@luke, but this logically results from discouraging the use of OP_RETURN while criticizing developers who use the blockchain for anything that isn't by-the-book, doesn't it? It may be technically beneficial to keep these applications off of Bitcoin's back in a perfect world, and I would agree that in this form Bitcoin stays what it is which could be a good thing. However it has the effect of keeping Bitcoin unchanging, i.e. pure, which has I would argue adverse implications on the number of people interested in the idea of a decentralized economy. I'm just of the opinion that the "solution", whatever it is, has to be using Bitcoin. I don't think other cryptocurrencies can rise to the same level of success, and I also don't think OP_RETURN 80 has a noticeable effect on the long-term network topology.