Offline Wallets - Public/Private keys - Retrieving funds

[midwestcoins]

I recently sent a small portion of bitcoins to a offline generated address (through bitaddress.org). The funds have been sent to the public key generated on bitaddress. However this is where I (and many others I've talked to) get confused and have a few questions.. 


Is the offline address I generated through bitaddress basically an offline wallet?

How do I retrieve these bitcoins from this offline address? - with the public & private key?

Is the private key the way to retrieve these funds (importing a private key?)? I have heard importing a private key is a HUGE MISTAKE

What are the main functions of the public key vs main functions of private key (just so I can better understand)?

a MILLION thanks in advanced..

MWCoins

[Stultiloquy]

Just import private key with blockchain.info to get your BTC

[peterbyte]

The public key is to receive funds like your bank account number. The private key is like the password to your funds. To spend it you have to import your private key in a bitcoin wallet. So if you want to spend the coins importing the private key is not a huge mistake it is the only way to do it.

[midwestcoins]

THANK YOU! So just to make sure I understand this;

A: The address I generated is an offline wallet address?

B: The private key is the only way to import funds from an address into a new address?

C: There aren't risks involving importing private keys?


Thnks again in advanced

MWCoins

[Biteoat]

THANK YOU! So just to make sure I understand this;

A: The address I generated is an offline wallet address?

B: The private key is the only way to import funds from an address into a new address?

C: There aren't risks involving importing private keys?


Thnks again in advanced

MWCoins

A: The public address allows someone (including yourself) to send bitcoin to it.
B: The private key allows people to spend the bitcoin on the address.
C: Of course, you need to make sure the computer is not infected, other than that, it is perfectly fine.
By the way, you should encrypted and backup your wallet as well

[midwestcoins]

Aww I see, makes sense to me now. Thanks much appreciated!!


So - new question - A: how would one encrypt a paper wallet?

[bitpop]

Once imported it becomes online. Spend what you need then transfer remainder to new offline. Very simple.

[CSInvestments]

Aww I see, makes sense to me now. Thanks much appreciated!!


So - new question - A: how would one encrypt a paper wallet?

Bitaddress.org has an option for encrypting a paper wallet with BIP38. But I wouldn't encrypt a paper wallet anyway. Reason being is that the chance of the paper wallet getting physically stolen is much lower than you forgetting the password. Unless you are extremely worried about physical security, don't encrypt a paper wallet.

[bitpop]

I would use a simple password, better than nothing