raising awareness by giving away private keys

[BkkCoins]

A few things come to mind:

1. Keep a copy of the key and if it's not claimed after X days then take it back.

2. Don't have a checkbox to show taken as that just stops anyone from bothering. Even if they're disappointed it's better they explore how to get them as that increases knowledge.

3. Make sure they know they have to spend them before someone else and not use that address further. It'll be a counterproductive if they imported that key into a wallet and let it sit such that someday more of their own money ends up on that address and someone else with the key steals it.

Actually just creating this "sweepstakes" ticket is an exercise in trying to optimize explaining Bitcoin attractively such that someone would even bother.

The idea of a game is good...

How about you post sudoku puzzles that when solved have a 81 digit number that seeds a key?
That way only the ones who take it and solve it and plug it into bitaddress.org get the key. It raises the entry level bar but also is more of a challenge and so makes more sense to people as a winning.

You can generate bulk sudoku pdf or SVG puzzles with this google code project here,

http://code.google.com/p/sudo2svg/

You could also put these online in blogs/craigs list etc. It's the Bitcoin Sudoku Challenge... can you figure it out and WIN?

I think this would be attractive to those who like puzzles and nerdy stuff like crosswords etc but who aren't yet involved in Bitcoin or even programming stuff.

SOLVE a Sudoku for cash - get free Bitcoin.

[the joint]

This is just a waste of bitcoins.. Most of them will get thrown away and wasted by people that don't understand what to do with them or think it's a scam etc.

I think the best method of promotion would be promotion via media, like the video at www.weusecoins.com and www.screwbanks.net

+1

5% (if you're lucky) of passersby will stop to look at your flyer.

25% of those 5% might care.

1% of those 25% of 5% will know what to do with a private key.

My certainty of these statistics is at about an 80% confidence level, raising the absurdity of this idea by about 47%.

But in all seriousness, while an idea like this would be cool for us, you're going to likely end up wasting Bitcoins and time.  You'd be better off standing on the street handing out Casascius coins.

[cbeast]

A few things come to mind:

1. Keep a copy of the key and if it's not claimed after X days then take it back.

2. Don't have a checkbox to show taken as that just stops anyone from bothering. Even if they're disappointed it's better they explore how to get them as that increases knowledge.

3. Make sure they know they have to spend them before someone else and not use that address further. It'll be a counterproductive if they imported that key into a wallet and let it sit such that someday more of their own money ends up on that address and someone else with the key steals it.

Actually just creating this "sweepstakes" ticket is an exercise in trying to optimize explaining Bitcoin attractively such that someone would even bother.

The idea of a game is good...

How about you post sudoku puzzles that when solved have a 81 digit number that seeds a key?
That way only the ones who take it and solve it and plug it into bitaddress.org get the key. It raises the entry level bar but also is more of a challenge and so makes more sense to people as a winning.

You can generate bulk sudoku pdf or SVG puzzles with this google code project here,

http://code.google.com/p/sudo2svg/

You could also put these online in blogs/craigs list etc. It's the Bitcoin Sudoku Challenge... can you figure it out and WIN?

I think this would be attractive to those who like puzzles and nerdy stuff like crosswords etc but who aren't yet involved in Bitcoin or even programming stuff.

SOLVE a Sudoku for cash - get free Bitcoin.

Mind if I steal this idea for Buried Keys? You are of cour se welcome to use mine. Right now I have crossword and trivia.
[edit] meh, it looks like they have Sudoku solvers online.

[BkkCoins]

Mind if I steal this idea for Buried Keys? You are of cour se welcome to use mine. Right now I have crossword and trivia.

Not at all. I think it's cool but won't do anything with it.
BTW My avatar to the left already solves to a key...

I could see printing puzzles and on the back have instructions maybe.

The qqwing program is very good for solving and generating puzzles. You would want the --one-line option as it generates an 81 digit number.

The google project above has code to generate PDFs or SVG images in bulk. The SVG option is ideal as it uses a template and inserts the sudoku. So you could create a simple SVG graphic of the puzzle with instructions and then generate in bulk while storing the solved one-line seed in a file for creating the key/address and sending coins to it.

But also if you use the PDF output then it's just a conversion of the SVG. So by creating an SVG template you can get ready-to-print PDF output. Anyway, it's easy to adapt as all open source.

[Peter Todd]

3. Make sure they know they have to spend them before someone else and not use that address further. It'll be a counterproductive if they imported that key into a wallet and let it sit such that someday more of their own money ends up on that address and someone else with the key steals it.

I'll ask that you make this very obvious. For instance, use one of those "tear off" strips that people write phone numbers on, or have some scratch-off Bitcoin bills specially made up.

We really don't need people to think you're Bitcoins can disappear on you!

