# February 16, 2018 - Dev update **URL:** \ **Category:** Weekly Forum Updates\ **Created:** [February 16, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127 "2018-02-16T20:55:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![paige](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/paige/32/31152_2.png) [@paige](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/paige)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/1 "2018-02-16T20:55:26Z")
**1.0.15/Overwinter** We decided to delay the [1.0.15 release](https://github.com/zcash/zcash/milestone/67) to Monday (Feb 19) to allow the engineers time for sufficient review and final touching up of the outstanding [Overwinter PRs](https://github.com/zcash/zcash/pulls?q=is%3Apr+label%3A%22NU0+wishlist%22). As a formality, we’ll still be putting out a release candidate but much of the testing for Overwinter PRs will happen via testnet over the next few weeks. We’re focusing on making the testnet more reliable in terms of blocktime for this period (and beyond) by dedicating more mining nodes to it. Audits of the Overwinter code changes and [Overwinter ZIPs](https://github.com/zcash/zips/pulls?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=+label%3AOverwinter+) are starting shortly as well. A new [countdown page](https://z.cash/upgrade/overwinter.html) for Overwinter was made live and we’ll be pushing updates to it as needed in addition to a new section of the FAQ about network upgrades. The countdown page should be the central resource for everyone interested in learning more about Overwinter. Resources for third-party developers and users are both linked there so please share this with anyone curious and let us know if you have any feedback. **Sapling** We’re coordinating an audit on the [pairing library](https://github.com/ebfull/pairing/) for Sapling and have updated the API for [Bellman](https://github.com/ebfull/bellman) which is now in good shape and subsequently updated the [Sapling crypto](https://github.com/zcash-hackworks/sapling-crypto) library to work with those changes. Some final review of the specification for the consensus changes in Sapling are still occuring but we’re getting much closer at making it ready for publishing. **Hiring** _Four_ new engineers are starting on Monday! We’re very excited but will need some time to sufficiently onboard them and get them into the flow which might disrupt other progress temporarily but will sufficiently improve progress in the long-run. ---
**Author:** ![newport101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8dc957/32.png) [@newport101](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/newport101)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 10:02pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/2 "2018-02-16T22:02:36Z")
Congrats to the new hires! ---
**Author:** ![paige](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/paige/32/31152_2.png) [@paige](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/paige)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 11:13am UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/3 "2018-02-20T11:13:44Z")
Forgot to update yesterday, but we’ve decided to push back 1.0.15 one more week. This will put the release date on Monday Feb 26th. Thanks for everyone’s patience! ---
**Author:** ![hyperion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4491bb/32.png) [@hyperion](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/hyperion)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 1:18pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/4 "2018-02-24T13:18:22Z")
Hello! Are you planning to make configurable folders for blockchain, proving key and wallet? Please, tell the exact files i need to backup my wallet. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![paige](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/paige/32/31152_2.png) [@paige](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/paige)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 7:11pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/5 "2018-02-25T19:11:03Z")
Hi there, check out [https://github.com/zcash/zcash/blob/master/doc/wallet-backup.md](https://github.com/zcash/zcash/blob/master/doc/wallet-backup.md) and let me know if you have further questions about backing up your wallet ---
**Author:** ![Strob](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/strob/32/6194_2.png) [@Strob](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/Strob)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 3:07pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/6 "2018-03-02T15:07:54Z")
What if I use a ledger nano s? Do I need to do anything? ---
**Author:** ![Strob](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/strob/32/6194_2.png) [@Strob](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/Strob)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 3:08pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/7 "2018-03-02T15:08:45Z")
And what about mining? Will the old software like EWBF still be as good for mining zcash after the upgrade? ---
**Author:** ![paige](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/paige/32/31152_2.png) [@paige](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/paige)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/8 "2018-03-02T15:13:10Z")
@Strob we just released this blog post about Overwinter: [Overwinter - Electric Coin Company](https://blog.z.cash/overwinter/) It gives an overview of what to expect and links to additional resources like the [Overwinter information portal](https://z.cash/upgrade/overwinter.html) Let me know if something in that documentation is not clear for you as we’d like to make sure our communications about upgrades are effective and efficient. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Strob](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/strob/32/6194_2.png) [@Strob](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/Strob)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/9 "2018-03-02T15:35:06Z")
Ok thanks. I don’t see any specific instruction to miners about the upgrade to overwinter so I guess we have nothing to do…? ---
**Author:** ![paige](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/paige/32/31152_2.png) [@paige](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/paige)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/10 "2018-03-02T16:16:26Z")
The developers of mining pool software will need to integrate changes introduced in Overwinter while miners themselves are in the “user” bucket meaning they just need to keep software updated. Edit: mining software → mining pool software ---
**Author:** ![Strob](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/strob/32/6194_2.png) [@Strob](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/Strob)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 4:24pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/11 "2018-03-02T16:24:27Z")
Oopss… ok so since EWBF seems to have stop any development, it may stop working… I thought it would be only the pools who would have to update their payment software. ---
**Author:** ![paige](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/paige/32/31152_2.png) [@paige](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/paige)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/12 "2018-03-02T16:30:31Z")
Hm. Good point. We’ll consider this potential in supporting third-party integrations of the upgrade. Might be worth to compile a list of unmaintained Zcash software and suggestions for where to move to. ---
**Author:** ![paige](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/paige/32/31152_2.png) [@paige](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/paige)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 4:47pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/13 "2018-03-02T16:47:04Z")
Oops, I misinterpreted something. According to engineers, “If correctly implemented, mining client software should not need to upgrade” Apologies for the confusion! ---
**Author:** ![Strob](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/strob/32/6194_2.png) [@Strob](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/Strob)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/14 "2018-03-02T16:50:29Z")
Ok good to hear! Otherwise it would not have leave many choice for the miner software… ---
**Author:** ![daira](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/zcash/user_avatar/forum.zcashcommunity.com/daira/32/43253_2.png) [@daira](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/u/daira)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 7:01pm UTC](https://forum.zcashcommunity.com/t/february-16-2018-dev-update/27127/15 "2018-03-02T19:01:03Z")
Users of hardware wallets will need to upgrade their firmware and wallet software for Overwinter once the new firmware and software is available.