Chris Guida Updates 2017 Proof-of-Work Hard Fork Code for Bitcoin Knots as Miner Backstop

Bitcoin's governance fights have a habit of spawning "just in case" plans that supporters hope never leave the shelf. A new one is now in view: developer Chris Guida has rebased Luke Dashjr's 2017 proof-of-work hard fork code onto the latest version of Bitcoin Knots, presenting it as an emergency option if miners refuse to cooperate with a proposed protocol change. The work was completed in early August 2026 and has already drawn close attention from the segment of the Bitcoin community that argues node operators—not miners—should ultimately decide the network's direction. At the center of the dispute is BIP110, known as the Reduced Data Temporary Soft Fork (RDTS). The proposal would, in simple terms, temporarily limit how much arbitrary, non-financial data can be embedded in Bitcoin transactions for one year. Activation requires miner signaling above 55% over a 2,016-block window, roughly two weeks of block production. Reports from around August 2026 indicate miner signaling has been weak, which is the scenario Guida's updated contingency is meant to address. A proof-of-work algorithm change is among the most extreme levers available in Bitcoin. It would make existing mining hardware incompatible with the new chain, effectively wiping out miners' sunk costs in specialized equipment. Dashjr originally wrote the code in 2017 during the peak of the block size wars. Its revival and rebase onto current Bitcoin Knots suggests some developers see sustained miner resistance to BIP110 as a credible risk worth preparing for. Dashjr said he hopes the contingency will never be needed, while arguing that having it ready is still the prudent move. Bitcoin Mechanic and other figures aligned with the node-operator camp have been more emphatic, backing the rebase as an assertion that economic nodes—not hash power—are the final arbiters of Bitcoin's rules.