BTC Protocol Maintainer Samuel Dobson Steps Down: ‘Now is the Right Time to Go’
Samuel Dobson, who oversees BTC protocol, announced his resignation on Twitter, saying, “now is the right time to go.”
"I am officially stepping down as a maintainer of Bitcoin Core. Serving as the wallet maintainer for the past three years has been an absolute privilege," he said.
"I'm sad to leave the role, but can no longer dedicate the time required, as I approach the end of my PhD. It is only because of John and my GitHub sponsors' support that I was able to prioritise working on Bitcoin part-time these last few years."
BTC Core is the group responsible for the upkeep of the reference protocol that drives BTC, the largest digital currency by trade volume and market cap. Its name (and reputation) in the public eye as simply “Bitcoin” is challenged by BSV. With the departure of Dobson, only three or four members are now left overseeing the exclusive developers group.
Some on Twitter noted the interesting timing. It comes exactly one week after a Miami jury found in favor of Bitcoin creator Dr. Craig "Satoshi" Wright. He has previously warned that code maintainers for digital asset/blockchain networks are legal fiduciaries, and as such may be liable for thefts and other losses that occur on their networks. Wright is suing the creators of BTC and others in a London court.
Jordan Atkins of CoinGeek writes:
"To some, this seems like a radical and outrageous step. However, those familiar with the kinds of duties that the law is interested in imposing would be left unsurprised. Actors within a blockchain ecosystem may hold titles or be dealing with technology that the law has yet to contemplate, but the roles they play arguably fit within the law as it already exists. The policy reasons for imposing a duty on those who are relied upon to act properly and in good faith are no less pressing—if anything, they are even more important—in this scenario."
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
