Author: Marco González

Editor: Randall Roland

Unfortunately for the early EOS mainnet community, a sole entity (B1) was entrusted to develop the underlying EOSIO code. Disagreement persisted as to how to further develop the code base beyond its fundamental design. The result was a split between EOS’ funding arm and the core developer community.

The mainnet community felt that funding had been committed for independent projects. EOS was thought to continue its second-stage development out of the minds of community members. Block.one desired to take another path. It saw the crypto space changing and wanted to chase high profile investors.

Today, Block.one is now B1. The company’s focus is on developing its own global exchange. EOS development seems an afterthought for this team. B1’s attitude remains unchanged, even though EOSIO technology underpins its operations.

EOSIO is open-source. The third version, Mandel 3.1 (now Antelope Leap 3.1), will be as well. Mandel fixes existing issues and radically advances the core technology. It’s a complete overhaul of EOSIO 2.0. Instead of producing a product that’s a slight upgrade, core developers came together to fulfill long lost promises. The effort is made possible by the EOS Network Foundation, working groups, and the community’s spirit.

Something B1 may need to come to terms with is that Mandel introduced a new philosophy. Team Mandel (now the Antelope Coalition working with the ENF) maintains that backsource compatibility will be coded in. Though, one must wonder if Mandel will sufficiently support B1’s hybrid order book said to embrace EOS as a prime currency.

High spirits resonate throughout the mainnet ever since the ENF announced Mandel. New development continues to flourish even beyond the core group of developers. Unlike past EOSIO upgrades, Mandel offers a complete solution. It puts to rest persistent concerns in an efficient way while implementing one of the greatest projects blockchain has ever known.

Today we see a revitalization of the early EOS spirit. It’s evident in many mainnet projects and micro-communities. Eden on EOS brings this spirit to governance. Pomelo is a breath of fresh air for funding and networking. Entities like EOS Nation and the EOS Network Foundation (ENF) boast insiders that positively impact the mainnet. EOS Support reaches out to new users and aids independent development. Helios supports enterprise and brings additional funds.

The revitalization of the EOS Spirit extends to the greater ecosystem. Coalition+ may be the best example of how far EOSIO technology extends its reach. The Coalition team is a working group comprised of independent developers across EOSIO chains (including the mainnet). Coalition+ serves to bridge not just EOSIO technology, but also other non-DPOS communities.

Working groups (WG+) prove to add to the community’s spirit. The ENF continues to sponsor new working groups dedicated to solving unique problems and development. Seems like there’s a working group for every flavor of EOS user. Yield+ satisfies investors concerned with liquidity. Core+ caters to the concerns of mainnet developers. Recover+ alleviates the minds of users apprehensive about blockchain itself.

Another emerging community and working group worth mentioning is the Trust Network. The new EOS EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) bridges across core blockchain protocols. Historically, EOS and Ethereum have been at odds. That’s about to change with EOS EVM. Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin openly expressed his belief that EOS will be good for Ethereum. It’s a match of 3rd-gen speed and efficiency, EOS, with the most powerful 2nd-gen smart contract network, Ethereum.

Comparing the EOS community before and after Mandel (now Antelope) is like night and day. There’s just so much new development. EOS seems like a new blockchain. Discussion topics are no longer embattled with complaints. Rather, community discourse is vibrant and productive. Ongoing development can be directly observed. It’s all going well enough for the ENF to announce a date for BPs to find consensus and activate Mandel (Antelope Leap) 3.1. The new EOS is unlike anything that’s ever existed within the crypto space.