Just to clarify a bit.

The idea of this second small computer is to be able to take it into a place such as a supermarket cafe without a power source, but with WiFi. That would allow me to make a Bitcoin transaction using a core wallet. An external hard drive would normally be a better solution, but it would increase the power requirement, and reduce the portability. The notebook would not be run 24/7, but would probably be on for 5 or 6 hours per day. This should be enough to keep the blockchain synchronised.

I am aware of 3rd party wallets, but don't wish to use them. I prefer to control things via a core wallet. The transactions that I hope to make will include cash purchases of Bitcoin, and the sale and purchase of domain names.

Thanks again. I hadn't thought about the DVD option. I've got a writer on the main computer, but I think I'll still run with the USB option so that I can document the process for other people. I've just looked at my blockchain directory, and it's reported to be 106Gb. That bears out your comment, and it would seem to mean that it will have to be a pruned node. It will probably be more interesting to run this anyway, so that I can see what limitations ( if any ) crop up.

I found this helpful video, so it looks as if I'm going to be installing Ubuntu fairly soon. I just need to get a couple of extra memory sticks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbglTmowRK4

Thanks for that post. You've more or less confirmed my opinion of Windows 10. I really don't want Microsoft keeping a copy of my wallet, or making me pay to keep a 3rd copy of the blockchain. It would be worth blocking it ( if I could ) just on performance considerations, let alone the security risks.

You are suggesting that I use an USB stick rather than an SD card, and thanks for that observation. USB sticks are easier to use and to store, so that looks to be the option to use. Can you see any problems in keeping the blockchain on a USB stick? Would it be better to run a full node rather than a pruned node?

My local computer shop knocked £100 of the price of a low(ish)spec computer because it has a blue case. At least, I assume that's the reason as the grey one is full price. I bought one to conduct a few experiments for my computing-on-the-move project. This is the computer.
http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/computing/laptops/laptops/hp-stream-x360-11-6-2-in-1-aqua-blue-10151741-pdt.html
One of the projects is to run a second full node with a different wallet on this machine. I appreciate that 32 GB of eMMC storage isn't enough for the blockchain . The idea was to copy the blockchain from my main PC onto an SD card, and to install core using this card, and to run as a pruned node with a new wallet. I could then remove the card when core wasn't running.

Another project was to install Ubuntu ( or another Linux variant ) in a years time. The machine has Windows 10 installed at the moment. I've been looking at the Windows installation, and I don't like it. It includes Cortana, and they seem to have made this harder to remove. It also includes a free subscription to one-drive for a year, followed by paid renewals. Well I don't want one-drive, even if it's free. It also has McAfee pre-installed, and a load of other items. These seem to slow down the computer, and to increase web traffic. These are important considerations when you are running a "celery" computer over public WiFi. I'm a gnat's ovipositor away from junking Windows, and going straight to the Ubuntu project, and include the Bitcoin node in that.

I'd be grateful for comments and advice about this project. I'm happy to post details of the project on this forum for the use of other members. The two major considerations are -

The security implications of running a node under the new Windows 10 operating environment.
The feasibility of starting a pruned node from an SD card created on my other computer, and the additional files needed in addition to the blockchain.

I'll research the possibility of using Ubuntu on this machine, and the support for the drivers required. A brief initial check seems to indicate that it would be a good move.

I used it briefly in my early Bitcoin days. It forces you to visit the site daily, and if you miss a day, it resets you to the lowest level. It did that to me, and I walked away from it. It's a handy site to start with Bitcoin, but once you have outgrown your nappies, I think it's a massive waste of time for very small rewards.

The whole point of Bitcoin is to escape from the restrictions of fiat currencies. There are many 3rd party solutions to the need to link Bitcoin to various other assets and currencies. I'm sure there are sites that offer derivatives trading facilities.

Isn't a pruned node personalised to your wallet? I got the impression that it needed to keep your unspent historic transactions, as well as a number of the latest blocks?

I'd like to see Bitcoin as a store of value and a hedge against inflation and banking failures. To be a store of value, it has to be easily tradeable, and I'd like to see it used as a means of payment for other virtual investments such as domain names. The improvements to core are moving Bitcoin in this direction imho.

I'd like to see a reduction in micro-payments that clutter the blockchain, faucets, ponzis and small change gambling sites don't help the growth of Bitcoin.

Bitcoin is a store of value, and a payment method. Gold is a store of value, but nobody asks where you can invest gold. You can purchase an asset using Bitcoin, and you can expect the asset to increase so that you will make a profit when you sell the asset. It is likely that the asset will be valued in some fiat currency, and that you would probably have been better off by keeping the Bitcoin, and letting it appreciate.

If you are considering lending bitcoin to receive interest payments, then you have to stop and think of the ways the borrower could use the Bitcoin to generate income to pay the interest.

I'm still interested in using 3 party signatures as a form of escrow. @Shorena is one of the most trusted members of this forum, and I have discussed this with her in the past. I'd like to try selling some names for Bitcoin using this form of escrow. I'd be prepared to throw up a list of domain names here and on namepros to see if anybody would be interested. I'm not sure how one could register a person as the 3rd party trusted arbitrator though. Especially to people who aren't members of this forum.

I haven't been looking at mixers, as I have no need for them. Is it possible to check to see if a payment is being routed to a mixer? I guess it isn't as important to see if it is coming from a mixer, as the payment will still be final when it arrives.

Thanks for that. I suspect the account is an alias though - this seems to be the danger when dealing with new accounts. The account is a short term registration for some discouraged practice. Is there a way to check to see if it is linked to an established member?

The problem was not doing due diligence before entering into a deal that looked "too good to be true", and falling for the scammers trick to make the victim believe that he is scamming the scammer. The unfortunate consequences of such reporting are that people start to belive that Bitcoin is the new PayPal, and not the valuable secure payment method that it is. If the guy had approached Bitcoin as "intelligent money", then he could have set up the transaction to protect himself. Maybe we should be publicising the advanced features of Bitcoin.

I started the thread because I believe that Bitcoin talk is a valuable asset to the Bitcoin community, but if public perception is that the site is the home of gambling and ponzi sig spammers, and the perpetrators of fraudulent sales, then we will lose the benefits of that asset.

There is a thread on Name Pros that reports a fraudulent domain name sale by a Bitcoin talk member. Some of the replies illustrate the problems faced  by honest Bitcoiners as a result of its use by scammers and con artists. If we don't want to end up with a reputation like PayPal, we need to do something to counter this, and improve the respectability of Bitcoin.

https://www.namepros.com/threads/scammed-by-unknown-person-3-000-btc-pornography-com-affiliate-org-schoolteacher-com-distrub-com-etc.998177/

I'd pay cash or initiate a free bank transfer in exchange for Bitcoin for anyone who can get to Hampshire in England.

Just to clarify my earlier post. I wasn't thinking of mining, which would be unlikely to be productive. I was thinking that the solar power could be used to run a node and some form of satellite receiver. This would bring Bitcoin payments to remote locations, and could help to build their economies.

Thanks for posting that. I got this

I hope I haven't got you into trouble, as I clicked on your post.

It would have been nice if there had been a "thank you" button there, so that one can make positive comments as well as negative ones.

Wouldn't it be more productive to power Bitcoin directly with solar energy in Africa.

I've only reported one post. That was from a member who was abusive and said I should leave the forum because I support core, and because I block unlimited and XT nodes. I didn't receive a reply, so I don't know if that was considered a valid reason for reporting a post. Imho. it's attitudes like that that reduce the popularity of this forum, and allow the hard-skinned spammers to dominate, and that is why I reported the post.