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Paysius's API is back up. I'm just double checking the database against all of the manual withdrawals I processed during the outage, then I'll bring the websites back up.
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The new server is up, and the blockchain is downloading. I am considering (leaning toward, as well) electrum for the future, but wanted to restore service ASAP. Should be back up later today.
Sooooo slow... block 179130. Please be patient just a little longer. |
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The new server is up, and the blockchain is downloading. I am considering (leaning toward, as well) electrum for the future, but wanted to restore service ASAP. Should be back up later today.
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Corrupted wallet.dat + hacker girlfriend = win
Ouch! That should never be necessary. Remember the three ways to avoid loosing data: Backups, backups and backups.  Backups can only be so recent. The wallet goes through hundreds of addresses a day, and it is impossible to back up all of the private keys. The backup I did have would have sufficed to recover the majority of funds. |
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Corrupted wallet.dat + hacker girlfriend = win
All of the funds are safe, on a new wallet, on a new server. I'm in the process of recovering the data from the (also corrupted) database, so that the new server can have entirely up to date info. Should be back online tomorrow.
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Hard drive is secure, and I'm moving funds to cold storage temporarily. Will have to cleanse everything, get a new server and reload the production system. Everything is safe and sound, though. |
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Sorry about the delay! As Erik said, we're really busy, and I haven't had as much time to dedicate to FZB as I'd like. The server was rebooted without notifying me, and it needed permission to restart the wallet. I did so, and it is catching up again. Should be back to normal soon.
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bearbones
Great point. However have you tried getting money in and out of some of the exchanges without having to walk cash to back or drug store or waiting days even weeks for a withdrawal to hit?
For traders, merchants, speculators and new users alike this friction is a real pain point.
So until this bottle neck can be alleviated I'd refrain from calling BTC easy to use.
Once you have BTC in the system. There's nothing better!
Have you tried converting EUR to USD? You have to pay exorbitant fees, walk to a currency changer or bank. It is a hassle. I'd refrain from complicating the issue unnecessarily. |
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"Magic Computer Money" as a specific phrase was a joke.
The idea that Bitcoin should be demonstrated and used as opposed to explained is something I stand firmly behind. Do you explain the federal reserve and fractional reserve banking to everyone before you hand them a dollar? No. People don't really want to understand money, they just want to use it. Likewise, Bitcoin is superior money because using it is easier. Therefore, if they simply use it, they do not need to and never will understand it.
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Panama trip! We just need a yacht... The Bitcoin Yacht.
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First round of updates are published!
Bitcoin addresses - Now link using 'bitcoin:' URIs, and have option to show QR code.
Dedicated server & MongoDB - After I turn off debugging later this week, these should speed up page loads quite a bit. Just being cautious.
PayPal payments - Check out with PayPal at the bottom of any page you own, or those with a public donation address.
bit.ly - Clickthrough stats are available for all URLs used in campaigns. To access, visit the campaign page and click 'Click-through statistics.'
Japanese - We forgot to include the language pack changes in the new database, so I had to push Japanese off until the next build. That means it should be available next weekend.
If you're having trouble loading the website, your DNS probably hasn't picked up the new location yet. Please wait a while and try again. Assuming all goes well this week, we'll start advertising to the general USD-using public.
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I froze the build last night, and will be installing the following this weekend (prob. Sunday night):
Dedicated server
MongoDB
Paypal payments
bit.ly stats for links
Japanese language pack
Together these should speed up the site, and get rid of the intermittent wallet connection issues. In addition, paypal will be live and advertisers will be able to better assess the success of campaigns, by tracking link stats.
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This thread compels me to actively avoid discovering whatever overly self-important thing you are up to.
You're doing it wrong. |
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Yes, actually, it is possible. At least, it is proposed in the serval project white paper: http://developer.servalproject.org/site/docs/2011/Serval_Introduction.html. Serval would help the end user avoid exorbitant fees and bad service areas, but wouldn't help much for running an enterprise service. [EDIT] It just occurred to me that a serval network would be an excellent hedge against a MITM attack by or using the main cell network. Would have a very positive effect on security. [/EDIT] |
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I see this now. The document I was reading was referring to a case study example, not a flat fee. Regardless, I think it is possible to provide Bitcoin transactions at competitive fees. It will just take a lot of research and some up front investment in infrastructure. |
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Can't a PIN be intercepted by the telecom guys, or are we assuming they won't be that sophisticated?
Sure, a pin can be intercepted. So can any other security code except single use codes delivered via a secondary communication method. This, however, defeats the purpose of an SMS wallet. If the network provider really wants to steal everyone's bitcoin, there is no way to stop them in an SMS-only wallet. They own the network, and all access points. Oh, so you pay for both directions (incoming/receiving as well as outgoin/sending)?
