Steemit has [released](https://github.com/steemit/steem/releases/tag/v0.8.4) version v0.8.4. That release is identical to v0.8.3 (which does not have retroactive changes to curation rewards) except that it has some politically-neutral bug fixes. I think it is only fair for the version of the client with the retroactive curation reward changes (currently v0.8.2) to be upgraded to benefit from those bug fixes as well.

Steemit has not done so. But I am willing to make the small code changes necessary to release a version of steemd that maintains the retroactive curation reward changes of v0.8.2 but includes the latest bug fixes in v0.8.4. I call this version v0.8.104. The idea is that v0.8.**0**_04_ and v0.8.**1**_04_ are identical except that the first one with the **0** has the non-retroactive curation reward while the second one with the **1** has the retroactive curation reward.

Personally, I, as a witness, would rather stay on v0.8.4 (non-retroactive) unless it seems like the super-majority of witnesses are going to go with an alternative version just prior to the July 4th deadline. In that case, I will go with the will of the majority. However, I want to provide the v0.8.104 option so that there is a fair vote by the community. The retroactive option should not be hindered because of bugs that have already been fixed (even if the bugs aren't super critical or devastating to the network if they were to persist with v0.8.2 past the July 4th deadline). 

There is one little issue. @abit reminded me of the [license](https://github.com/steemit/steem/blob/v0.8.4/LICENSE.md) for the Steem code, which states:
> Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
> *...*
> 5\. The software is not used with any forks of the Steem blockchain that are not recognized by Steemit, Inc in writing.

There is debate whether the changes I propose with v0.8.104 would count as a violation of condition 5 or not. But I rather play it safe and get explicit permission from @ned that I can go ahead with my proposed modifications and tag a v0.5.104 release on my GitHub page.

If I get that explicit confirmation from @ned as a comment to this post, I will update this post to include a link to that v0.8.104 release.

---

Edit:
Okay, I got the [explicit approval](https://steemit.com/steem/@arhag/retroactive-alternative-to-v0-8-4#@ned/re-arhag-re-dantheman-re-arhag-retroactive-alternative-to-v0-8-4-20160702t171624515z) from @ned, so I pushed the code to my GitHub. You can find it here: https://github.com/arhag/steem/commits/v0.8.104

Any witnesses who want to continue voting for retroactive changes now have the option to upgrade from v0.8.2 to v0.8.104 (https://github.com/arhag/steem/commits/v0.8.104) to take advantage of the latest bug fixes without compromising retroactivity.

Keep in mind that v0.8.2, v0.8.3, v0.8.4, and v0.8.104 are all mutually incompatible. Anyone using a different version than the super majority after July 4th 00:00:00 UTC will go on a fork.