zCash vs Monero =============== Paul Sztorc Jan 4 2023 Why do I favor copying zCash, over Monero? ------------------------------------------- The zCash vs Monero drama is bitter, isn't it! I get this question all the time!! My reasoning is: * sidechain-zCash is a lot better than altcoin-zCash * sidechain-Monero is a lot worse than altcoin-Monero * zCash's tech is (imo) slightly better than Monero's * zCash is a code-fork of BTC, so it is just easier for me to make/understand (than learning a different codebase/language/style etc). How can you say that zCash is better???>!?!? Don't you know that Darknet markets use Monero??? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monero is more popular in the real world for non-code reasons. Monero community: * is more focused on DNMs (some zCashers sometimes send mixed signals) * has more liquidity / adoption Sidechain-ification would not help us emulate these core advantages. Since they are social (ie, they are not something in Monero's software code). zCash, in contrast: * does lots of complex R&D * has a dev tax which discourages use/liquidity * has a hidden inflation bug * has an ever-growing "nullifiers" set Sidechain-ification removes this inflation risk completely, removes the inflation tax completely, takes maximal advantage of the zCash R&D (free-riding on top of it, in fact), and allows the nullifier set to be occasionally erased. See: https://www.truthcoin.info/blog/zside-meltcast/ The "final destination" is better with zCash. zCash mixes everyone with everyone (with ring signatures, you get a smaller amount of mixing). zCash allows for **a single reusable z-address** which is an enormous UX improvement. What about "privacy by default"? --------------------------------- I disagree with this framing. YES, we want a high anonymity set. But NO, we do NOT want to achieve it via force -- by making it **mandatory**. That is a mistake. It will not work (at best, and it will backfire at worst). The "t-address vs z-address" decision is comparable to a "Bitcoin vs Monero" decision or a "Venmo vs Bitcoin" decision. In the real world you can always opt-out. So the focus should not be on trapping people in the privacy world; it should be about making it as cheap as possible to visit there or dwell there. There is nothing WRONG with "privacy by default". But it IS wrong to treat this as a final goal. Instead, the goal should be "privacy always availiable to people who want it". THAT goal DOES require a large-enough anonymity set (and it does require meta-privacy); but it does NOT require privacy-by-default. People in zCash often misuse the privacy! ------------------------------------------ Yes, this is a UX problem. It can be fixed with (for example) Melt/Cast, which we've built already. Further reading: https://www.truthcoin.info/blog/zside-meltcast/ https://www.drivechain.info/blog/spring-contest/