Bitcoin Forum

I'm assuming a lot of us know about what the Erdős number and Bacon number systems are. For those of you that don't, here's how it goes.

The Erdős number describes the "collaborative distance" between mathematician Paul Erdős and another person, as measured by authorship of mathematical papers. To be assigned an Erdős number, someone must be a coauthor of a research paper with another person who has a finite Erdős number. Paul Erdős has an Erdős number of zero. Anybody else's Erdős number is k + 1 where k is the lowest Erdős number of any coauthor.


Albert Einstein has an Erdős number of 2, because he collaborated with someone that collaborated with Erdős.

The same principle is applied to Bacon numbers, but instead of collaborations, you're appearing in movies.


Erdős numbers are usually around 6. Distinguished mathematicians are closer to 0, and a number higher than 10 is extremely rare.

I figured this idea would be fun if applied to Satoshi. Satoshi would have a Satoshi number of 0, and anyone who sent a message to and received a response from Satoshi would have a Satoshi number of 1. If you communicate with someone that has a Satoshi number of 4, yours will be no higher than 5.


Here's an example. Satoshi and Andresen collaborated on Sourceforge, Andresen and Luke-jr collaborated on Github, and Luke-jr and I patrol the wiki.

Upon further evaluation, I've realized that (as of rather recently) this chain is also accurate:


So how fun! I've gotten a Satoshi number of 2. Technically anyone who replies to this thread and gets a response from me will automatically have a Satoshi number of no more than 3.

As Satoshi is now gone, it's impossible to get a Satoshi number of 1 now. This may change if he decides to come back. Also, if Satoshi is actually multiple people, then they get a Satoshi number of 0, as they are Satoshi. :)

I did some digging:


Thanks Obama. :(

I dare you guys to try to find your Satoshi numbers! Or maybe find someone with a very high one, like 7!

I dare say this is pretty pointless.

I don't know what I was expecting.

Well, its interesting, lol I guess? haha thought, I think to do it correctly, you would have had to receive bitcoins from satoshi? 

Sure, but we don't have very many transfers linked to Satoshi. I don't know of many, at least.

If anything I think better criteria would be actual collaboration rather than mere discussion. The chains in the OP would probably still be accurate.

Yea, or there should be more criteria than just a few posts. if that was the case, anybody could have a 2 or 3 easy

My Bacon number is 4, and my Satoshi number is lower!

So I'm not Kevin Bacon, but I may be Satoshi.

If theymo has a Satoshi numer of 1 because of direct comunication wih him and theymos answered one of my post in the past, what Satoshi number would i have, 2?
If you in turn reply to my post would that not change my Satoshi number again?

For this number, your nearest relationship with Satoshi is the one that counts. If you're already 2, then you remain 2 until you get 1 (by talking to Satoshi by yourself).

Can't really speak to collaboration, second one is more funny:

Adam Back has answered a few questions of mine in the past.
One day in SF, I was dining upscale Chinese and in walks Gavin + a few guys working on the Lightning Network.

considering both I and satoshi has posted on this forum, I would say I have a satoshi number of 1.

Has Satoshi replied to you?

My Satoshi number is 2. I wish I had a 1. :P

I think you are conflating 'collaborative distance' (Erdős number or Kevin Bacon number) with 'degrees of separation'.   Clearly the 6 degrees of separation thing proves that we are all connected, however to what extent are we professional connected in a meaningful way to some industry icon?

Selection of Satoshi is weak for a number of reasons; you want to pick a person that has done lots of projects (erdos did very many projects) in their field the word "prolific" must be fitting; not someone that has done a single or hand full of projects then called it a day.  Ideally, you want someone that did lots of varying kinds of projects, all over the world with all different people over decades, such that they actually shaped the industry on both macro and micro levels; this is why Bacon is fitting for his industry.  

Nevertheless the connection can't be casual, or incidental it must be meaningful and documented.  Just because Satoshi paid his light bill doesn't connect him to the utility company in terms of collaborative distance, additionally consultation is not collaboration, and 'dedication to' doesn't mean 'partnership with'.  

Find someone that has his hands in a whole bunch of progressively meaningful projects, the twins, and roger ver, come to mind because I've read lots of stories where their names constantly pop up.  Andres is everywhere but I got the distinct impression that he purposefully stays away from connecting with projects in a meaningful way to keep his name clear of all of the scheming wackos.  

So my question is, who in the community is a partner in the most CC industry projects?  Of that group how many of the projects vary in category?  How successful are the projects?   How diverse are the partnerships?   etc ...  

Satoshi 0
Gavin 1
Andreas 1
Garzik 1
Hal 1
Matonis 1
Peter Todd 2, after Garzik
Theymos 2, after Garzik
Max Keiser 2
etc etc

Who knows. For all I know, satoshi is my father. Or cousin. Or... well, you get the point. So I'm going to be optimistic and tentatively put myself at a satoshi number of 1 :D

That's not the way it works.