This is an admirable effort, but the Bitcoin community is so diverse, there's people who believe that taxation is theft, there's people who believe that the best way for bitcoin to succeed is to get government regulation, there's people who understand the codebase and how bitcoin works intimately and then there's people who lose bitcoins because they don't understand Change addresses. Any proposal by the user group will end up with all these groups disagreeing with each other, and you'll end up with disenfranchised members and eventual RAGE QUIT.
There is a reason why most western democracies have grown to have elected representatives, simply giving power completely to each individual (even now, when we have the technology to support this) doesn't really work - there needs to be some structure to the decision making. You might disagree with some of the approaches that the bitcoin foundation are taking, but really the best way (as with any form of government/representation) is to join the debate and try and change the views through reasoned arguments.
I wish you all the best for the user group, but I do fear that it will just become a very high maintenance (counting votes, managing membership) version of existing bitcointalk argument threads.
Will Thank you will for your words of wisdom. I believe that with the amazing technology we have seen built over the last decade it is more possible now to build an organization as this one than ever before. Perhaps it will fail. Perhaps it will succeed, but remember the primary goal- to give everyone a voice. Exclusion and centralization are the two evils bitcoin seeks to slay. We'd love some feedback on what you would suggest to do to avoid destructive debates. |
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garzik, gmax, Luke, and savanna. There is no one to blame just a fundamental difference in opinion. If it continues, then a fork will occur and we will let the market sort it out. |
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Temp Logo Suggestion:  I just made this as a filler until we have something official to call the org. Any quick changes? More suggestions:   |
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Let me see if I understand what you are asking. How will fees change in relation the a bitcoin's value in terms of a US Dollar?
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Now you’re talking! Elaborate on these concepts by showing how they can be accomplished and ask for feedback on more ideas requiring a collective effort. Start a thread with a foundation set in your agenda and then setup the most amicable structure you can also using suggestions of the potential membership. We need a website or at the very least a blog ASAP. |
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I totally get what you're saying. You have to be the change you want to see. You are correct, and I am trying to do that. I think this organization can pull in more individuals who are willing to work together towards these goals, explicitly and in an organized way.
You will always have my support in any way I can be useful. This is the kind of org bitcoin has needed all along. |
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Alright how about we work on developing a solid mission statement and organizational values?
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In an attempt to preserve the history of bitcoin, I am trying to archive Satoshi's correspondence with members of this forum. I've created an email address: satoshiarchive@gmail.comIf satoshi ever emailed you about Bitcoin or anything else you feel comfortable sharing, then please send a copy to the above address. I assume you verified his identity  Thanks everyone for being part of history. You guys moved mountains. Please note that your correspondence will become part of the open domain and will be eventually published in a format similar to a searchable wiki or in lectures for our crowdsourced course. If there is anything that you would like omitted from the archiving process, then please encase the text in <OMIT>,</OMIT> tags. |
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Aww, so close. Look, I've been nice and you've just been an ass. I'm sorry if you feel that I'm an arrogant prick. I really wish I could be a humble guy, but I never have been and I never will be, but my commitment to changing monetary policy has been unshakable since 2007 when I worked for Ron Paul. The single biggest problem facing bitcoin as of today is the image. Four factors cause it: (1) Lack of Understanding (2) No way for normal people to relate (3) Misinformation by the media and other opportunists (4) Misuse by Criminals Perhaps you had this experience too, but I had to watch the tea party turn from a legitimate 3rd party movement to end the insanity of America's political system into a Sarah Palin worshiping cabal of social conservatives unhappy with gay marriage. It was heartbreaking and such a waste. We now stand at a similar crossroads with Bitcoin. At some point, people with a hell of a lot of money and influence will begin to enter this community and move it to whatever end they desire. We didn't think it was possible with the tea party. I don't want to be wrong again with Bitcoin. We have a real chance to change the way money works and teach people they don't have to accept what the central banks are giving them. I can't do it alone. But that doesn't mean I won't give everything I got to bringing as many people in this community together as possible to correct the 4 PR thorns we have by educating the mainstream about Bitcoin before FINCEN and others find a way to regulate it to oblivion. Call me whatever you want, but it won't change how I feel and what I'm trying to do. |
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Thanks, and if you have any questions, comments, or concerns feel free to email me. We are going to be adding a lot of content of the next few months so check back often. I'll also get a newsletter setup at some point.
