08 · Glossary

Normative source: N-SPEC v0.7 §4.1, §5.1, §7.1, §9.3, §10.1, §12.1, §12.15, §14.5, §17.3; WHY-N §7; APP-SPEC v1 draft §0.4, §13, principle, §R2P, R2P-1. This page explains; it does not restate rules or parameter values.

Production

Slot — A position in N's production schedule, assigned to a producer by the draw. N-SPEC v0.7 §5.1, §7.1

Epoch — A mechanical interval for the registry and production schedule, with keys and weight fixed within it. N-SPEC v0.7 §5.1, §1.4, invariant 8

Registry — The ordered set of active registered identities, their production keys and their ticket weight for an epoch. N-SPEC v0.7 §5.3

Ticket — An entry right obtained by burning BTC, neither refundable nor transferable; exclusion suspends its active use and a ban destroys its right. N-SPEC v0.7 §1.4, invariants 3–5

Registered identity — An identity with registered keys and participation rights obtained through Bitcoin ticket burns (formerly called Operator). N-SPEC v0.7 §4.1, §4.6

Producer — The registered identity drawn to produce for a slot. N-SPEC v0.7 §7.1

TICKET (NEW/ADD) — Bitcoin burn forms that add ticket rights; they create no M0 and do not reactivate an excluded identity. N-SPEC v0.7 §4.4, §4.6, §1.4, invariant 1

REACT — Reactivation through an admissible Bitcoin burn tied to an exclusion record; it creates no M0. N-SPEC v0.7 §6.7, §1.4, invariant 1

KEYREG — The key registration object used to establish an identity's control and production keys. N-SPEC v0.7 §4.2

ROTATE — An authorized change of production key that preserves the identity and responsibility for earlier generations. N-SPEC v0.7 §6.9

Seed — The input derived from Bitcoin and the registry that determines the production draw for an epoch. N-SPEC v0.7 §5.4

Score — A chain's count of valid production blocks since genesis, used before the public tie-break. N-SPEC v0.7 §9.3

Equivocation — Different signed headers for the same chain, identity and slot, with each signing key verified in its historical context. N-SPEC v0.7 §10.1

Ban — Permanent removal of an identity's participation rights after an admissible proof matures; it does not remove past score. N-SPEC v0.7 §10.3

Exclusion — Suspension of participation rights under the activity rules, distinct from a permanent ban. N-SPEC v0.7 §6.6, §6.7

Bitcoin and origins

Reference block (B.ref) — The Bitcoin block designated by an N block as the reference for its Bitcoin context. N-SPEC v0.7 §8.4

H1 detector — A separate veto using Bitcoin fingerprints; it can delay or halt a decision but never promote a branch. N-SPEC v0.7 §12.1

STOP / deep halt — A refusal to proceed under N's conflict protections; a deep halt can persist while the conflict remains. N-SPEC v0.7 §9.5, §18

BOOTSTRAP — An authenticated origin package for a node without a local origin; it cannot replace an existing local origin. N-SPEC v0.7 §12.12

RECOVERY — Exceptional installation of a new origin through explicit acceptance of the exact recovery package and its consequences. N-SPEC v0.7 §12.14

Weak subjectivity — Dependence on a recent authenticated origin for a new node, or a returning node that left the reception assumptions, to enter the registry agreement domain. N-SPEC v0.7 §12.15

Depth and settlement

Depth — Progress since an operation's inclusion, assessed under a participant's policy and the published domain. N-SPEC v0.7 §14.5, §17.3

K(ε) table — The published relation between depth and a conditional bound on common-prefix failure per cut. N-SPEC v0.7 §17.3

Published domain H_N — The assumptions within which N makes quantitative claims. N-SPEC v0.7 §17.1, §17.2

Application status — A contextual description of an operation's position or condition, using the identifiers in the specification. N-SPEC v0.7 §14.5

Burn — Irreversible destruction of BTC for an M0, ticket or reactivation purpose; it creates no Bitcoin reserve. N-SPEC v0.7 §4.4, §4.9, §6.7; WHY-N §3

M0 — The settlement asset, originating only in M0 burns. APP-SPEC v1 draft §0.4; N-SPEC v0.7 §4.9

Service labels

Settlement Provider (SP) — A service role handling BTC/M0 settlement and choosing its external delivery depth. APP-SPEC v1 draft §0.4, §13, principle; WHY-N §7

Liquidity Provider (LP) — A service role handling X/M0 and settling with other providers on M0. APP-SPEC v1 draft §0.4, §R2P, R2P-1

Builder — The descriptive label for whoever creates an application or interface; distinguish its presentation of facts, observations and model results. N-SPEC v0.7 §16.1

User — The descriptive label for whoever chooses terms and authorizes an operation; distinguish that choice from the external provider's depth policy. WHY-N §7

Observer — The descriptive label for whoever examines history or reports evidence; the report's category and context matter. N-SPEC v0.7 §16.1

See also

The N engine, Producers and tickets, Depth and statuses, Burns, and Who does what.