662
|
Economy / Speculation / Re: Lets pretend for a minute that major BTC companies are scams.
|
on: October 01, 2012, 11:58:16 PM
|
What's bad about the term "fake bitcoin"?
The fact that it perpetuates the myth that the core Bitcoin infrastructure is problematic. "Fake Bitcoin" implies counterfeiting, which can't happen. Call it what you actually believe it to be: fractional reserve banking, ponzi schemes, bad business models, people getting hacked because of their own bad security but not Bitcoin itself. Bitcoin itself is still strong and misusing your terms like this makes it appear weak. Agreed enmaku. We've already had journalists referring to 'fake', 'counterfeit' and 'phony' bitcoins - and it creates misunderstandings of the Bitcoin system. e.g "Faked Bitcoins Caused Price Crash, Exchange Reveals" http://www.pcworld.com/article/234890/faked_bitcoins_caused_price_crash_exchange_reveals.htmlAn anonymous hacker used phony Bitcoins (BTC) last month to drive down the price of the online currency from $17.50 to a penny within the span of 30 minutes, Bitcoin exchange firm Mt.Gox has revealed.
Please - let's not encourage this.
|
|
|
663
|
Bitcoin / Press / 2012-10-01 wired.com - 3-D Printer Company Seizes Machine From Desktop Gunsmith
|
on: October 01, 2012, 10:50:20 PM
|
Single Bitcoin mention. 3-D Printer Company Seizes Machine From Desktop Gunsmith Robert Beckhusen 2012-10-10 http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/10/3d-gun-blocked/... Initial attempts at raising $20,000 through crowdsourcing website Indiegogo was stymied after the company pulled the fundraiser. Indiegogo cited company policy regarding fundraisers for the sale of firearms. The group managed to raise $2,000 before Indiegogo pulled the fundraiser. Wilson and the Wiki Weapons team — which includes developers across the United States and Europe — eventually raised the full amount using the Bitcoin electronic currency. ...
|
|
|
664
|
Bitcoin / Press / 2012-10-01 theverge.com - Can the Bitcoin Foundation build legitimacy for an out
|
on: October 01, 2012, 10:36:08 PM
|
Can the Bitcoin Foundation build legitimacy for an outlaw currency? "It'll be fractious." - Peter Vessenes Adi Robertson 2012-10-01 http://www.theverge.com/2012/10/1/3436984/bitcoin-foundation-legitimacy-and-standardizationSome of the biggest names in the world of Bitcoin, the unregulated virtual currency with a small but devoted user base, are looking to give it a friendlier public face. Announced last week, the Bitcoin Foundation — which counts lead developer Gavin Andresen and Mt. Gox CEO Mark Karpeles among its board members — is meant to do for Bitcoin what the Linux Foundation has helped do for open source software, paying selected developers for full-time work and nailing down best practices. ... Bitcoin users are deeply enthusiastic about their currency, but if it’s to survive until the age of flight, it will need to be seen as more than an experiment or potential scam. ... 'outlaw currency' eh? I guess it'll be a while before journalists tire of inflammatory titles for Bitcoin related articles.
|
|
|
665
|
Bitcoin / Press / 2012-09-30 slashdot.org - BitCoin Gets a Futures Market
|
on: October 01, 2012, 06:55:21 AM
|
BitCoin Gets a Futures Market 2012-09-30 http://news.slashdot.org/story/12/09/30/2345206/bitcoin-gets-a-futures-marketfireballrus writes "There is one more way to use your BitCoins rather than buying weed or socks. Recently, a Bitcoin Exchange called ICBIT quietly introduced a futures market, obviously using Bitcoins as its main currency. Gold futures trade roughly at 137 BTC/tr.oz and Sweet Crude Oil at 7.3 BTC/bbl. This may play a positive role in the Bitcoin economy which needs more ways to actually use coins instead of mining them." While this sounds intriguing, I'd like to hear a good case for why BitCoin makes sense in this context.
|
|
|
667
|
Bitcoin / Project Development / Re: Birds with lights flashing a bitcoin address in MORSE
|
on: September 29, 2012, 10:07:38 AM
|
Ahh.. because environmentalists don't already hate Bitcoin enough due to perceived power wastage in mining? Now they can hate us for using animals as billboards too? (seeing as many birds use colours and appearance to find a mate - putting flashing lights on them is a pretty mean thing to do) What you need is some of these flying robotic penguins from the German robotics company Festo! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff9F0qzxUtgPeople will still hate you for visual pollution if you release these to roam the skies - but they definitely have some cool factor. Perhaps they could carry a wifi access point and blockchain node too 
|
|
|
668
|
Bitcoin / Bitcoin Discussion / Re: Satoshi dumped Bitcoin right after Gavin announced he was going to the CIA.
|
on: September 29, 2012, 04:53:41 AM
|
The fact is I want Satoshi back. He made this thing and I want him to represent it.
