How can the Bitcoin Foundation best help Bitcoin? From New Exec Director

[Armis]

Hi,

The Board just appointed me as the new Executive Director of the Bitcoin Foundation.

The organization has had its fair share of challenges but is here to stay and we all want to work hard to have it be as valuable as possible to Bitcoin.

Please share your advice, thoughts and ideas.

Some things that I'm planning to focus on is to increase decentralization, making use of crowd funding for projects, use more volunteers and member engagement and to focus on high impact, low cost activities such as a speakers bureau and educational meetings.

I'd love to hear constructive thoughts that we can use to make plans going forward.

Congratulations on your appointment, I wish you the best.

Here are some things I think you should seriously consider:

1)  allow the foundation to be the parent company for those around the world who wish to be agents so that they could defray the licensing costs associated with being a business seller of bitcoins.  Other benefits of enrollment could be: e/o bonding, insurance, bail, and discounted legal services (like prepaid legal).  

2)  create a certification program for all of the relevant service sectors so that such service pros can be 'known' to a core segment of the community, thereby reducing scams by having a larger more accountable service sector.

3)  produce at least 1 documentary style movie a year highlighting lots of good that takes place in the CC universe

5)  have a 3 day convention capped by an award ceremony to recognize those who have done much in the past year to benefit bitcoin -- make sure that everything associated with the convention can be paid for with btc

and

6)  become a PICISI sponsor then sponsor individual campaigns that would educate school administrators around the world in CC Science: CC code writing, CC mining, CC investing, CC block chain, and CC service business.  So that CC is taught in schools around the world.  

BTC is the CC leader that the wider world looks at to judge the industry, find ways to do good, do it, then tell everyone repeatedly that you did it.

[cyberpinoy]

I think the first thing you should do is stop dumping your coins because the foundation is broke. News about the fact the Bitcoin Foundation has no more money is spreading like wildfire, its a bit hard to meet some of the suggestions without any money.

I am not sure if I were you if I would be proud or insulted. They are broke and then poof a brand new exec. hmmmmmm seems your predecessors have dumped all their coins driving the value thru the ground and then threw all the problems in your lap.

So that being said your first order of business should be to find some new investors and get some cash to back the foundation up again.

Not to mention the new flaw they just found that has put such a panic in investors they are all dumping right now and getting out before the hackers get a hold of this and really maximize on it. I mean why hack an exchange when you can easily just hack someones wallet directly. Ask Paycoin how that feels it seems they may have already been the first victim (and i use that word loosely) of this new flaw that has been discovered.

[Snail2]

More transparency, and involving the community in high level planning would be useful.

[ChuckBuck]

Is this a scam account?  Why would his signature link to the Bitcoinassociation.org instead of https://bitcoinfoundation.org/ ?  If you scan the posts on the Bitcoinassociation.org website, it's all dated posts from 2014 with no timely updates.  Sketchy.

Also, if you click brucefenton profile link it shows next to website "Bitcoin Association"



But if you happen to click on that link, it links back to his Bitcointalk profile page.

Not sure I want someone that can't update their linked website or their Bitcointalk profile page in charge of the Bitcoin Foundation...

[BruceFenton]

Bitcoin Association
Bitcoinassociation.Org

-from your current sig.

what's this other/same thing you founded with Buterin et al.?

Yes, I'm going to step down as president and take a less active role but still remain involved...and will also update the sig!  Thanks

[BruceFenton]

Is this a scam account?  Why would his signature link to the Bitcoinassociation.org instead of https://bitcoinfoundation.org/ ?  If you scan the posts on the Bitcoinassociation.org website, it's all dated posts from 2014 with no timely updates.  Sketchy.

Also, if you click brucefenton profile link it shows next to website "Bitcoin Association"



But if you happen to click on that link, it links back to his Bitcointalk profile page.

Not sure I want someone that can't update their linked website or their Bitcointalk profile page in charge of the Bitcoin Foundation...

