Incidentally franky1, how on earth do you replenish your hoard? Thats a good trick. It can't be day trading because if you've got rid of your hoard then you've got nothing to day trade with!

I'm really just trying to guage attitudes, which vary.

You are right about mining. Every noob wants to mine. That is a problem. Some people think bitcoin is dead because of ASICS. In reality it just means most can't mine profitably.

If you look at romeruns attitude to bitcoin, no amount of expansion of retail will part him with his coins. He said "To me btc is lottery ticket, I don't spend it, until I win." He also said "i haven't spent a single coin on the normal stuff, because it feels very dumb, when you know it will be 1000+". I wonder how prevelant this attitude is.

I'm not condemning this attitude at all because I partially share it.

Thanks for your honest answer. I imagine that many feel like that and that's what I want to discover.

"knowing that someone is spending is not as important"

Perhaps but there is a chicken and egg problem. Merchants and entrepreneurs will not push the bitcoin economy forward if everyone is holding onto their bitcoins for dear life. I'm trying to guage the willingness of people to spend their coins instead of saving them. This might not be as important, but it is an important consideration.

I'm very sorry for your loss zeroday. Hopefully your future endeavors will succeed and will not be sabotaged in that way.

The most important thing for bitcoin right now, in my opinion, is that people use them. It will be hard for bitcoin to move forward if people don't. I would like anyone interested, therefore to state:

* Whether they have ever bought anything with bitcoin. I would also find it helpful if people who have never bought anything with bitcoin could contribute to give a realistic picture.
* How much (in vague terms if necessary) they spend a year with bitcoins.
* If they have never bought anything with bitcoin, why not.
* How they think people might be encouraged to use their coins in transactions to stimulate the bitcoin economy

I think that such responses could help give a feel for the state of the real bitcoin economy as opposed to just mining and speculation

Cheers.

You won't make big bucks from mining. The ways I can think of for making big bugs, if done really well are:

1. Buying and holding for the long term. This may be very profitable and already has been for some people.

2. Day trading. You can day trade bitcoins or mining stocks. Both are quite volatile and therefore potentially quite profitable.

3. Starting a business for the fledgeling bitcoin economy.

Good luck and ask plenty of questions.

It was very funny.

Really? That sounds quite personal, how did it end up on bitcointalk.org?

Could you do me a favor. Could you tell me if they actually worked out for you in terms of return on investment. I'm curious.

Why is there so much dislike of Finshaggy? Did he scam someone or something?

At least he's interesting.

Why are you desperate to get into mining. The best days for that are long gone. You can get into mining indirectly by buying shares in mining initiatives. Getting into mining today is a bit like turning up in California with your gold pan. Yet everyone seems to want to mine bitcoin more than any other activity.

You don't have the moral right to settle other peoples land, regardless of the exact claims that you are making.

"Disputed territory doesn't mean "allow a bunch of Westerners to settle here" is right.

If you are American note that most of America is empty. There are no shortages of places to settle in your own country.

I wouldn't have cashed out Came-from-beyond. We ain't seen nothin' yet.

Cool, welcome. What ventures are you going to do?

Just noticed I'm now a "full" member. When did that happen?

Are you sure you want to? Given the increases in difficulty are you sure you'll get your money back?

Thanks for the tip but it still requires opencl.

Is bitminter trusworthy and safe?

I want to mine with my graphics card but don't have proper opencl drivers. Your program seems to require opencl. Thanks though.

Reading around it seems like they are probably a bad investment. The difficulty is going up too quickly and its unlikely you'll get your money back, seems to be the consensus. Anybody have a counterpoint point of view?