Bitcoin Forum

I was just testing out Bitcoin, solved the captcha, but didn't get any coins, because of a "server error". That sound like a cheap excuse to get people to solve captchas for free.

https://freebitcoins.appspot.com/

https://freebitcoins.appspot.com/ just works as advertised in probably most cases.

You presume it is a scam without asking others if they used it. You also assume malice rather than a server error. It's very wrong of you to do that.

The server error is probably real.  I got 0.50 bitcoins from there when I tried a while ago.

I didn't presume anything (note the question mark). I was asking a question and it seems a smart way for a criminal to spam. In one context it is an honest mistake and in another it is not.

Thanks for the quick replies.

What error did you get, farmer_boy?  The only errors I see in the server's logs are "rate limit" errors.

The Faucet tries hard to prevent people from cheating and using it more than once; unfortunately, that means if somebody who "looks like you" uses the Faucet before you, you might be prevented from getting your coins.   If that happens, try again a day later.

I've been thinking about implementing a two-tiered Faucet:  one that gives out a smaller number of coins and just requires you solve the CAPTCHA (and has all the current anti-cheating measures in place; there are one or two people still people cheating, but they're only able to get a few bit-pennies an hour, and they're going through an amazing amount of trouble to do it).

And another that gives out a larger number of coins if you login with a valid Google account.   Getting tens or hundreds of Google accounts is harder than solving CAPTCHAS.

But if I did do that... I'd get accused of implementing the Faucet as a sneaky way of stealing Google account email addresses.

Sigh.

"Our web server code has a bug in it-- thanks for helping us find it, and sorry to inconvenience you! We'll fix it as soon as we can." was the error message.

 I got my first 0.05 bitcoins. So, apparently it did work. I suggest you only show an error message when there is actually an error from the point of view of the user.

How many statustypes are there? I think it started at 0/unconfirmed and now it is at 4/unconfirmed. From a UI point of view just showing the probabilities would be simpler, I think.

The faucet rocks  :) :) :D If it hadn't been for that very small help, I would have given up on bitcoin very soon.

use the board search next time.

Ack, please not Google!  They make the 'net too centralised already.


Piff. TANSTAAFL.

You could delay the gift for a while, to see who else shows up asking later in the day.  Then if it looks like someone cheated, you can cancel all their pending transactions.  This way, when they game your rules for spotting cheats they risk all their effort in (window of time), rather than the effort for one more drip.

Or you could require the recipient address on a postcard with a nice picture, if you don't mind publishing a snailmail address.

It might help if you made it clear what you regard as fair..?  I asked once & got 0.05 (thank you).
Not being sure that you are happy for me to ask again, I didn't.

What about open ID instead of google? Actually google supports open ID so people can choose to use a google account to login or any other open ID provider. Google fanboy  :P


Actually i love google too lol. Anything is better than facebook connect......

MrFlibble:  "Fair" is one set of coins (however many the Faucet is giving out at the time-- hopefully, bitcoins will continue to become more valuable, and I'll give out fewer over time...) per person.

I like the postcard idea, although I'm not willing to type in bitcoin addresses written on postcards!

Hmm... any stamp collectors here?  Paying people bitcoins to send you postcards (with stamps on them) might be really fun...

And re: using OpenID instead of a Google Account:  that'd be easy to implement, but way too easy for cheaters (who can just be their own OpenID provider and give themselves as many OpenIDs as they want).

I suspected this, but reading between the lines.  Some folks can't do that, or are blinded by the free money.

Where pseudonyms are cheaper than a "first one is free" offer such as yours, I think most enforcement solutions (passport id?!) would be unacceptable to most folk here.  (Hmm, is this a form of arbitrage?  I have been reading a lot recently.)


;D

QR codes?  bit.ly URL?  Your website displays a "confirmation number" which must appear on the postcard?

But I believe you are trying to drink the ocean here.  I'm most interested in helping you prolong your patience with this kind but futile task.  :-\

What about putting a page to get bitcoin behind an OpenID login page ?


I mean, we are all about decentralization and I think that OpenID is way more interesting than a Google account. It is also impossible for you to steal anything as all you will have would be a nickname.


PS: I have 2 Google accounts but only one OpenID, just to ensure I'm no trying to convince you in order to cheat the system.