 16.
- Difficulty for unconfirmed MESSAGE transactions decreases from 14 to 12.
This allows one message to reference another, e.g. for replies, edits, and reactions. We can't use the existing reference field as this is used for encryption and generally points to the user's lastReference at the time of signing.
"chatReference" is based on the "nameReference" field used in various name transactions, for similar purposes.
This needs a feature trigger timestamp to activate, and that same timestamp will need to be used in the UI since that is responsible for building the chat transactions.
This allows for different share bin distribution starting at an undecided future block height. This height will correspond with the QORA reduction. New values decided in recent community vote.
This allows the QORA share percentage to be modified at different heights, based on community votes. Added unit test to simulate a reduction.
# Conflicts:
# src/test/java/org/qortal/test/minting/RewardTests.java
To prevent a single or very small number of minters receiving the rewards for an entire tier, share bins can now require "activation". This adds the requirement that a minimum number of accounts must be present in a share bin before it is considered active. When inactive, the rewards and minters are added to the previous tier.
Summary of new functionality:
- If a share bin has more than one, but less than 30 accounts present, the rewards and accounts are shifted to the previous share bin.
- This process is iterative, so the accounts can shift through multiple tiers until the minimum number of accounts is met, OR the share bin's starting level is less than shareBinActivationMinLevel.
- Applies to level 7+, so that no backwards support is needed. It will only take effect once the first account reaches level 7.
This requires hot swapping the sharesByLevel data to combine tiers where needed, so is a considerable shift away from the immutable array that was in place previously.
All existing and new unit tests are now passing, however a lot more testing will be needed.
- Reduce concurrent reward share limit from 6 to 3 (or from 5 to 2 when including self share) - as per community vote.
- Founders remain at 6 (5 when including self share) - also decided in community vote.
- When all slots are being filled, require that at least one is a self share, so that not all can be used for sponsorship.
- Activates at future undecided timestamp.
This should prevent the failed transactions that are encountered when issuing two or more in a short space of time. Using a feature trigger (hard fork) to release this, to avoid potential consensus confusion around the time of the update (older versions could consider the main chain invalid until updating).
