Bitcoin Forum

I'm a bit skeptical about this new bitcoin ID service (http://bitcoinid.com/).  What is it for exactly?

To me, if you really want to make sure the person you pay is the person you think, you have to request for a signed bitcoin address.

Exemple:

- Alice:  Hi, grondilu, I really like what you do and I would like to donate bitcoins to you.
- grondilu: Ok, my bitcoin address is:  1LBEfZmRqtaH6KwGqt89uFm7dvdkiPdutC
- fake-grondilu:  Don't listen to this guy, Alice, I am the real grondilu and my bitcoin address is: 1PffXTH9o2Lg87d6Y5igEFPSbv6f1kE97U
- Alice:  I know grondilu's public key, so you guys sign your bitcoin address so I found out who is the real grondilu.
- grondilu: Ok, here it is again:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

1LBEfZmRqtaH6KwGqt89uFm7dvdkiPdutC
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.11 (GNU/Linux)

iEYEARECAAYFAk26qGQACgkQq17371C4DmjhVgCg507apPO5bNqwzZnXlPTLe+2q
rM4An34WgO2Lv9LK+tTG0E8Uzlg5pg9v
=+mTq
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
- fake-grondilu:  damn it, you got me.


Now, I know not everybody uses GnuPG, so I guess this bitcoin ID service is usefull anyway.

Here is why i'm progressively adding secured methods to verify the different parts of an identity on bictoin-contact : http://bitcoin-contact.org/identity/khal (verified addresses are with the green check, but i'm not satisfied with this display).

You can currently :
- add your OTC identity, verified with a signed GPG message
- add a bitcoin address, verified by sending a payment to self of a certain amount (i explain how to do that when you add the address in your account). I will add the ability to sign message directly with your bitcoin address when my patch will be included :  Sign and verify message with bitcoin address and public key]http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=6428.0 (http://[PULL)
- add an email address, verified the classical way


A direct GPG signed bitcoin address will always be better, of course, if you know how to do it and if you know the public key of the person :p

done.