About a year ago, I opened accounts with BTCT.co, a company that made exchanging securities for Bitcoins a possibility. However, this was impractical - Bitcoin was extremely volatile, and the price of the security often reflected the price of Bitcoin itself.
However, now with Bitcoins relative stability, investment would be viable. Unfortunately, all the old exchanges I knew about are now shut down or inactive. BTCT, Havelock Investments, MPEx, and BitFund.
Are there any new security exchanging platforms? Has this died down?

Hi! Just recently started mining. Using bfgminer 3.2.1 on a Mac OS 10.8.5.

My Block Erupter USB will mine fine for about 10 minutes, then on every new block it seems to get stuck on just repeatedly saying "Stratum from pool 0 requested work update"

At which point my miner's LED turns green which means it's inactive, and it wont mine anymore. What the hell is going on?

See

Code:

     bfgminer version 3.2.1 - Started: [2013-09-23 07:17:23] - [  0 days 00:07:20]
     [M]anage devices [P]ool management [S]ettings [D]isplay options  [H]elp [Q]uit
     Connected to mint.bitminter.com diff 1 with stratum as user Plazmotech_ASICUSB0
     Block: ...debc48ab #259648  Diff:113M (806.2Th/s)  Started: [07:24:22]
     ST:2  F:0  NB:2  AS:0  BW:[ 50/ 12 B/s]  E:2.43  U:4.5/m  BS:206
     1            | 288.9/330.7/321.7Mh/s | A:33 R:0+0(none) HW:0/none
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     OCL 0:       | OFF  / 73.6/  0.0kh/s | A: 0 R:0+0(none) HW:0/none
     BES 0:       | 315.4/330.8/321.9Mh/s | A:33 R:0+0(none) HW:0/none
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     [2013-09-23 07:21:06] Accepted 98e5ab85 BES 0  Diff 1/1
     [2013-09-23 07:21:07] Accepted 86840cf1 BES 0  Diff 1/1
     [2013-09-23 07:21:08] Accepted 79408673 BES 0  Diff 2/1
     [2013-09-23 07:21:13] Accepted 961ec513 BES 0  Diff 1/1
     [2013-09-23 07:21:16] Accepted f0543e64 BES 0  Diff 1/1
     [2013-09-23 07:21:18] Accepted 46d5f776 BES 0  Diff 3/1
     [2013-09-23 07:21:31] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
     [2013-09-23 07:22:01] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
     [2013-09-23 07:22:33] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
     [2013-09-23 07:23:04] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
     [2013-09-23 07:23:35] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
     [2013-09-23 07:24:06] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
     [2013-09-23 07:24:22] Stratum from pool 0 detected new block
     [2013-09-23 07:24:24] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update

This also happens with Bitguild, but less often. What's going on

Edit:

Lol

Code:

 bfgminer version 3.2.1 - Started: [2013-09-24 06:56:41] - [  0 days 00:09:37]
 [M]anage devices [P]ool management [S]ettings [D]isplay options  [H]elp [Q]uit
 Connected to stratum.btcguild.com diff 1 with stratum as user Plazmotech_ASICUS
 Block: ...5cd9aa4e #259854  Diff:113M (806.2Th/s)  Started: [06:56:41]
 ST:2  F:0  NB:1  AS:0  BW:[ 39/  5 B/s]  E:0.39  U:0.5/m  BS:10
 1            | 294.6/331.6/37.20Mh/s | A:5 R:0+0(none) HW:0/none
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 OCL 0:       | OFF  /113.6/  0.0kh/s | A:0 R:0+0(none) HW:0/none
 BES 0:       | 335.7/331.6/37.21Mh/s | A:5 R:0+0(none) HW:0/none
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 [2013-09-24 06:59:28] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
 [2013-09-24 06:59:58] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
 [2013-09-24 07:00:28] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
 [2013-09-24 07:00:58] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
 [2013-09-24 07:01:28] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
 [2013-09-24 07:01:58] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
 [2013-09-24 07:02:28] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
 [2013-09-24 07:02:58] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
 [2013-09-24 07:03:28] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
 [2013-09-24 07:03:58] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
 [2013-09-24 07:04:28] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
 [2013-09-24 07:04:58] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
 [2013-09-24 07:05:28] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update
 [2013-09-24 07:05:58] Stratum from pool 0 requested work update

This is ridiculous. Help!

I just bought a ASICMINER USB and started mining.

