[DennisP]

I've been thinking about some ideas for bitcoin microtransactions, but they imply really high volume if they caught on much at all. And here we are with a transaction network that relies on broadcasting all transactions to everybody.

I've looked at the bitcoin page on scalability, and it says sure, we can get to VISA-level scale, all we have to do is centralize this and decentralize that and we're good. Sure.

Meanwhile, last I heard the bitcoin developers are focusing on features, thinking that will get them the users, leaving scalability until they need it. I think scalability is the feature that will bring users. Nobody wants to use a payment system that might crap out as soon as it really gets popular.

If anyone doubts that scalability is a problem, just go on the bitcoin forum and propose layering some kind of new and potentially high-volume use on top of the blockchain, and see how much people freak out about you flooding the network.