Hard Fork Planning & Coordination
============

March 13th, 1400UTC

# Agenda

https://en.ethereum.wiki/roadmap/istanbul

Cut-and-paste

* 2019-05-17 (Fri) hard deadline to accept proposals for “Istanbul”
* 2019-07-19 (Fri) soft deadline for major client implementations
* 2019-08-14 (Wed) projected date for testnet network upgrade (Ropsten, Görli, or ad-hoc testnet)
* 2019-10-16 (Wed) projected date for mainnet upgrade (“Istanbul”)

Editing and reviewing EIPs? Or Core Devs?
Dropped off since Yoshi walked away.
EIPs proposed, never went anywhere

BM:
* Split into EIPs and ERCs
* needs to be reviewed by technical experts

**@Boris:** Is there an action item in the above?
* BM: no, more commentary on the whole EIP monitoring thing

Hardfork clients tracking
* like Constantinople Progress Tracker

BM: propose we use the wiki for tracking progress
**Github Issue:** https://github.com/ethereum-cat-herders/PM/issues/18

Document process for Core EIP proposal?
* remain with the 4 EIPs

**Github Issue:** https://github.com/ethereum-cat-herders/PM/issues/19

Discussion
1559 discussion -- fee market change
Vitalik proposed, @econoar spearheading

Clarifying how to get EIPs into a hardfork

TO DO: how to get EIPs into core? Document
**Github Issue:** https://github.com/ethereum-cat-herders/PM/issues/19

Also: updates to EIP233
**@everyone:** Is there an action item here?
* Boris: Probably useful to track EIP233 and make sure someone (me!) works with Axic on submitting a PR — but likely of interest for all CH who want to understand HF process.

EIP review process -- rough consensus into HF
Then, thrown over the wall to HF Coordinator

Joseph: EIP process, a fair bit of political maneouvring, if we could pollute the process by having recommended / not recommended EIPs

Joseph: Prefer if Cat Herders were the messenger

Pooj: Desire to make EIP review process faster
* who is available to review?
* make process faster

Need technical reviewers that are mainly experts and core devs

Pooj: make a folder
**@Pooj:** Is there an action item here that needs to be converted to a Github Issue?

Charles: Developer tools for tracking across community?
* tests? JIRA? or what? or common tests
* one go to place for updates for all teams -- following progress
* snapshot from CoreDevs call? no real deeper detail of what things are tracking
* perhaps CH follow up on fortnightly basis -- run down
* wouldn't need them to update it -- agenda item for update for each team
* Tim: two things to add for these updates that are not protocol things -- minor; EIPs implemented gets updated, not sure how much value
* first version of Constantinople, there was a tracker https://github.com/ethereum/pm/wiki/Constantinople-Progress-Tracker --> suggesting that we do this in the Ethereum Wiki because it's easier to update

TO DO: how do teams track HF milestones?
* each team needs to track progress to HF -- reach out and ask them
* issue grooming? this could add more people
* Pantheon uses JIRA for tickets (will open) - but Github for code
**@Charles** Let me (Tim) know if you would like anything added to https://github.com/ethereum-cat-herders/PM/issues/18

Self update -- leave comment on thread for PM calls for CoreDev

More detail on detailed sub milestones
* testing?
* all done by centralized EF team at ethereum/testing

TO DO: Tim will check on testing protocol -- against ethereum/testing
* client implementors have contributed tests -- e.g. Pantheon has done for ProgPow
* Tim Update: the testing repo is https://github.com/ethereum/tests, ProgPow tests were contributed on EIP. Some of the tests would get merged into the `ethereum/tests` repo if ProgPow goes live.

Pooj: EIP has to be considered ready for a HF
* readiness document
* after EIP "Accept" by CoreDevs

TO DO: write down what it means for an EIP to be ready / definitely included in next HF
* implemented in 2 major clients
* tests
* specification
* which of these items are pre-acceptance, which are post-acceptance?

**@Pooj**: Is this not defined [here](https://github.com/ethereum/EIPs/blob/master/EIPS/eip-1.md#eip-work-flow)? If not, could you create a Github Issue with specifically what you think is missing? Thanks!

## What are the “jobs to be done” by the HF coordinator(s)?

Non-technical
* Contacting major stakeholders
* EIP monitoring / EIP flow
* Communication around process & timelines
* keeping things transparent
* Coordinating & updating client implementors

Technical:
* testing -- ethereum/testing
* testnet
* review this https://github.com/karalabe/eee/blob/master/eeps/eep-1.md
* review this https://github.com/karalabe/eee/issues/5

**@everyone**: are there action items we want out of this?

## How do we want to split the responsibilities?

Technical needs of a HF?

May be merged with 233 https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-233 (Boris is taking this on with Axic)

### Permanent vs. rotating at each hard fork

* Boris: in the Drupal community, each release had a lead. This makes sense and prevents burn out -- especially depending on how this is compensated

**@everyone**: are there action items we want out of this?

### Scope of work per person

Are "technical" and "coordination" sufficiently defined? If so, are >2 people required?

## Does there need to be a title? Who gets to decide? Will the EF compensate this role?

Boris: Do CoreDevs decide on a hard fork coordinator? Why does this need to be a role? Can't this just be something that people do?

**@everyone**: are there action items we want out of this?

## Berlin Meeting April 17th & 18th

[Announced on EthMagicians](https://ethereum-magicians.org/t/istanbul-eth1x-roadmap-planning-meeting-april-17th-18th-in-berlin/2899), this will be core devs meeting to discuss proposed EIPs, Istanbul hardfork planning, and perhaps next couple of hardforks as well.

Added to agenda for March 15th Core Devs call.

### More in person meetings?

Either late July (post July 19th implementation deadline) or mid September (post Aug 14th testnet upgrade).

Should in-person meetings be planned?

* Boris: From last year, EthClient meeting, Prague closed door meetings, etc -- they happen anyway, if we plan ahead for them they can be run better, have better outcomes.

* Boris: Tim and I are already talking in the comments of the announce link from above about whether putting this next to conferences or not makes sense

TO DO: people to take responsibility per meeting
* do CoreDevs _want_ more in person meetings
* Tim: I can ask on the next AllCoreDevs and follow up.

# Next Steps / Action Items

~~Put TO DOs in Github Issues https://github.com/ethereum-cat-herders/PM/issues~~
* Done: issues linked throughout the document.

Meeting next week? Maybe just sync up on Cat Herders call?
* Meeting in two weeks, but unclear if separate from ECH call.
**@everyone** do we want another HF coordinator meeting too?

Who are the two leads?
* Joseph volunteers! Tribute steps forward!