Bitcoin Forum

Hi bitcoiners,

Some days ago i asked a "famous bitcoin guy" a question, he answered so i donated him a small bitcoin amount.
To recognize my donation i send him the link of the transaction id on blockchain but i realized that this method was not enough to grant that i make the donation.
The "famous bitcoin guy" believed me :) but i start thinking that anonymous address are ok in many situation but a simple way to associate identity to a bitcoin address could be useful in some situation and currently i don't know if something like that exist.

Technically could work as an HTTP services like that:

GET http://address-identity-url/{bitcoin-address}
return 404 not found or a custom string that could be the real name of the {bitcoin-address} owner

POST http://address-identity-url/{bitcoin-address}
write the custom string at that URL, to be succesfull you need to provide an header with the signature generated by the private key of the {bitcoin-address}

This way, only the owner of the {bitcoin-address} could post on http://address-identity-url/{bitcoin-address}

Before start implementing i would like opinion about this service.
Currently, are there other way for optionally associating identity to a bitcoin address?
Are there simple way to sign generic data with bitcoin wallet?
I think could be really useful, do you?

UPDATE for clarification based on answer:
This is an optional feature totally controlled by the owner of the bitcoin address
The service could also work in the opposite direction, knowing bitcoin address starting with the identity

You can already sign messages to prove ownership of an address.

Thanks, didn't know because i am currently using exchange.

Anyway, do you sign the transaction or do you sign your address?

This service maps a Bitcoin address to a custom string. And the service can also be extended to the other direction -- mapping a custom string (a.k.a a user name) to a Bitcoin address. Signatures should be required for both directions.

The inverse mapping could be very useful but user name has to be unique ( Have you think about all the "John Smith"? :) )

The only way I can see this working is if there was a different wallet that incorporated the persons personal info in the address; a wallet you can use for those special occasions. Otherwise overall it won't fly as people want to keep anonymous.

gavin andresen is thinking of incorperating API into bitcoin addresses

EG
1Blahdfkslkdfslsdflsedlgsdlscdflscd?txid=&urlcallback=www.merchantswebpage.com&customparameter=

so then people can set up their own addresses and custom parameters. and then when the transaction is sent, it is sent through the network and a copy is sent to the callback url along with the custom parameter the person has added. thus allowing transactions to be linked to whatever information the person wants

1Blahdfkslkdfslsdflsedlgsdlscdflscd?txid=(whatever the tx ends up as)&urlcallback=www.mydonationpage.com&bitcointalkusername=franky1

Of course, this is just an optional feature

However, some governments might make it mandatory and force it upon the citizens.

If they are gonna force identification, i think they could find a good technical way

I'll just use my old client which doesnt have this feature then. O_o

Very interesting, this is a nice feature, covering my initial problem.
But i still think it's a bit different to what i am proposing, it's an information linked to the transaction (that you have to specify every time)
not linked to an address (that you have to specify just the first time)

Don't you think?

Just to be clear, i am not agree to identify all bitcoin address.
I just think responsability it's not in the means

The things is, if it was implemented, the governments would simply use an already existing system and in such case wouldn't look as bad as creating a new system just for control.

mean, what services can determine, the address with the identity of the wallet?
if it's true, it would be a miracle  :)

I started thinking the opposite :)  (knowing identity by address)

As you and ning say the reverse (knowing address by identity) could be really usefull.
The problem here is that identity is a plain string, so, how to deal with duplicates?
I am currently not figuring out

A GPG Public Key selected by the owner?