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> blockchain is a decentralized database which does not require the individual instances to have perfect connectivity Only because in the case of a fork it has
by tveita 8y ago
> blockchain is a decentralized database which does not require the individual instances to have perfect connectivity
Only because in the case of a fork it has a defined way to choose whose work to throw away.
You cannot meaningfully operate on a blockchain like bitcoin while disconnected from the majority. Each fork will be internally consistent, and you can continue to work on it if you like - you probably wouldn't even notice anything wrong, but at some point you'll connect to the longer chain and an arbitrary amount of history will be blown away.
- bayesian_horse 8y agoThat would only happen if the two forks contain inconsistent information, right?
- lgeorget 8y agoThe fact that there is a fork is a inconsistency per se. The log must be a linear chain of blocks, that's enforced by the protocol. If there's a fork, eventually all the diverging subchains but one (the longest) will disappear.