STOP telling Matt he can get away with something.... 

Matt, old Buddy.. Do you think everyone around here thinks your so rad that they will just let you slide on that 10k BTC bet? Me personally I think they will.

Tom, that's looking a bit threatening
I hope that man in the photo is not threatening any type of violence by flexing his gun(s).....

Clear threats of violence often do result in bans, especially when the poster is also asking other people to commit violence. I kinda feel like I should leave threats up so the target of the threats can point the police to them.


I'd probably give police whatever info they want on a user who threatened to harm someone who was later actually harmed.

Lots of people make threads to everyone daily, for example while driving.
Why couldn't I do it here?

I don't take it as something offensive, it's just people that are nervous.

I. Introduction

Over the past few months, I've observed a general trend on this forum that I think is rather disturbing. We have always disagreed and debated on a vast variety of subjects, but more and more often of late those debates seem to turn into or in some cases start as nothing but 'flame wars', to use the colloquial term. This forum, once a reasonable facsimile of a haven for intellectual and civil discussion, has mutated into a wasteland of mud-slinging, baseless accusations, fear-mongering, utterly nonsensical FUD, mob mentalities, and worst of all, xenophobia. This is most pronounced in the Marketplace and associated sub-forums, but seems to be permeating throughout the extent of these boards.

II. Why The Marketplace Matters

Some of you probably avoid the Marketplace altogether, and wonder if it really matters. Regardless of where you prefer to spend your time, the fact remains that Bitcoin is a currency. Trade is necessary for both a healthy economy and, perhaps more importantly, recruitment of new users.

III. Mud-slinging

We all disagree with each other. If we didn't, we'd have nothing to talk about. But disagreement does not have to translate into insults.
Ad hominem reasoning not only fails to provide any result of worth for either involved party; it poisons the general topic of discussion and makes the thread useless for any future or current readers. One simple insult can create multiple threads of incoherent flaming.

IV. Baseless Accusations

These threads tend to sound like tabloid articles. Inciting headlines, extravagant claims, and no logical evidence whatsoever to back them up. If you have a serious accusation and want results, please make a factual claim and back it up (Example). Factual and civil trade disagreement threads have a much higher rate of resolution. Remember, whether the counterparty is a scammer or not, they are a human being, and a successful dispute resolution is much more likely if you treat them like one.

V. Fear-mongering

This sometimes goes hand-in-hand with the above, but sometimes not insomuch an accusation as chaos-inciting content, often simply links to other threads with an eye-catching title attached. First of all, we do not need multiple different threads to discuss the same thing. Second, if you're going to make extravagant claims, at least take the time to make them yourself.

VI. Utterly Nonsensical FUD

Also known as spam. I receive quite enough of this in my email inbox. If you don't have anything useful or intelligent to post, don't post. It's as simple as that.

VII. Mob Mentalities

Also known as the 'exponential thread growth problem'. Don't take what other people say at face value, and don't simply repeat other's sentiments. All of you have something unique to contribute to discussions. Contribute it!

VIII. Xenophobia

This one concerns me the most, as I think it could have far-reaching implications. Most people who read about Bitcoin and come here have read almost ubiquitously negative press discussing drugs, Ponzi schemes, and ever-imminent collapse. They decided to take a chance and investigate for themselves. What do they find? A community which refuses to do business with anyone relatively new. A community filled with animosity. Half the forums polluted with allegations of Ponzi schemes. In other words, they find exactly what the media told them to expect. Their conclusion? The media is right. Do we really want to embody what the media portrays us as?

IX. Addendum: BS&T

First of all, I will admit that I am most certainly not an unbiased observer. I did my research and invested into BS&T. I have no factual conclusion as to whether it is a Ponzi or not, nor do I think I have enough expertise to surmise a claim. But, regardless of whether BS&T is a ponzi, an innocent company investing in third-world medical care, or an elaborate hoax conceived by Bernie Madoff's hitherto unknown twin, endlessly fretting and arguing about it will accomplish nothing whatsoever.

Those of you with convinced BS&T is a Ponzi scheme, I'm glad you're being cautious with investment. Please refrain from starting hundreds of separate threads stating nothing new whatsoever. Perhaps it is a scam, perhaps not. I know some of you have far superior wisdom which you are ever eager to share, but us mere mortals are still capable of intelligent analysis and decision-making. If BS&T truly is a Ponzi, somehow I suspect we will notice.

X. Conclusion

I'm just some nameless forum member writing another rant, albeit perhaps not on one of the usual subjects. All I ask is that you read and think upon it. Perhaps this won't make any difference. But it certainly wouldn't have if I didn't write it.

Best regards,
BinaryMage

The website is my focus this week, I hope to have it cleaned up and more information posted.  Easyminer has taken a back seat for a lot of that time due to our focus on the ASIC engineering as we have limited resources when it comes to that.  We have been putting some resources into Easyminer recently though.  We hope to have something more available RSN.

Website and more information is definitely a priority for this week, though.

It is ironic how Bitcoin is being destroyed by idiocy of its users. I wonder what Satoshi thinks when he reads threads about guys falling for Pirate's scam.

On a side note - when is Pirate supposed to pay out? I must sell my btcs until then.

Why is bitcoin being destroyed by that scam (or fail; since nobody knows what's really is?)?

Has anyone else gotten the most recent Largecoin announcement, the survey I mean?  It seems that BFL has partially succeeded in scaring its competitors.

How big is memory dealers?

Or do you mean accepting bitcoins isn't enough to be a "bitcoin company"

Video - with Roger Ver (Bitinstant/memorydealers),Brian Armstrong (coinbase) , Drew Little ('new economist'/founder of producism) , Neils Vanderlanden (don't buy bitcoin guy!), David Wolman (author of The End of Money)

Failover is now fixed, courtesy of Con.