[adamstgBit]

I wish my camera didn't suck the shit out of batteries

Anyway I made a poster that looks something like this



they can pull out 1 of the bitcoin paper wallets, ( neatly hidden in the crafty pouch , all they see is a piece of paper sticking out of the pouch with the bitcoin logo on it )
It has a bitcoin 101 intro / how to redeem the PK on the back of each bitcoin

the paper wallets reads:

Bitcoin is the first decentralized electronic cash system that uses peer-to-peer networking, digital signatures and cryptographic proof to process online payments.

This is a bitcoin paper wallet holding 0.025BTC. A paper wallet is a way to store bitcoins that involves printing the bitcoin addresses and private keys directly on a piece of paper. paper wallets are one of the safest ways possible to store Bitcoins.

Redeem this paper wallet by creating an account at www.mtgox.com, once you are logged in click Funding Options, Add Funds, select  Redeem Private Key as your funding method, type in the private key on the back of this note and click Redeem Key!

valid until 8/13/2012                                           Learn more about bitcoin go to www.weusecoins.com

[adamstgBit]

This is just a waste of bitcoins.. Most of them will get thrown away and wasted by people that don't understand what to do with them or think it's a scam etc.

I think the best method of promotion would be promotion via media, like the video at www.weusecoins.com and www.screwbanks.net

+1

5% (if you're lucky) of passersby will stop to look at your flyer.

25% of those 5% might care.

1% of those 25% of 5% will know what to do with a private key.

My certainty of these statistics is at about an 80% confidence level, raising the absurdity of this idea by about 47%.

But in all seriousness, while an idea like this would be cool for us, you're going to likely end up wasting Bitcoins and time.  You'd be better off standing on the street handing out Casascius coins.

-1

worst case people see this and think "what the hell is bitcoin" and move along.

most likely they will not bother to redeem the PK, but they Might, and if they do they now have a mtgox account ( a big first step into becoming a bitcoiner ) Also it exposes them to paper wallets a must know in the bitcoin world.

and if they dont redeem the PK... i will! so i wont lose any bitcoin from doing this if your right.

short of running through a mall naked yelling "I love  Bitcoin! ", this a cheep and effective way for raising awareness.

[niko]

3. Make sure they know they have to spend them before someone else and not use that address further. It'll be a counterproductive if they imported that key into a wallet and let it sit such that someday more of their own money ends up on that address and someone else with the key steals it.

I'll ask that you make this very obvious. For instance, use one of those "tear off" strips that people write phone numbers on, or have some scratch-off Bitcoin bills specially made up.

We really don't need people to think you're Bitcoins can disappear on you!

This is a good point, I'll definitely take it into account. On the other hand, I think it's fine if they realize that simply the coins are gone as someone has taken them already. No scratch-off stuff.

[adamstgBit]

I cant wait to see if anyone takes the free paper wallets off the bulletin board near my place.

[the joint]

This is just a waste of bitcoins.. Most of them will get thrown away and wasted by people that don't understand what to do with them or think it's a scam etc.

I think the best method of promotion would be promotion via media, like the video at www.weusecoins.com and www.screwbanks.net

+1

5% (if you're lucky) of passersby will stop to look at your flyer.

25% of those 5% might care.

1% of those 25% of 5% will know what to do with a private key.

My certainty of these statistics is at about an 80% confidence level, raising the absurdity of this idea by about 47%.

But in all seriousness, while an idea like this would be cool for us, you're going to likely end up wasting Bitcoins and time.  You'd be better off standing on the street handing out Casascius coins.

-1

worst case people see this and think "what the hell is bitcoin" and move along.

most likely they will not bother to redeem the PK, but they Might, and if they do they now have a mtgox account ( a big first step into becoming a bitcoiner ) Also it exposes them to paper wallets a must know in the bitcoin world.

and if they dont redeem the PK... i will! so i wont lose any bitcoin from doing this if your right.

short of running through a mall naked yelling "I love  Bitcoin! ", this a cheep and effective way for raising awareness.

I agree that's a worst case scenario.  I'm just suggesting that handing someone a gift in person might be a better way of generating interest.  I like the generosity of the idea though, and I'd like to hear the results.  Try it.

[adamstgBit]

This is just a waste of bitcoins.. Most of them will get thrown away and wasted by people that don't understand what to do with them or think it's a scam etc.

I think the best method of promotion would be promotion via media, like the video at www.weusecoins.com and www.screwbanks.net

+1

5% (if you're lucky) of passersby will stop to look at your flyer.

25% of those 5% might care.

1% of those 25% of 5% will know what to do with a private key.

My certainty of these statistics is at about an 80% confidence level, raising the absurdity of this idea by about 47%.

But in all seriousness, while an idea like this would be cool for us, you're going to likely end up wasting Bitcoins and time.  You'd be better off standing on the street handing out Casascius coins.

-1

worst case people see this and think "what the hell is bitcoin" and move along.

most likely they will not bother to redeem the PK, but they Might, and if they do they now have a mtgox account ( a big first step into becoming a bitcoiner ) Also it exposes them to paper wallets a must know in the bitcoin world.

and if they dont redeem the PK... i will! so i wont lose any bitcoin from doing this if your right.

short of running through a mall naked yelling "I love  Bitcoin! ", this a cheep and effective way for raising awareness.

