Lightning Network

At least this is the issue many people complain about who need microplates. They did not have the patience to play with virtual accounts on the Lightning Testnet network and began trading real network bitcoins. That's when the developers warned people not to do it, because Lightning is still in the testing phase.
"Lightning testnetnu gives you adrenaline," said Tor Guard representatives after announcing that they would accept Ligtning payments.

They're not the only ones. Blcockstream has launched a commodity store that only uses Lightning and has used its own Lightning implementation. It's about c-lightning. A network explorer shows that bitcoins have already been traded worth more than $ 33,000 through the Lightning Testnet network.

It's not hard to explain our enthusiasm. Parallel chain technology promises almost instantaneous transaction speeds and much reduced commissions. The most enthusiastic believe that if I use the Lightning Testnet on the main blockchain they will shorten the time to the official implementation of the Lightning Network.

"I think it's time for the Lightning Network to be launched, even if it still has bugs. It's the best way to improve, "wrote a user on Twitter.

The fact that I'm using the network while it's still in development has created confusion. People do not know if she's really ready. But he has made many people lose money. Because of this, Blockstream's decision was criticized. Many said the opening of Lightning testnet channels with hundreds and thousands of dollars in bitcoin is a "madness."

Despite all-party warnings, implementation on the mainnet already has 205 nodes and 548 channels and does not show signs of stopping.

According to the developers, this momentum decreases the rate at which Lightning will be secure on the mainnet.

As Pierre-Marie Paidou, who develops Lightning ACINQ said:

"Recently, more users have configured their mainnet software. Some believe this will make the launch of Lightning Network faster. "

It distracts developers
But this is not the case.

In a recent interview, Lightning Labs Director Elizabeth Stark approximated the number of Lightning Developers in ten individuals. There is little and slowing down the technology. Maybe because of this, Lightning Labs sent users no longer to send money through the system. "It distracts our developers."

"Many people want to get in on the mainnet and it's hard to tell them that Lightning is not ready and that it should only test the Lightning testnet," said Alex Boxworth, one of the developers. "I do not recommend using the mainnet network unless you are testing explicitly and you know very well what you are doing."

According to Bosworth, who runs two of his own mainnet nodes, a major issue that Lightning testnet developers might hit as they go on implementing the mainnet is to make compatibility with previous procedures (the backwards-compatible concept) so so future versions interact with prototypes now being developed.

If the mainnet continues to mature - it has doubled the number of nodes in the last 72 hours - it will "slow down development" because developers "need to be careful to make backwards compatible versions," Bosworth explained.

Being subdued, there are no signs that active use will cease.

"We plan to keep the Lightning Network operating nodes permanently to support the network," said Ben Van Pelt, director at TorGuard.

Searching for bugs
And David R. Sterry, one of those who adopted Lightning, has the same arguments. He said the active use of the developing network is not "unanimously criticized" and that developers "could have made it harder to access if they were really against it." He went on to say that "there are some issues you only find when working with real money."

Testing on the mainnet led to the discovery of bugs.

According to International Business Times, the launch of Blockstream technology led to the discovery of 20 bugs within the first 14 hours of launch. TorGuard director Ben Van Pelt said the company has found some bugs in the meantime, but none to make them lose money.

Blockstream's Samson Mow said: "If we use Lightning Network on the mainnet, we not only solve bugs, stickers, or we are irresponsible. We learn about the usage issues that people may not yet think "

But Paidou believes he ignores an important issue. Once the network is launched, "every encountered bug will be more costly in terms of resources for developers. That's why, to get a more stable version of Lightning Network, it does not help us get to the target faster if we do things in a hurry. "

The active network "puts more pressure and distracts the few people, and so few, who are working on the actual development. Let's not forget that the richest resource of all is the developers. "