I've updated the profile. 

My work with Bitcoin Association pre-dated yesterday's announcement with Bitcoin Foundation -- I'll still be involved with Bitcoin Association but my main focus is Bitcoin Foundation

[Last of the V8s]

Bitcoin Association
Bitcoinassociation.Org

-from your current sig.

what's this other/same thing you founded with Buterin et al.?

Yes, I'm going to step down as president and take a less active role but still remain involved...and will also update the sig!  Thanks

Ok that's the trivial bit.

Now can you just somehow magically realise there is nothing you can do for or against bitcoin.

It exists, with or without you.

[pereira4]

My advice is that you hire someone like Andreas Antonopoulous to do the marketing. Then again, I wouldn't like to see him affected by corruption of other members of the Bitcoin Foundation, like has happened before.

[DooMAD]

My advice is that you hire someone like Andreas Antonopoulous to do the marketing. Then again, I wouldn't like to see him affected by corruption of other members of the Bitcoin Foundation, like has happened before.

It's unlikely he would accept the role unless he felt the foundation had truly changed for the better.  Andreas was a member of the foundation at one point, but left it because he didn't agree with the way it was being run.  Besides, he's doing an exemplary job on his own.  Why mess with a winning formula?

But on a similar note, if the foundation managed to achieve a similar impact to the work Andreas is doing, but using their own personnel, it might start the recovery process.  If we start to see both transparency and results, the foundation might have a chance at winning back some support and trust from the wider community.  It will probably take a while, though.

[ChuckBuck]

Is this a scam account?  Why would his signature link to the Bitcoinassociation.org instead of https://bitcoinfoundation.org/ ?  If you scan the posts on the Bitcoinassociation.org website, it's all dated posts from 2014 with no timely updates.  Sketchy.

Also, if you click brucefenton profile link it shows next to website "Bitcoin Association"

-snip-

But if you happen to click on that link, it links back to his Bitcointalk profile page.

Not sure I want someone that can't update their linked website or their Bitcointalk profile page in charge of the Bitcoin Foundation...

I've updated the profile. 

My work with Bitcoin Association pre-dated yesterday's announcement with Bitcoin Foundation -- I'll still be involved with Bitcoin Association but my main focus is Bitcoin Foundation

Well that's one step in the right direction!  Updating the profile after facing some constructive criticism is a good sign.  

Hopefully you can help steer the Bitcoin Foundation in the right direction after all the bankruptcy news, all the departures, the in fighting, the dubious membership...

Help the BF shine light on BTC in media, in partnerships, in events that'll expose Bitcoin as positive force besides it's obvious monetary concept.  Fundraisers and charities!  Co-sponsor events with BitGive or like Bitpesa for example, organizations that show Bitcoin can be used at it's greatest levels.

Make us proud of the Bitcoin Foundation, Bruce!  Shake off the stench from Karpeles, Shrem, and Pierce.  Prove that the BF is an organization that will filter out the members, and select wisely, not just from a industry standpoint, but from a character standpoint.

Only thing I associate "good" about the BF is the Bitcoin Core wallet updates...besides that, ehh.  Even Bitcoin Core's latest 0.10.0 update "only" takes a few hours to sync the Blockchain if you have a decent connection, decent CPU, and an SSD hard drive.  The masses that are interested in Bitcoin's defacto wallet deserve better than a wallet that takes hours just to use.  This will need to change if we're going to reach mainstream adoption.

I'm sure you've heard alot of these quibbles, but if you haven't, thanks for lending an ear.

Just my 2 satoshis.

Chuck

[Mikestang]

Some things that I'm planning to focus on is to increase decentralization,

Hi, Bruce.  I always find it interesting that decentralized bitcoin has a centralized foundation.  I was wondering how this setup coexists with the underlying bitcoin philosophy?