I agree that's a worst case scenario.  I'm just suggesting that handing someone a gift in person might be a better way of generating interest.  I like the generosity of the idea though, and I'd like to hear the results.  Try it.

yes I've had the same feeling behind this idea for a long time.

but i always wanted to try it.

[BkkCoins]

I could see newspapers putting puzzles in them that when solved will award the prize to the first person who claims it. Or maybe as an advert for some business related to Bitcoin. But in that case I think the prize would need to be bigger than 10 cents.

If you saw a puzzle (sudoku, crossword etc) in an advert that said "Solve this, and do this to instantly claim your $100 prize". Would you bother? Given how pricey ads are the prize isn't much more and it could be an effective gimmick - but only if it relates to you business. Let's say you were trying to gain local publicity about a new international money transfer service.

By making it a puzzle/game you are enticing people into finding out what this stuff is about. Something they may normally just ignore as technical jargon becomes a game to figure out.

[Peter Todd]

As an aside, I do think it'd be interesting to leave some btc private keys around to get a feeling for the level of bitcoin adoption. If they don't get redeemed, you can be sure people don't know what bitcoin is. Just be discrete about it; maybe a qr code with the letters btc.

[JompinDox]

Allow me to be blunt: while it sounds cool, this idea is a waste of time and an example of old-fashioned reasoning.

This is year 2012, people.

Bitcoin is the exact kind of thing that can spread virally, like wildfire, without any marketing
campaign - provided that a killer app emerges and that it becomes a little bit more user-friendly.

[luv2drnkbr]

You want to raise awareness by the most difficult means possible?  You think the average person will go through all that is necessary to redeem a private key and spend it or exchange it and then say "yeah this totally beats the ease of the paper in my wallet that everybody already accepts"??

[Peter Todd]

You want to raise awareness by the most difficult means possible?  You think the average person will go through all that is necessary to redeem a private key and spend it or exchange it and then say "yeah this totally beats the ease of the paper in my wallet that everybody already accepts"??

At least just link to a pre-funded instawallet account or something.

Also, keep in mind that being pushy makes normal people think they're being scammed, especially when every bitcoin user stands to gain from increased adoption. It's like advocating gold.

[adamstgBit]

You want to raise awareness by the most difficult means possible?  You think the average person will go through all that is necessary to redeem a private key and spend it or exchange it and then say "yeah this totally beats the ease of the paper in my wallet that everybody already accepts"??

At least just link to a pre-funded instawallet account or something.

Also, keep in mind that being pushy makes normal people think they're being scammed, especially when every bitcoin user stands to gain from increased adoption. It's like advocating gold.

no they must be presented with a real bitcoin paper wallet, and should be directed to go to mtgox to redeem it
the idea is to get people to 1) learn about bitcoin 2) join bitcoin
its not about spoon feeding them some bitcoins
its about rewarding new people interested in bitcoin, and hoping to get them involved

[tvbcof]

Voorhees (at least) had the same idea a year (at least) ago.  Worked on it some but as far as I know it went nowhere.

I wanted to have two pools:

 1) distributed samples which were picked up and 'registered' by interested new users.

 2) funding pools by interested rich folk.

Basically things would be dynamic such that the samples (probably Instawallets) which ended up being active (which I suspected would be a small percentage) were funded over a period of time (but primarily on-demand when initial use was detected.) The main goal...or mine anyway...was to get people using Bitcoin a bit, transfering them around, and generally learning the ropes, and a big part of that was getting them to _good_ info and wouldn't be ripped off or taken advantage of by all the sharks in these waters.

A further refinement was that funders maintained their control of the funds (their portion of the funding pool) and could withdraw their support or add to it depending on their perception of the direction of the campaign.

I didn't expect the implementation would be terribly challenging, and it was important to me that the new user need not give up any info that was not necessary (which would be effectively zilch.)  This as opposed to registering a username and password to some system in order to claim funds or something.  There were some differences of opinion on some of these things.  More than anything though I came to the conclusion that Bitcoin was not right for most people at that time.  I still hold that opinion but my contention is weakening as time goes by.

[cbeast]

There's gotta be some kind of "marketing textbook" for this. I mean, millions of people have gone through this process trying to promote their businesses... Do we really have to re-invent the wheel?

Yes. We are educating the market. Selling Bitcoin to people is like going back in time 1000 years and selling people on the idea of radio. They would consider it evil magic and label you a witch. It's not going to be easy to market Bitcoin until we have "magical" devices that look shiny.

[dancupid]

This is a brilliant idea, but it could be a treasure hunt - the easy to find QR codes should draw people into something more involved. They could link to a website that provides a clue to the next location leading them closer to the bounty.
There could be a process that encourages people not only to search but also to contribute bitcoins and leave clues for others - it could expand beyond the campus and to the wider world..