It's viable economically because it can support many payments. That's how lightning helps.

TonyGiorgio

Thanks for your reply. 

Firstly, nobody was talking about anything free. Of course, there should be a payment.

The whole idea was on the premise that LN helps to secure bitcon's future as useful protocol for fast/cheap transactions. If this is the case, then we need to make sure running a node/opening a channel is viable economically. If it won't be, then how does that help anybody.



kenn_b

bitcoin

Should LN channel open/close transactions be treated differently?

You want people to do the same amount of work, for free? Not only is it illogical, but it is impractical. Lightning channel opens are indistinguishable from any other multisig transaction, and with taproot, indistinguishable from any other taproot transaction.

If you want to provide people channel opens for free, you can go right ahead. Thank you for volunteering.