When the Hive blockchain was launched, distribution for the new chain was done at the time of the first block of the fork. This initial distribution had no impact whatsoever on existing Steem blockchain balances, and began the new Hive chain with balances mirroring previous activity. The blockchain created a new distribution and new supply similar to Steem's ecosystem, but with an emphasis on community responsibility and a shared goal of decentralization. Anyone with an existing account immediately had their name and keys reserved for them on the new chain to do with as they wish.
One of the best- but also most challenging- aspects of creating a new blockchain has been finding a way to balance the diverse opinions of our community. There are many different viewpoints on what a new chain should champion, and just as many strong thoughts on what centralization, distribution, and accountability should look like on Hive. Many people have joined in the buzz around Hive seeking a place that continues to expand on the values that brought them to the cryptosphere in the first place. With two blockchains available to everyone, there are spaces for all opinions on centralization and decentralization to flourish.
What happens on Hive now is wholly separate from Steem, and one of the last big decisions to make going forward is the final airdrops put on hold for community feedback at the time of launch. The community feels strongly both for and against the inclusion of airdrops for people who actively supported centralization on Steem, and would like to have a say in the distribution on Hive. By using the proposal system we can create a space for the community to vote according to their wishes on Hive's initial distribution, without impacting the affairs of other chains.
It's truly important to note that being excluded from the initial airdrop does not mean that any account was forked out or disincluded from participating on Hive: many are already posting, participating, and earning, regardless. This is an important part of making a space where decentralization and censorship resistance can grow, if we put in the hard work to support it. Whatever the community decides via this vote relates solely to the initial distribution airdrop, and does not impact or block anyone's ability to use the Hive blockchain as they see fit, or the funds or culture of any other blockchain.
Completing the community vote is one of the last big tasks remaining so that a code freeze for Hardfork 24 can be put into place. This means that the results here will inform the hardfork code, a date will be chosen past where this code will no longer be changed, and exchanges will be given notice about the upgrade. We'll be writing another post in the next few days talking about the anatomy of a hardfork, and what sort of timing is needed to prepare for one.
The "No Additional Airdrop" proposal has an extended voting period well into the future. This will allow it to serve as the companion to any individual proposals or groups that may come up after the main voting. It allows for the community to give feedback on the airdrop outside of the context of the return proposal, saves anyone who chooses to create an additional "for" vote the cost of creating an additional "against," and allows those who are against airdrops to vote without impacting development of community proposals seeking funding unrelated to initial distribution.
Three of the best options available currently are Hivedao.com, the PeakD.com interface, and the Hive.Blog interface. These are all different ways to view the same proposals, so feel free to use whichever you feel most comfortable with. Remember that proposals are a core part of our blockchain, so don't forget to check on what else is available, and to come back often to see if there's anything that aligns with the Hive you want to see. You can vote for proposals, but also remove your votes for them if you feel they are not being fulfilled. In the coming weeks, we'll create a helpful reference post talking more about the DHF and proposal fund possibilities for the future of Hive.