I am on OSX 10.8.5 and I keep getting this error

Code:

 cgminer version 3.4.3 - Started: [2013-09-17 21:49:25]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 (5s):148.8M (avg):298.5Mh/s | A:22  R:0  HW:0  WU:5.0/m
 ST: 2  SS: 0  NB: 1  LW: 56  GF: 0  RF: 0
 Connected to mint.bitminter.com diff 1 with stratum as user *********
 Block: 0006a0094391c056...  Diff:113M  Started: [21:49:28]  Best share: 70
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 [P]ool management [G]PU management [S]ettings [D]isplay options [Q]uit
 GPU 0:                | OFF   /3.568Mh/s | A: 1 R:0 HW:0 WU: 0.2/m I: 1
 AMU 0:                | 305.6M/294.9Mh/s | A:21 R:0 HW:0 WU: 4.8/m
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 [2013-09-17 21:53:21] AMU0: TIMEOUT GetResults took 3001ms but was 100ms
 [2013-09-17 21:53:24] AMU0: TIMEOUT GetResults took 2997ms but was 100ms
 [2013-09-17 21:53:27] AMU0: TIMEOUT GetResults took 3000ms but was 100ms
 [2013-09-17 21:53:30] AMU0: TIMEOUT GetResults took 2999ms but was 100ms
 [2013-09-17 21:53:33] AMU0: TIMEOUT GetResults took 3000ms but was 100ms
 [2013-09-17 21:53:36] AMU0: TIMEOUT GetResults took 3001ms but was 100ms
 [2013-09-17 21:53:39] AMU0: TIMEOUT GetResults took 2993ms but was 100ms
 [2013-09-17 21:53:42] AMU0: TIMEOUT GetResults took 3000ms but was 100ms
 [2013-09-17 21:53:45] AMU0: TIMEOUT GetResults took 3001ms but was 100ms
 [2013-09-17 21:53:48] AMU0: TIMEOUT GetResults took 3001ms but was 100ms
 [2013-09-17 21:53:51] AMU0: TIMEOUT GetResults took 3001ms but was 100ms

How do I fix this? I have relatively fast internet so I'm not sure why this is happening.

I have tried getting a powered USB hub but that doesn't help.

P.S. is there a way to turn off the LED from blinking?

A Bitcoin Tip bot for these forums would be cool. Like the one they have on reddit. This would encourage better discussions 

[SmallWallet]

SmallWallet

A super lightweight, secure, discreet wallet.

! WARNING !

THIS PROJECT IS STILL IN ALPHA AND THUS YOU SHOULD BE CAREFUL! MONETARY LOSS IS POSSIBLE!

The most secure ciphers are those that nobody knows how to decrypt. This is the reason SmallWallet is so secure. SmallWallet uses PRESENT, one of the most compact encryption methods ever designed (being 2.5 times smaller than AES). PRESENT is not very well known. However, this is it's strong point. A potential hacker might try AES, DES, Blowfish, IDEA, RC4, and TEA before they try PRESENT. Needless to say, this will take a long time. The only weak point, however, is SmallWallet itself. If a potential hacker finds out you use SmallWallet, they'll use PRESENT right away.

However, SmallWallet also provides protection against that with false password entropy. False password entropy is a system I developed in which the application asks you to put junk letters in certain parts of your password. The location and letters of these junk letters are somewhat remembered, so a key logger wont be distinguish from your password and a junk password (%50 of your password would be junk). All you have to do is remember your last SessionKey, and this will make your password entropy secure. However, forgetting your last Session Key is no problem, however false password entropy will chose different locations for those junk letters, which might be an advantage to key loggers.*

SmallWallet also provides offline support, so you never have to type or receive sensitive information while you are connected to the internet (which might protect against malicious SSH or something similar). Just turn off your internet connection, log in, sign the transaction, log out, and as soon as you are back online, SmallWallet will send your transaction for you.*

If you don't like the PRESENT encryption algorithm, and or prefer to use something even smaller, we will provide a Tiny Encryption Algorithm version of SmallWallet. And if you are even more concerned with space, we will provide a method of compressing code and tjat wallet.dat, and decompressing on the fly (performance in exchange for space)*

• Is very lightweight†^{Will be whence ECDSA is compacted which will be done soon.}
• Uses PRESENT super light weight function for encryption
• Uses non-standard methods of storage but still provides export to standard methods (and thus looks like nonsense to hackers)†
• Protects against key loggers and other viruses using false password entropy (don't bother looking it up)*
• Offline support.*

* NOT YET SUPPORTED (PLANNED FOR VERY NEAR UPDATES)
† IS ARBITRARY AND IS CURRENTLY BEING IMPROVED

TODO CHECKLIST

• [  ] Using false password entropy to protect against keyloggers
  
• [✓] Uses online resources to get data including balances and recent transactions
  
• [  ] Showing recent your transactions without downloading blockchain
  
• [✓] Live promt that features shell-like argument passing
  
• [✓] Uses PRESENT super light weight encryption function
  
• [  ] Non-standard mneumonic system in case of loss of file
  
• [  ] Maintains password entropy position similarities (to confuse keylogger further)
  
• [  ] Gets all data from Junction.co or any other website that uses Junction Co API
  
• [  ] Junction Co wallet API
  
• [  ] Use compressed code for SUPER SUPER lightweight feature
  
• [  ] Transaction signing and submitting to network
  
• [✓] Generating addresses using standard ECDSA, Ripemd160, and Sha256
  
• [  ] Lightweight Ripemd160 and Sha256 Python implementations
  
• [  ] Uses Junction Co as a lightweight method to check for internet connection
  
• [  ] Has configurability as to white sites are used
  
• [  ] Offline transaction signing
  
• [✓] Balance cache updated every 15 minutes
• [  ] Compact ECDSA Python implementation
  
  
  PLEASE LEAVE SUGGESTIONS
  I'm trying to create this client for everyone. If you have ANYTHING that would improve this client, PLEASE post it.
  