I thought you were against having a single person, or small elitist group, representing and acting as an authority over Bitcoin and OUR money?  I think it would be somewhat detrimental for Satoshi to 'return' and influence Bitcoin. The fact that it is completely and utterly irrelevant 'who created bitcoin' is a major psychological selling point, which his/her/their return - would potentially compromise. (Due to, for example, the excessive ability to influence/veto/override decisions by taking advantage of fawning religious-like admiration from the likes of Atlas - though hopefully the community as a whole is smarter than that) I often say things to the effect - that it wouldn't matter if Bitcoin was created by the CIA, Mossad, Al-Qaeda or Batman. Ding Dong Satoshi's dead! (or preferably, enjoying well-earned hookers n blow - yay!)
|
|
|
669
|
Bitcoin / Press / 2012-09-29 theregister.co.uk - Bitcoin Foundation vows to clean up currency's ba
|
on: September 29, 2012, 02:54:30 AM
|
Bitcoin Foundation vows to clean up currency's bad rep 'Bitcoin don't get no respect!' Neil McAllister 2012-09-29 http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/29/bitcoin_foundation_launched/... Tired of bad press, Bitcoin advocates have launched a new foundation aimed at both promoting the electronic currency and funding infrastructure to maintain its momentum. ... Stories of hacks and heists have dogged the digital currency since its inception, too. ... In addition, one of the Foundation's immediate goals is to raise money to provide a salary and some budget for Andresen, who so far has been working as the lead developer of the core Bitcoin software without any compensation. ...
|
|
|
670
|
Bitcoin / Press / 2012-09-27 nashvillepost.com - Commentary: On the eve of Romney’s Mayan Tax
|
on: September 28, 2012, 07:47:05 AM
|
Commentary: On the eve of Romney’s Mayan Tax Death Clock Will supposed hacker meet Friday deadline to release documents? Ken Whitehouse 2012-09-27 http://nashvillepost.com/news/2012/9/27/commentary_on_the_eve_of_romney_s_mayan_tax_death_clockWe looked up this morning at the official NashvillePost.com stone Mayan calendar/doomsday clock — What? You don’t have one? — and noticed that we are on the eve of "Dr. Evil’s" threat to release Mitt Romney’s tax records unless he/them are paid $1 million in bitcoins. ... On Sept. 4, our sister publication The City Paper broke the news that an anonymous group or individual claimed to have broken into the Cool Springs offices of PricewaterhouseCoopers, hacked the firm’s computer system, and downloaded GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s tax records. ... We’re putting our marker down now and guessing it is a hoax, perpetrated by a lone operator with a history of wild behavior. At first, that person was excited to be getting all this attention but subsequently soiled his pants when he realized the trouble he’ll be in when he gets arrested. ...
|
|
|
674
|
Bitcoin / Press / 2012-09-28 thenextweb.com - After $250,000 theft, Bitcoin exchange Bitfloor reop
|
on: September 28, 2012, 07:16:01 AM
|
After $250,000 theft, Bitcoin exchange Bitfloor reopen Joel Falconer 2012-09-28 http://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/09/28/after-250000-theft-bitcoin-exchange-bitfloor-reopens/... Early in the month, we reported that the top US Bitcoin exchange, Bitfloor, had a security breach that resulted in a theft of Bitcoins worth $250,000. At the time it was very much up in the air as to whether Bitfloor would be able to resume operation, but today it has announced that it is back in business. ... Despite a number of high-profile setbacks, Bitcoin growth continues unencumbered, and the decades to come will be very interesting as one of society’s oldest tools — currency — is disrupted. ...
|
|
|
675
|
Bitcoin / Press / 2012-09-27 ieet.org - Bitcoin - a Means for Redistribution of Wealth
|
on: September 28, 2012, 01:51:27 AM
|
Bitcoin - a Means for Redistribution of Wealth Rüdiger Koch 2012-09-27 http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/koch20120927... Amazing things would happen if a large percentage of transhumanists were financially independent. How can this be done? ... There is a way… We need to redistribute wealth! ... Should 1 Billion people use Bitcoin in the future, the price will have to rise 5 orders of magnitude to compensate. In other words, if you buy a Bitcoin today, you have $12 to lose, should the project fail entirely. But you have $100,000 or more to gain should it succeed. This already suggests how redistribution of wealth works in favor of early adopters. Early adopters are able to acquire Bitcoins cheaply. ... Cryonicists will find the option of a brain wallet interesting: As a private key is simply a very large (256 bit) number, it can be deterministically created from a pass phrase. This is a string of words that have meaning to you, possibly salted with things like your social security number. Since you can remember the string now, you should be able to remember it after your reanimation. So as long as you keep your memory, you can access your funds even if everything else has been taken from you during your time in the dewar. ... Transhumanists tend to be freethinkers, which means they usually can’t agree on anything. This is both the greatest strength and the greatest weakness of the H+ movement. But if we can agree for once to use Bitcoin and use our personal networks to spread it, there are enough of us to make Bitcoin’s success and hence, rising prices, a self fulfilling prophecy. ... From Koch's bio on ieet site: Rüdiger Koch is CTO and founder of the first African Bitcoin exchange, Fikisha Africoin in Lagos/Nigeria. Previously, he worked as an IT Consultant in the banking and IT industry in Germany, Switzerland, Thailand and Singapore. ... Rüdiger serves as head of the Business & Bitcoin department of ZeroState and has previously served as vice chairman of De: Trans.