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Suggesting that the "next generation of bitcoiners" can only be shared with through your video page? Now nearly 500 in just a week. Come back after Summer when we are over 10k with most of the first generation content done. Or at the end of the year. I respect the work you have done with bitcoin magazine and think it is a valuable source of information to our community. You will always be welcome to contribute content at any time Matt. Thanks |
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That's as far as I read. The bitcoin community doesn't rely on your videos, suggesting otherwise is deserving of the handle "tool". I agree completely Matt and thanks again for calling me a tool. If you change your mind, we'd love to have you support our cause and share your experience and passion with the next generation of bitcoiners. |
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Who isn't? You think being a tool is excusable because you're working for free? I co-founded Bitcoin Magazine and worked there for 12 months, never taking a salary, because I have a passion for actual solutions to problems. Your responses so far have been to question me for questioning you, instead of just admitting that you don't know how to say anything without sounding like a tool. I'm glad we have a passion for the bitcoin community in common and thanks again for calling me a tool. If you would at any time like to continue to support the bitcoin community by recording a guest lecture for the Bitcoin Education Project's course, then please PM. We'd love to have your insight. |
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I am aware about the address verification scheme. I believe the chance of a bad address getting through is about 4 billion to 1. I'm going to redo the core lecture series soon with some major improvements, clarifications, corrections and new content.
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"Head of the Bitcoin Education Project"
Okay, it's not yours. You're just the "head" of it. Yes because I'm working for free. Again what are you doing? Wait just being a forum troll. Just let it go man. You lost this one. Wow. Ego much? And wait, now it *is* your project? Didn't you just say it wasn't? I answer the questions. I came up with the idea. I recruited lots of people to help. It's as much my project as Microsoft is Bill Gates's company. I appreciate the support and help I have received from the community and I couldn't have done this without them. It is our project and my hope is that over time all future content will be handled by a diverse group of experts in the Bitcoin community. We just aren't at that stage as most people won't work for free. Unlike me. But you know what I should be incredibly humble to impress a cynical forum troll whom I've never met. I'm sorry I posted here. I can see why Gavin has become so disenchanted with some of you people. |
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First, what the hell is your problem. It isn't "my video page" it is a collaborative educational project with now over ten people working on lectures including bitcoiners from South America who are going to translate the redone core lectures into spanish. If you had taken even five minutes of time to think about it, then you'd understand what I meant when I said obsolete.
The vast majority of people who end up using bitcoin will not go to bitcointalk nor any other popular community resource. They will be doing what we intended them to do all along. Use bitcoin as an online currency. Their only point of contact with our world will likely be my project or its copycats.
That isn't arrogance, it's an understanding of history- particularly of the internet. But you're not interested in thinking Matt. You just want to be a cynic with no feedback or useful input to help resolve Bitcoin's PR problem with the mainstream.
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I fear your response will fall on deaf ears. The user 'charleshoskinson' isn't interested in anything other than the video website he's pushing. He basically laid it out numerous times that anyone who isn't a part of his video club will become "obsolete" to Bitcoin's future. I'm sure he feels the same about "The Young Turks" and Youtube. Are you done with your personal attacks? Some of us are trying to help bitcoin instead of simply criticising a website that has been kind enough to give free bandwidth to the hundreds of people who have watched my lectures. Udemy is a MOOC like coursera and Udacity. How is that hard to understand?
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I've given up on political demagogues a long time ago. Not getting drawn into this convo. I hope turk can broadcast Bitcoin in a positive light. Good luck
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So you're saying a self proclaimed Bitcoin nerd, who obviously have a computer, and have an account on this forum and have used it actively before, and just recently signed in, and overall have what you'd call an active social presence online would not be able to spend 30 minutes of his time, reading through this thread and give a calm, intelligent and fruitful response ? I'm pretty sure he's aware of this thread, and avoiding it doesn't not calm any worries that people may have. If he wants to give a response, he's fully capable of doing so, choosing not to is another matter entirely. I think there's many valid points put forth in this thread.
I believe he will chime in, contain himself and give some polite input. Vess and others at the foundation have become increasingly more difficult to communicate with outside of their predetermined media events. They seldom respond to PMs and emails and also have started moving more discussion over the the foundation's forum. Forgive my cynicism, but I don't think you fully understand what is going on. It's a power play for Bitcoin not an attempt to gain consensus and support in the community. |
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