Down.

It's much safer, especially if you only use your windows VM for these tasks, assuming you used an original windows disc to install the OS and not a cracked download. Why didn't you use Linux in the VM though? I would have thought that was the safest possible option, assuming the cryptocoin clients can be compiled.....

I had lots of fun this weekend working on my own design for a two-sided tri-fold tamper-resistant paper Bitcoin wallet. Thanks for any and ALL criticism / comments -- whether it's about the look & feel, functionality, security features, etc. See:

http://youtu.be/V4H1VE3EAtI

This video is also a treasure hunt in which I happily invite you to “steal” 0.1 BTC . Finders keepers, so race on!

Design features:

• Private key is hidden behind folds, so your wallet content is still safe if left out in the open or photographed.
• Tamper-proof tape indicates when you (or someone else!) has revealed the private key.
• Folding design obfuscates private keys so they’re hidden even when holding wallet up to a bright light.
• Reverse side has basic wallet operation instructions and a register for writing down deposits / balance.
• Private and public keys are replicated (and rotated) in triplicate to maximize chances of recovering keys if paper is damaged / crumpled.

When I’ve got enough feedback and a final design, I’ll publish a web page that will generate these wallets with just a couple of clicks. (No photoshop required, as the foundation will be based on the excellent wallet generator at bitaddress.org which as you probably already know uses a secure javascript page you can run even while offline.)

If you'd like to print out a sample for yourself, see PDF links here: http://cantonbecker.com/projects/2013/bitcoin-paper-wallet-design-video/.

I only bought 2 BTC so not worried either way but interested to see what peoples opinions will be.

The latest crash proved that people's mindset has not been adjusted to bitcoin at all  

In a traditional economy, when something's return is highly above average (e.g. more than 100% per year), people will start to believe this is a bubble, and sooner or later, this bubble will burst and the return will eventually fall back to a reasonable ROI, like 10% per year

This wisdom have fundamental theory support: In a world where capital is largely available, if some products' return is very high, there will be more and more capitals attracted to produce this product and increase the supply, and earning will eventually drop to the cost of the capital (loan interest). Means high return will never last for too long

But for bitcoin, it is totally different. No matter how much capitals are added into bitcoin mining, the total amount of coins generated per day will never change (and just get less and less). The added capital just increased number of miners and raised network difficulty, reduced the production of each miner, thus increased the per coin value, instead of decrease it like in a traditional economy

So, in theory, bitcoin's valuation model is totally different than any of existing financial/economy model, and the anticipation should also be totally different. The price can rise quickly and forever, if there is a limitation on how high it can go, that will be available fiat money supply

But why people are still shouting this is a bubble when they see the price doubled in less than a month? The old mindset still rules, they are not confident at all in this new technology

This smells of remorse and written to yourself rather than to us

Bitcoin has been amazingly easy to make money from, for a trader it has AMAZING advantages over traditional stocks/ FX.

You have to square it with yourself of course and for every dollar you lose, see it as a dollar invested in your financial education

At some point, some of Bitcoin's market segments WILL experience a loss of confidence. This could happen gradually, leading to a tapering-off of Bitcoin's price growth, or it could happen suddenly, leading to a big drop. No-one should be surprised when this happens. it will happen at least once. Personally I think we're a long way from when it will happen.

I think the short-term risks are:

1. A serious problem at MtGox (e.g. an outage lasting a week or more), which would dent the credibility of Bitcoin in a big way. Not for existing users, but for anyone considering getting into Bitcoin. This would depress the price in a big way.

2. A serious attempt by the government to stifle Bitcoin. Or even just a credible statement of desire to stifle Bitcoin.

Translation: I bought at $250, cried on the downturn, did not sell and try to recoup my losses via trading lower, and am now trying hard to convince myself that I will someday recover my investment. When the market dips even further, I will declare bitcoin is permanently dead and sell my holdings for a 95% loss. No more than five minutes later the price will triple in recovery, and I will watch incredulously, telling myself that I was right about it being dead, and there's no way I could buy back into something that risky again.

After it has made at least a 2000% gain from the bottom, I will then buy in again with dreams of overnight riches.

How'd I do?

Why do you guys even think bitcoin will recover?
The media destroyed it, bubble pops, everybody is looking for the new virtual currency that 'solves the many problems with bitcoin', and ripple and litecoin are often named (not that that makes any sense...).

It doesn't matter what a small community like ours wants or thinks, media declared bitcoin pretty much dead, i expect to see single digits soon.

I was very optimistic long-term too, but i think the confidence is too damaged now because of the media hype and panic sells.

Honestly i hope i'm completely wrong about it...!

True - but if you sold you could now buy 4 times more BTC for your long term.

Please make this on bets of bitcoin.  I will bet against this.

+1

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/bitcoin_anarchy_in_need_of_some_zTFr06G6IWEWYp3OSvJ99L

Members of the bitcoin community are starting to wonder if anarchy is the best policy, as recent turmoil raises interest in possible new regulations.

The digital currency, which is minted using computers running algorithms, had been plummeting in value for two days after soaring to above $200 a bitcoin earlier this week.

The exchange that handles the most bitcoin transactions, Mt.Gox, halted trading yesterday because of troubles, and the CEO of Coinlab, Peter Vessenes, said the exchange would be open to some oversight.

“We’d be happy to be regulated,” said Vessenes, who also is with the Bitcoin Foundation, an organizing body. “There is no self-regulatory organization for these. It’s pre-regulated right now, but we’re not anti-regulation.”

Vessenes runs North American trading for Mt.Gox. Yesterday, the market shut because of volatility, driven by a flood of new users interested in the currency and other users looking to sell at a market high point.

There was a lag in processing orders, helping fuel the panic, Vessenes said. There are some bitcoin enthusiasts who are against rules, however.

The currency, based on free open-source computer code that anyone can access, was created to stand apart from the traditional money system, and it attracted libertarians and anti-government types.

Still, the volatility in the price of bitcoins — rising from about $45 just a month ago to more than $250 this week and back down to around $100 yesterday — has some people questioning if no rules are good rules.

One venture capitalist, who was investing in bitcoin-based startups, said there need to be some rules and order before the currency can take off.

“Right now you have a bunch of anarchistic market dilettantes who don’t understand how markets work and don’t understand the perils of markets,” he said. “People who understand markets need to get involved.”

no it would only last for over 20 minutes.  the diff adjuster keeps the transactions moving, but leaves a slight vulnerability for mining exploits