With the barrier to getting started with Bitcoin becoming lower every day, we need to take into account that not all users will be as tech-savvy as early adopters. The average person is used to using credit cards or Paypal, where one has little actual responsibility over their funds. If one loses their Paypal password, they can just reset it via email. If one's credit card info is stolen, they can call the company and reverse fraudulent transactions. With Bitcoin,
we are the ones in control. There is nobody who can restore your wallet if your computer catches on fire and you made no backups. If you purchase an item and the seller doesn't send it, you'd better have used an escrow service.
Sites such as WeUseCoins.org are great for getting people interested in Bitcoin and helping them attain a basic understanding, but we need to teach users about the fundamental shift in responsibility that comes with using Bitcoin, and make sure that they know what they're getting into if they decide to take the red pill.
We need to create a guide for newcomers that:
- Helps them understand how to keep their coins safe
- Teaches safe practices for backing up wallets, and how to avoid losing coins to the void
- Is easy to read and understand
- Assumes that they know as little as possible about computer security
I'm just going to list off some important stuff the guide should do for now, but I'll format this much more nicely / elaborate on specific points later.
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1. Teach the differences between types of wallets. Perhaps include a quick overview of the differences between Blockchain.info, Multibit (or Electrum), and Bitcoin-QT.
2. Teach the advantages and disadvantages of using each type of wallet. Make sure the user understands that when they opt for more convenience, they usually sacrifice security. Elaborate on how security is extremely important when you're considering storing a significant portion of your wealth in a technology.
3. Make it
absolutely clear that with Bitcoin, all responsibility lies with the user. Make sure that they understand that their coins could be lost
FOREVER if they don't take the necessary precautions.
4. Teach the user the specific precautions they need to take.
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I'll keep editing this post, so please fill this thread with suggestions to include or corrections to make!