  
  GITHUB, SOURCE, DOWNLOADS
  v1.3.20 ALPHA downloads: https://github.com/Plazmotech/SmallWallet/releases/tag/v1.3.20
  v1.3.20 ALPHA source: https://github.com/Plazmotech/SmallWallet
  
  
  BETA TESTERS
  I need Beta testers! Please consider testing this wallet. Report any bugs! Suggest any ideas! Any help is appreciated
  
  
  Donate
  If you like my work, please consider donating to 1HqnYcfyY3pqqxGQZWCTjUnsSKMVPzUmAH (That address was created and is mantained through SmallWallet )

I'm going to Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Munich and London in September. What are the best Bitcoin places I can visit? I do intend to spend as much BTC as I can

For clarification: I don't have that much BTC only about 0.9 but y'all get the point.

[m]

So a lot of people have been going around wanting to change BTC to mBTC as default. Now, instead of saying something costs BTC 0.03069 they say it costs mBTC 30.69. They say it will be easier to think about and count. But they say the strongest part of this is that Bitcoin will seem cheap. People wont look at the Bitcoin prices and go "$130 is too expensive! I'm not going to buy this scam!" They will go "$0.13 is cheap! If this is a scam I wont be loosing much anyway!"

I think this is a terrible idea. Here's why.

Bitcoin is pricey because it's VALUABLE. Something valuable shouldn't seem cheap. It should seem expensive. If someone looks at a gem that is priced at thousands of dollars they will think it's a very valuable gem. Something worth having.

However, if someone looks at a gem priced at only like $100, they will think it's a crappy gem. Nobody cares about it.
Don't try to control the value (or at least psychological value) of Bitcoin. It will throw off the whole system of value.
Also, people who want to use mBTC for cheap things are free to use it anytime. There's nothing keeping you from selling mBTC or buying mBTC either.
That is all.

[WAT]

WAT

Hey! I made a clean cold store paper wallet in illustrator. I've noticed lots of cold storage paper wallet designs are very messy. I'm kind of a minimalist. So I made this.
Cold storage paper wallets are a great way to store large quantities of Bitcoin, for example for savings. Why? Because since these aren't online it will never be hacked (Well, someone could brute force it but that would take longer than the age of the universe with our current computers). Since the private addresses are secured with tamper proof tape, you'll know when someone has stolen your wallet and opened the private key. Not only that, but it helps resist the temptation to spend your savings.

NOTICE: I'm not putting the images directly as they are huge (like 4000 pixels wide), so it would clog up the page.


TEMPLATES

FRONT
https://i.imgur.com/u0rTwdC.png

BACK
https://i.imgur.com/zDEFv7w.png


EXAMPLES

FRONT
https://i.imgur.com/uZv0nJl.png

BACK
https://i.imgur.com/Iyb25Sd.png


DOWNLOADS

Download the high-quality .png's here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/35691179/Bitcoin%20Paper%20Wallet/Bitcoin%20Paper%20Wallet.zip

Buy .ai files for BTC0.05 here: http://btcfile.com/gn
Sorry for trying to capitalise the .ai file… But I'm poor and I'll take as much as I can get ^.^;

Please, please support me here: 1DnDKa2HCNbyMEP5YXd3WhMjvx36GzJHmy
I would greatly appreciate it! Everything counts!


INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE

First, you must open these in photoshop or gimp or something, and put the QR Codes and plain text in the appropriate locations.

Locations
Front
https://i.imgur.com/ylv3tS8.png

Back
https://i.imgur.com/z6aUnhE.png

Then, save and print. Fold on the dotted lines (• • • •) and cut on the dashed lines (– – – –). Tuck the flap through the little slit, and it'll come out on the front side. Secure the flap onto the wallet using some (tamperproof) tape. Voila!


NOTE

It is rather ironic that I made a cold storage paper wallet design for savings… When I myself have nothing to save. Because I'm poor. You can help me with that if you want by donating to 1DnDKa2HCNbyMEP5YXd3WhMjvx36GzJHmy Thanks so much!


NO, SERIOUSLY

I'm not joking. I'm like really, really poor. Seriously. Look for yourself… http://blockchain.info/address/1CeNdAw5Ak7Hn4e3wKEs3d2KKyS1mjcqzr
This is all the money I have. It's like $11 at the time I'm writing this. Yeah…

The restrictions on this forum are sub-par. The part where you have to browse for four hours is kind of reasonable and understandable.

However, having to post 5 times is ridiculous. The reason being is that it encourages spam posts. If you go to the newbies section most of is spam. The reason being is people just spam posts in order to post in the other forums.

This is a terrible idea. Now I have to sit here for four hours before released my project, and I have to make tons of these stupid pointless posts.

Thanks bitcointalk.