Re IEET: The IEET's mission is to be a center for voices arguing for a responsible, constructive, ethical approach to the most powerful emerging technologies. We believe that technological progress can be a catalyst for positive human development so long as we ensure that technologies are safe and equitably distributed. We call this a "technoprogressive" orientation. ...
|
|
|
677
|
Bitcoin / Press / 2012-09-27 ibtimes.co.uk - Bitcoin Savings and Trust Facing SEC Investigation Ov
|
on: September 27, 2012, 11:37:21 PM
|
Bitcoin Savings and Trust Facing SEC Investigation Over 'Ponzi Scheme' Alistair Charlton 2012-09-27 http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/388782/20120927/bitcoin-savings-trust-sec-investigation-pirate-ponzi.htm... Founded in 2008, and with honourable intentions from its creators and many users, the BitCoin currency is almost immune to money-laundering and hard to track, making it ideal for users looking to make illegal purchases online. ... Bitcoin Savings and Trust has now caught the SEC's attention, according to Willard Foxton at the Telegraph, who claims to have seen an email sent by SEC investigator Philip Moustakis to many of those who invested in Pirate's scheme ... "the BitCoin currency is almost immune to money-laundering"  perhaps he meant almost ideal for money-laundering? ...or almost immune to money-laundering laws? ...the SEC investigation will no doubt lower the value of Bitcoins and possibly scare investors away from the currency altogether.
no doubt eh? If only predicting the market were as simple as this guy assumes.
|
|
|
678
|
Bitcoin / Press / 2012-09-27 betabeat.com - Gavin Andresen Launches Non-Profit Bitcoin Foundation
|
on: September 27, 2012, 11:18:51 PM
|
Gavin Andresen Launches Non-Profit Bitcoin Foundation to ‘Standardize, Protect and Promote’ Bitcoin Can it legitimize the currency in the eyes of the mainstream? Jessica Roy 2012-09-27 http://betabeat.com/2012/09/gavin-andresen-launches-non-profit-bitcoin-foundation-to-standardize-protect-and-promote-bitcoin/... The Bitcoin Foundation has stacked its board with well-known, high-profile people active in the Bitcoin community so that users feel safe donating. Still, as Mr. Perry points out, “according to the dissenting voices, it’s representative only of the ‘big business’ side of Bitcoin, not the actual users.” Indeed, some users have expressed dissent on the boards, but for the most part they seem supportive of a unified effort to legitimize Bitcoin. ...
|
|
|
679
|
Bitcoin / Press / Re: 2012-09-26/BBC World Service (Audio)/Digital Currencies (~10:00 min)
|
on: September 27, 2012, 04:33:56 AM
|
Sounds like their expert has never used Bitcoin - let alone done basic research on it. (or the host cut the interview so poorly that he's not responding to the points he appears to be) ... host: So British cybercop Mick Jamieson specializes in internet fraud, and he cites *numerous* examples of dodgy people using Bitcoins to hide their dodgy activities
M Jamieson: It's filed under an account number and the account number is obviously then referenced to your registration details. Of course registering for a bank, you would be... Mr Jamieson.. you would give your address.. something like that. *This*; you give your email address and you give them your IP address.. and any other details they wish you to volunteer.. whether they be true or false.. but of course, they don't require the person to go in with a passport or a driving license or proof of identification or financial history.
host: So basically, you're saying criminals are all using it.
M Jamieson: I think when it comes to the really high level drug traffickers - they trust cash. But yes, any transfer or any transaction which takes place in an environment where people are using details to keep them anonymous, makes it harder for law enforcement. It's obvious.
host: But are digital currencies really such a bad thing? ...
host: There's about 10 Billion dollars of Bitcoin in circulation at the moment
really!? I wish!  host: Theoretically, I suppose, the dreamers have.. have imagined we could one day develop currencies that somehow bypass central banks in the same way that the the internet itself seems to revolutionize commerce. That that an online currency could could bypass the men, the men in grey suits who've controlled everything up til now.
Hmm.. yes.. perhaps one day someone will invent... Bitcoin! :/
|
|
|
|