ossification means the base rules become very hard to change.
Why many want it
- Trust in rules: money whose rules can change is money someone controls.
- Less risk: every change can introduce bugs.
- Neutrality: fewer upgrades means fewer fights over whose interests win.
The other side
Some argue features like covenants or better privacy are still needed, and that freezing too early locks in limits.
How Bitcoin handles both
Upgrades are possible but slow: SegWit (2017) and Taproot (2021) were soft forks, so old nodes keep working. Most innovation now happens in layers (Lightning, wallets, silent payments) that need no consensus change. The base stays boring on purpose.