Timing/Lateness

Once a user stakes, a timer starts and the user must take action before they are late. The amount of time given depends on whether or not the user stakes during the pre-data staking period. If someone stakes during the pre-data staking period, which is a period of ten minutes right before a dataset opens to receive data, then the time until the dataset opens is added to the timer so no matter when someone stakes they have fifteen minutes while the dataset is accepting data to send in their endorsement.

The reason for having a limited time to endorse data is that if there is a spot saved for a user indefinitely, then they can cause the dataset to get stuck by never supplying an endorsement. Data can still be supplied late if there is still room for the user, but the pay will be reduced by, potentially, a lot, and perhaps down to zero (see below for more details about slashes).