[RocketSingh]

Some things that I'm planning to focus on is to increase decentralization,

Hi, Bruce.  I always find it interesting that decentralized bitcoin has a centralized foundation.  I was wondering how this setup coexists with the underlying bitcoin philosophy?

If you understand how a decentralized product like Tor works with a centralized dev team, it would be easier for you to understand.

[Alley]

There needs to be a clear reason given to people as a reason to adopt and use bitcoin over credit cards.

[johnyj]

Security

People still feel unsafe about many aspects of bitcoin, this is the biggest barrier for them to put serious value in bitcoin. What if one day I opened my wallet and found the coins are all gone???

For example, foundation can act as an authority to recommend the most safe software/hardware and security procedures regarding the store and spending of bitcoin. You need a code review team to test the robustness of each current solution and find the best practice

[tribefan89]

Security

People still feel unsafe about many aspects of bitcoin, this is the biggest barrier for them to put serious value in bitcoin. What if one day I opened my wallet and found the coins are all gone???

For example, foundation can act as an authority to recommend the most safe software/hardware and security procedures regarding the store and spending of bitcoin. You need a code review team to test the robustness of each current solution and find the best practice

Def this. Security is probably most peoples biggest concern. There are plenty of ways for people to get to "know" bitcoin but if they don't feel safe they won't buy.

[cryptozulu]

Hi Bruce, Best of luck in the drivers seat!

I am from South Africa, and briefly scanning over some of the areas of focus you suggest, I can already tick the boxes as a win, especially for Africa and the developing countries

Africa and the unbanked can benefit a great deal from Bitcoin, no need to explain that i think everyone knows that by now. The interesting thing is we are working on exactly what you speak of over here:

Education and Training on Bitcoin
Crowd Funding - This is a real simple way of showing people exactly what can be done.
People here need to know first and foremost the "Why" part of Bitcoin, then one moves to the "What" like apps and wallets etc..

We built our business with the "Why" part in mind.

[Mikestang]

Some things that I'm planning to focus on is to increase decentralization,

Hi, Bruce.  I always find it interesting that decentralized bitcoin has a centralized foundation.  I was wondering how this setup coexists with the underlying bitcoin philosophy?

If you understand how a decentralized product like Tor works with a centralized dev team, it would be easier for you to understand.

I understand a centralized dev team, of course, but the foundation is more than just that.

[TippingPoint]

I'd love to hear constructive thoughts that we can use to make plans going forward.

Thank you for asking.  I know you won't like all the suggestions, but even asking for them in a public forum takes courage.

My suggestions include:

• Have the Foundation (and whatever additional resources it can assemble) encourage the pre-installation of one selected Bitcoin wallet on as many new smart-phones as possible, through agreements with phone manufacturers, operating system providers, value-added retailers, or software suite publishers.
• Have the Foundation (and whatever additional resources it can assemble) encourage Android game developers to build in Bitcoin payment options for game add-ons.  Make it easy for them.  Give them an incentive.

[ThomasCrowne]

I think it would be nice to see the following:

1) More transparency insofar as how Foundation funds are being spent.
2) More focus on General Education type programs for the not so technically inclined boys and girls.
3) And oh yeah, did I mention more focus on Education?  (get into the schools, educate them while they are young)

Widespread acceptance of bitcoin or it's like is going to take sometime.  Hopefully I'll get to see it in my lifetime but I have a feeling the battle between the fiat-established mega crops and the freedom loving crypto enthusiasts is going to take decades to ultimately play out.  Regardless, sharing the pure decentralized p2p nature of bitcoin with the youth is really where the long term success for bitcoin lays imho.

[Kprawn]

The most important thing, should be "transparency" .... This whole "cloak n dagger" thing, turns people against the foundation and it's goals.

I am glad the focus will also be decentralization ..... "tick"

The funding of the Core Dev's salaries are the biggest concerns... {Let them code, and leave the marketting to experts}

The foundation should be represented by global membership ....{ Bitcoin is global, and not just US based }