Ok, so I'd say I have a very strong understanding of the fundamentals of Bitcoin, and the blockchain in general. I can explain pretty much (at a high level) the flow of almost every part of the ecosystem. << I say that not because I think I know even a fraction of what people on this forum do, but rather to give an honest assessment of where my question is coming from.

However, I do not understand what is happening at a technical, and I guess somewhat low-fundamental level, when a block is "added to the chain." I frequently hear people talk about, "Oh yeah, so after the miners mine a block, then they pack it with transactions, then boom, it's added to the chain. And it's secure because all the blocks require a lot of work to reverse." It seems most people are satisfied with that answer. Nothing wrong with that, it's just I'm looking for more.

I would greatly appreciate if someone (or multiple people.. the more the better) could explain what's actually going on there. What actually determines "We're done with this block, now let's add it to the chain." What is happening at a technical level when that block is added to the chain? What code is being run to facilitate this? Who has write access to the chain?


English is not my first language, so I apologize if I'm not articulating my questions accurately. There's just a knowledge void that's making me uncomfortable. I really want to understand everything about the process; every detail is meaningful to me.


Thanks in advance.

I have a question surrounding ICOS, and apology in advance if this is the incorrect board.. if so, please advise where to redirect question. Anyway, I've been reading more and more about the ICO for Overstock / tZERO, set to open this December. So far, the information I can find about it has been scarce at best. I'm trying to understand what exactly the ICO is offering. It seems that they are issuing a legitimate security, and that the tokens bought during the crowd sale will pay dividends on the tZERO exchange profits. Does anyone have any specifics, or know where I can find more information about the sale. Namely, I'm trying to understand how much the actual dividends will be. For example, they are trying to raise 500m USD for the sale. Theoretically, if I contribute all 500m, do I get "all" of the tZERO exchange dividends? Thanks in advance for the help.

Because you're assuming that people are simply exchanging one crypto for another, and not cashing out to fiat. While that used to be true, more people are just taking the USD.

I agree, it's either HODL with BTC, or trade the hell out of alt-coins. In the future, maybe different truths will arise, but for now, those seem like the two most profitable strategies.

Well, I appreciate the lengthy response. I agree, it's best to do one's own research; and I do, I was just curious about your thoughts. Anyway, thank you for the suggestions on where to look.. much appreciated.

Goes without saying (almost) that 10-100x is incredibly rare. However, 2-5x is quite possible, dare I say, even common. Due diligence is critical for choosing the correct coin. The best traders are the ones who best manage losses.

Side note - what are your thoughts on Metal (MTL)? Leaving the long term viability of the coin aside, I'm asking about short term trade potential. It's almost at an ATL right now, and the 24 hr vol is still >$2m. Curious about your respective thoughts.

So it is possible, just unlikely...

from a purely trading perspective, GRS is currently a great buy. 24 hour vol is way up, and price is still down. Give it 24-72 hours, and I wouldn't be surprised if it starts trading near 10k satoshi again.

Though I'm new to posting on the forum, I do have fairly extensive real-world trading experience (if you're willing to believe an anonymous internet post). I realize the relative value of money is different for everyone. If $14 is all you have to trade, then yes, $14 is enough to start with. Is it enough to make $10k in profits? Honestly, that's unlikely. But is it enough to learn something, possibly > $14 worth of knowledge? Absolutely. Make sure your expectations are realistic, and don't compete with anyone but yourself. If you make 0.05% profit per day, that adds up. If you can do that consistently for a few months (while generating income from your real job), then it may be time to invest more of your net worth in trading. Heck, I'd probably hire you then


Don't get too discouraged from what you read on here. Lots of people post on here to vent after a shitty day of trading. Be stable, level headed, and consistent. Keep a detailed log of your P&L, and if you're actually serious about trading, go through all your trades at the end of each day with a critical mindset.

Good luck

Reading all these comments about how "possible" $7m worth of BTC is, one would think everyone on the forum is a multimillionaire...

Short, PC answer: yes, anything is possible.

Short, honest answer: no, not unless you have significant capital to start out with.

Also, if you're on this thread asking about how to become a millionaire by investing in alt-coins, take this advice, and stop trading.. forever.

What do you think of Metal? Not so much asking about the long term strength of the project / validity of the coin. Rather, from a pure trading perspective. It's at an ATL right now (roughly), and the vol is still 1.3m+. Curious about your thoughts.