Unfortunately, this is how all US carriers function. It is possible with international carriers that we can avoid being charged on incoming messages. Then again, outgoing fees are higher, and the sender will also be subject to international SMS fees by their own provider. Getting a number in each service area is the only way to avoid this inconvenience for users, but that carries much higher up front costs. On a separate note, I've been researching M-Pesa and it looks like they charge the following fees: ~1% to withdraw money from the system (for cash, in person, at an associated location) $0.40 per transaction paid by the sender If this is correct, we could easily compete with them. Coinapult could be far more expensive than Bitcoin should be, but less expensive than what is currently available even in the best markets. M-Pesa is only Kenya, after all. Oh, sure -- I forgot that with cloud / integration each transaction can get its own unique "from / reply to" number. Ok, so they need to do payload inspection instead.
They could indeed do some sort of packet inspection. Presumably, however, most of the carriers would be happy to accept our money. I think they only would shut us down if forced to by a hostile state. |
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Good point. This reminds me of the Chinese govt vs Tor IPs. Most governments have nothing close to the systems set up by the Chinese, and even they're having a hard time. It also maybe possible to embarrass them in their favorite UN clubs or the world press if they start blocking numbers. I bet there are ways around the telecom guys stealing bitcoins, too -- anything from a separate one-time password device (could be super simple and cheap, even a printed card, especially because the individual transactions are mostly small) to some security questions, like "what's the 3rd letter of your son's name".
It is a little tougher than Tor, because the mobile network infrastructure is more centralized than the internet. Still, all we need is one partner willing to work with us (and get paid messaging fees), and we're in. The security measures described are all possible, for sure. Ideally, the system should be able to function only on SMS commands, since many users will not have a mailing address or second device. Still, secondary security measures can be implemented, such as a pin number. |
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@OP: For starters, I agree with your overall analysis of the market penetration of SMS vs. data/internet. The developing world has roughly 22% internet penetration, but over 70% SMS penetration. Bitcoin over SMS could be absolutely huge. No, onto your specific points below: Their SMS service is available in the U.S. and Canada only, though they assert that they are working on offering that to a wider global footprint. Presumably, since Coinapult offers the ability to send bitcoins for free (they only charge when bitcoins are sent through their API), offering this globally would incur costs for sending the text messages. - http://coinapult.com/sms-walletWe are struggling to find a combination of cost-effectiveness and reach. We can currently send SMS anywhere, but doing so is cost prohibitive. Even in the U.S. we average more than $0.06 per send. That is, each SMS message costs us $0.01, and a typical send requires at minimum 5 messages: 1. Sender requests coinapult send funds 2. Coinapult responds with conf code 3. Sender confirms 4. Coinapult responds with success message and new balance 5. Coinapult messages recipient Tag in a couple of information texts (i.e. balance checks, help, transaction checks, etc) and the average cost goes up further. With international SMS fees, the per message cost is easily triple. This would bring the cost of a single send transaction to roughly $0.20. Now, there are ways to bring these costs down, but only with huge volume. For instance, a dedicated short code (intended for SMS use) costs $1k/month. In short, the main barrier to international expansion is cost effectiveness. Even in the U.S., it is hard to justify offering such a service for free. In an international setting, the costs increase, while it is likely the average transaction size would decrease. If we can work out a viable fee structure, it can be deployed almost immediately. Coinapult requires a text message response from the mobile number the funds were sent to so at least with that there's no bearer code being transmitted across the SMS network.
We consider this basic security, but is ultimately inadequate. At the moment, the initial 'receive' message still carries a bearer code, which is vulnerable in the same way blockchain's are. We hope to release an account system which will allow us to stop sending these by the end of July. How many days after realizing that SMS wallets are starting to catch on before texts to and from the SMS wallet provider's number are blocked? (and thus the user's funds left stranded, at least temporarily). Unlike bitcoin's peer-to-peer architecture, telecom infrastructure operates as the givernment instructs them to.
This problem may be a little overstated. Governments don't always act so efficiently, and they'd have a tough time blocking us in such a way. Assuming we go international through a series of phone numbers in different service areas, it would be quite easy to get new numbers for any given service area. The local gov. and mobile service provider would be playing whack a mole. What's more, I'm sure the people would have something to say about it. |
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One final note - BTC payments were less than 2% of our transactions so we have a ways to go. I'd say we got about twice as many payments in silver. I think cash will always be king at these events, but I'd love to see more growth with BTC.
I for one bought a half dozen meals from you with FRNs because I had neither cell service nor internet down in the barn.  |
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