Kefkius
commented
8 years ago Electrum-DASH has ad hoc testnet support. It can only be changed via altering the source, but it is possible. (This testnet support was implemented out of necessity while implementing masternode functionality.)
The difficult part would be allowing the user to specify mainnet or testnet.
FWIW I also find the aversion to testnet in Electrum strange.
ashmoran
UdjinM6
I'm just throwing this is here for discussion. Electrum-Bitcoin users have asked a few times (https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/issues/21, https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/issues/541, https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/issues/658, https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/issues/1705) for testnet support, but it has been rejected a few times on the basis that "Since Electrum is just a layer over the Bitcoin network, I do not see what Testnet support would bring".
I find this attitude really unusual. Maybe I am just obsessed with testing, but Electrum is financial software and users are moving real money with it. Maybe it is written in such a way that realistically can't lose user funds, but I would imagine the risk of an incorrect transaction is present. Perhaps I have misunderstood something fundamental entirely.
Yesterday I wanted to test masternode support with Trezor in Electrum. I've seen someone post (on /r/dashpay I think) that they would not run more masternodes until they could secure the collateral with a hardware wallet, so this possibly a very important feature. But without testnet support, I can't see a way to do this without moving 1000 real dash around, currently worth over 7000 USD.
From reading the Electrum-Bitcoin issues, this would be a non-trivial task due to the coding (although it seems that some work has been done on both the client and server by other developers) and the fact someone would have to maintain a testnet server. IMHO it would be valuable, if it was feasible.