(off topic) yep. but it doesn't seem like you can carry out live "trades" with their platform (I could be wrong)

Why can't users validate their account to their email address and log in with a random pin generator or something similar. Some kind of ip recognition program and send out their ip's to other exchanges if they some how violate terms of service and follow through with a charge back, technically you could even send a fraud notice to their ISP. (It probably won't do much) I am just tossing out random ideas, obviously we could make this a much more simple & secure process then it is now.

I too have been interested in buying some BTC. I looked at buying some back in 2011 and MTGox was the big turn off for me. I recently tried using a bank account that funded Dwolla to fund an exchange to fund my wallet. What a shit setup. Talk about transaction fees, shit 1/3 of your money ends up in everyone else's pocket. The exchange wanted a pic of my "Gov't issued ID" (Ummm fuck that) Stockbrokers (E*Trade) don't even require ID. What happened to a validated electronic signature? It seems to me the exchanges really need to boost their end of software capabilities and processing powers. I know bitcoin is relatively still in its infancy but how about an exchange that can be funded right from a bank account or credit/debit card verified with an electronic signature. For a digital currency the exchanges are still in the dark ages IMHO. Since I haven't actually acquired bitcoin yet, I don't know if any exchanges offer a level 2 "trading" platform/quotes if not, it would be a wise decision. I would be willing to help, if others are interested in creating something similar.

thanks for the replies. good info!

In Debt We Trust. 

Automation replacing human labour.

TEAM PEOPLE!! haha

I try not to limit myself with a specific ideology. I want to be constantly building/advancing as a human being. Not in favor of the modern political system, but it seems the uneducated (too harsh?) want the gov't to lean on and bitch to. Which really works to their favor IMO. Libertarianish philosophy is great but I see it as a very temporary solution. /shrug

probably the only person in the state of Wyoming interested in bitcoins :O

Greetings all.

First of all I have to say I am 100% newb when it comes to crypto currencies. However, I did know about it back in 2011 but didn't think much of it.

After a few evenings of research (please correct if wrong) it seems to me like the ASIC tech businesses are scamming people by a forever-delaying waiting list? Is ASIC technology really 1990ish tech with improvements?

FPGA...I have seen some boards but I dont know much about them. I have read others say they are not worth it, but I have to investigate this option more.

It seems GPU is possibly the way to go if you have low electricity rates. I have been looking at building a set up with three 7970's and from this link https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Mining_hardware_comparison they are rating these three cards together somewhere in the range of 1950-2050 MHash/s yet the ASIC tech is supposed to be rated for 60 GHash/s. I am curious how one scales the difference between these ratings? I tried looking for an explanation but I couldn't find anything. My educated guess is that MHash could be MegaHash and GHash is a GigaHash, if so how many "Mhash(es)" make up one "Ghash"  By theory would it be 1024 "mhash(es)" make a single "Ghash"? Am I looking at this from the wrong point of view?

Also, I have a P4 3.2ghz with a sapphire x800 gpu dissembled in the garage, is it worth reassembling to play around and gain understanding on mining and how pools work, or is the computational power just not worth it...I am assuming its not?