9月24日，一场由BTCC主办的BTC&ETC Meetup活动在上海顺利进行，活动汇聚了众多来自中外的数字货币爱好者们，有“闪电神”之称的闪电网络创始人潘志豪（Joseph Poon）到场分享了闪电网络的最近动态。
闪电网络是为了解决比特币可扩展性问题诞生的。简单来讲，闪电网络的目的是实现安全地进行链下交易，其本质上是使用了哈希时间锁定智能合约来安全地进行0确认交易的一种机制，通过设置巧妙的‘智能合约’，使得用户在闪电网络上进行未确认的交易和黄金一样安全（或者和比特币一样安全）。由于大部分交易是在链下进行，因此闪电网络能够大大提高区块处理交易的效率。
潘志豪是美籍华人，从2011年开始接触比特币，在2013年他开始思考闪电网络，2015年2月份首次提出闪电网络概念并完成论文设计。
在这次活动中，他向在座的数字货币爱好者们分享了闪电网络的最新发展动态：闪电网络已经在侧链即Blockstream开发的元素链上测试运行，比特币社区也有技术人员共同在为完善闪电网络贡献力量。
借助这次中国之行，我们有机会跟他聊聊闪电网络的最新进展，接触数字货币的经历和一些看法，以下为采访实录：
8btc：你是如何接触数字货币的？刚接触时，你怎么看比特币？
Joseph：I started looking into Bitcoin in 2011, but haven’t taken it seriously for a while. I originally thought it was an interesting idea from a technical perspective, but it wasn’t until it began to be easily exchanged and used that I understood it was real.
我开始接触比特币是在2011年，不过，我当时并未认真对待。我最初认为比特币只是从技术上角度讲是一种比较有趣的想法，但是直到比特币开始被轻松地进行交易和使用，我才理解到比特币是真实存在的。
8btc：你和Thaddeus Dryja是如何产生闪电网络这个想法的？完成这份草稿花了多长时间？中间的构想是怎样的？
Joseph：I first started thinking about it in 2013, when the blocks first started being used up from the policy-rule soft-cap, Thaddeus had great feedback and thoughts on possible improvements. The paper took a couple months to actually write — it advocated changes to Bitcoin consensus rules which are in the process of being integrated.
我最初开始考虑闪电网络是在2013年，当时第一次出现区块空间被耗尽的情况，Thaddeus在可能的改进方面拥有很好的反馈和想法。闪电网络白皮书的编写耗费了好几个月的时间——闪电网络主张改变比特币共识规则，目前正在处于整合阶段。
8btc：闪电网络现在进展如何？是否面临一些困难？
Joseph：It is progressing very well. We are having a Lightning Network meeting right after Scaling Bitcoin Milan to develop and finalize the initial protocol. If there are any
目前进展顺利。刚好在米兰扩容比特币会议之后，我们会有一场闪电网络会面来开发和完成最初的协议。
8btc：你预计闪电网络什么时候能真正落地？
Joseph：The network will be usable after a malleability fix is integrated and activated in Bitcoin. Once Segregated Witness is activated in Bitcoin, it will be usable. That said, initially it should be only used for smaller amounts as the network and software is stress tested. Currently, Lightning is in testing on the Bitcoin Test Network (testnet).
Initially, some aspects will not be as user friendly for end users, but over time, these aspects will be developed and made easier to use. However, it should be available for people to use which require instant payments, especially instant micropayment use cases which can significantly expand Bitcoin’s popularity in the future.
In the long-term, there is direct value from Lightning enabling traders to move Bitcoin between exchanges instantly, brings about better User Experience for Bitcoin to be more similar to existing payment flows (instant payments, invoicing), as well as bringing about true micropayments. I believe that micropayments are one of the major killer apps for bitcoin, and Lightning will be bringing that to be a reality in the coming months.
在某种可塑性修复被整合到比特币网络并激活之后，闪电网络将会可以使用。一旦隔离见证在比特币网络中激活，闪电网络就能使用。这就是说，在最初阶段，闪电网络应该只能用于小额支付，因为网络和软件要进行应力测试。目前，闪电网络正在比特币测试网络进行测试。
最初，闪电网络在某些方面对于终端用户来说并不太容易使用，不过随着时间推移，这些方面将会进行开发，使其更加容易使用。不过，人们应该能够进行即时支付，尤其是即时的小额支付，这一点能够在未来显著地扩大比特币的普及。
从长远看，闪电网络具有直接价值，它能够让交易者在交易所之间即时移动比特币，为比特币带来更好的用户体验，与现有支付流（即时支付，发票）更加相似，以及带来真正的微支付。我认为微支付是比特币的重要杀手APP之一，而闪电网络将会在未来几个月把这一点变成现实。
8btc：16年2月在香港进行的圆桌会议签署的共识中提到的几个时间节点，现在的完成度你觉得如何？
Joseph：Since I have not attended the Hong Kong Consensus discussion, I am not familiar with the details, consequently, my interpretation is as valid as anyone else. With regards to the discussion around the agreement, I tend to take a neutral position.
I think a lot of work and effort has been placed by all parties to find a good solution for what is best for Bitcoin. Segregated Witness is several weeks if not days away from being finalized and Luke-Jr has done some great research and produced code around what a possible hard-fork would look like. My hope is that the community can move forward to resolve all aspects of the agreement in common and continue developing future improvements in Bitcoin. There are a lot of new technologies, businesses, and use cases which help bitcoin adoption, resolving this from the development side as soon as possible as well as having the community understand this as resolved is the best way to bring about efforts which can help make Bitcoin a valuable currency for all.
我认为各方都已经投入了大量工作和努力为比特币寻找最好的解决方案。隔离见证被定下来不是在今天内完成的，而是几周完成的。Luke-Jr 做了一些非常棒的研究以及围绕着可能的硬分叉编写了代码。
因为我并未参加香港共识的讨论，所以并不清楚会议的详细内容。因此，我的解释和别人一样。关于协议的讨论，我倾向于采取中立的立场。我的希望是社区能够解决该协议的各个方面，并且继续为比特币开发更多改进。有很多技术，企业和使用案例能够帮助比特币采用，从开发层面尽快解决这个问题，以及让社区明白这是帮助比特币成为一种对所有人都有价值的货币的最好方式。
8btc：你怎么看待以太坊的分叉？你认为对比特币有参考意义吗？
Joseph：I think the Ethereum Hard Fork is incredibly interesting. I think the lessons learned from a hard fork with significant value behind it is immense and directly helps the wider community understand the impact and upside/downside risks for all cryptocurrencies.
我认为以太坊硬分叉非常有趣。从这次硬分叉中学到的教训具有巨大的价值，直接帮助更广泛的社区理解硬分叉对所有加密货币的影响和上行/下行风险。
8btc：这是你第几次来中国？这次来有什么特别的原因吗？你对中国数字货币社区怎么看？
Joseph：I’ve been to China many times and look forward to many more, I really enjoy visiting and seeing the sights, people, and the food. I went this time to meet the wider cryptocurrency community in China. I think the Chinese cryptocurrency community is very dynamic and has a great deal of creativity around building leading businesses in this space. Shanghai and Beijing certainly has one of the most activity in this space compared to anywhere I’ve visited.
我已经来过中国很多次了，并且期待更多次。我真的非常喜欢到中国拜访，看看风景和尝尝美食。我这次到中国将会与中国广大的加密货币社区人士进行会面。我认为中国加密货币社区非常活跃，在打造圈内领导企业方面很有创造力。当然，上海和北京都是我拜访的地区中最活跃的城市。
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