Bitcoin and me (Hal Finney)

[roadrunnerjaiv2025]

Inspiring! Despite the current state of your health, you still manage to look on the bright side. It's even more inspiring that bitcoin has been a huge part of your journey. Good to know your coins are going to tech-savvy heirs. At least you know the hard work you've done all these years will not be put to waste.

[1714066477]

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[JayJuanGee]

For the 6th anniversary of Hal's death (which was yesterday, August 28, 2020), Bitcoin Audible republished the reading of the OP of this thread.

It's only an 8 minute 21 second episode.  https://overcast.fm/+MYnwj2JC4

[slaman29]

For the 6th anniversary of Hal's death (which was yesterday, August 28, 2020), Bitcoin Audible republished the reading of the OP of this thread.

It's only an 8 minute 21 second episode.  https://overcast.fm/+MYnwj2JC4

Thank you for sharing this! It's amazing to listen to, even though we read this every anniversary we can always find something new in the way it's felt. I think a lot of us miss feeling this on a daily basis, so good to come back and revisit this genuine, authentic post about Bitcoin. May we all remember to be humble.

You are loved, Hal Finney.

[Anna138]

Thank you so much for your post. This is really something that inspires and makes you live every day. Such people as you should write more often on the forum and please us, ordinary mortals. I am very grateful to you and hope to make friends and communicate in person in the future, if possible! Good luck!

[Zanab247]

The story so interesting to newbie to learn more and to understand bitcoin very well in the forum. Many people Testimonies always give me hope,that one day I will also be giving Testimonies to people to know how the journey went and so many things I oveecame in the hands of scammer in the forum. This your story will really impact so many bitcoin users in the platform.

[Broly46]

Paying my tribute to this generous guy, he is truly a legend, not gonna lie I’m actually stumble upon this thread for a long time and remain silent for a long while, but here come the time to open up my mind and eye clearly to decipher the hidden message inside his insightful post, truly remarkable reads.

[Lebanese]

Thank you Hal for everything, RIP.

[levan5050]

In this text could be Encrypted the Wallet address of "Satoshi Nakamoto". RIP

[cr1776]

I quipped that we were truly in the future: we have a decenteralized cryptocurrency, and one of its developers exists in brain-in-a-jar state.

We do indeed live in the future, and the OP has been dealt a strange hand.

It gives me pause, to think that... Hal Finney may outlive every other person in this thread.

If things turn out well for Humanity, as well as we can reasonably hope — better than we fear;
It should not completely surprise me then, if — some few, or many decades hence,
OP were to visit the Internet Archive of that age, and in his curiosity revisit this page,
and perhaps also, after a moment of reflection, weep for those who wept for him,
— the people who were still alive.

...I should send Alcor an email, ask them about their stance toward Bitcoin,
despite, for now, being out of their reach for geographical reasons...

www.lesswrong.com/lw/1ab/dying_outside/15jj | www.alcor.org

Oh, and for the love of all that is good, every one of you; keep breathing.

I know you (elux) haven't been on in 18 months or so, but I hope you checked out Alcor and emailed them about bitcoin.  One hopes, given Hal's interest in Alcor, I hope (still since I think I said it way upthread), he does NOT Rest In Peace, at least for not too long.

And for those who didn't read the entire thread, check out these links if you are interested:
http://www.alcor.org/blog/hal-finney-becomes-alcors-128th-patient/
https://waitbutwhy.com/2016/03/cryonics.html

[hots23]

Dear Hal,

Thank You for helping me early with the Bitcoin project. We talked ALOT during prelaunch and postlaunch to fix minor bugs with the software. I originally had no idea what we were really getting into to. But you knew, you could tell how powerful Bitcoin was even when I couldn't. You even figured out the fact that I was young even thought I lied and told everyone I was an old man. Hal I decided to hide my real identity because I felt as if the world was not ready. I knew that Bitcoin was a great idea and that if it ever caught wind and everyone started to accept Bitcoin it would become special, and it did thanks to you. The world was not ready to know that Satoshi Nakamoto does not exist in real life and his real identity is a young African American kid from Louisiana. Even now the world refuses to accept the fact that I am Satoshi. And I knew this fact 10 years ago which is the sole reason why I hide myself from the world. Over the years there have been several different people claiming to be me so I understand. I wish you were still here friend, I wish that I at least told you who I really was before I left the community. I wish you were able to see how much our little Bitcoin has grown over the years. Bitcoin is strong Hal, stronger than we could ever imagine. I am sorry that I left you, Gavin, the others and Bitcoin 10 years ago. The CIA coming after us in year 1 was really scary for me so I decided to leave and disappear from the community. Please forgive me for that it was an honest inexperienced mistake. One day, I plan on reaching out to your family and thanking them for raising a good hearted person. Hopefully this post spreads worldwide over the next few years the same way Bitcoin spread through the community.

Please continue to watch over our Bitcoin project and please continue to watch over me as well as I try to convince the world of my identity.


Satoshi/hots23

[angrynerd88]

Much appreciated for taking the time to share your story. I'm inspired and motivated by your demeanor within the confront of misfortune. But you are role model for all programmers who early gave up after reading your story will get more power. I also feel lucky that i am in Bitcoin world and since in crypto world learned a lot from seniors like you . I'm happy you're able to proceed your adore for programming. It makes me realize how much I take for granted. Really you're legend and will be remember for centuries.

[lzby2000]

everyone has their own story Smiley 
my wife created a situation in which if I had not sold bitcoins - today would be a multi-billionaire!

[no-one-actually]

Thank you so much for being such an incredible visionary and creator. You deserved to see the future of humanity transformed by your creation. Rest in peace Satoshi.

[phylton]

I cried reading this. Thank you SO MUCH for everything, Hal. RIP.

[decentralizedb]

I don't know why every time I wrote a message here it was deleted.
I hope this should not be deleted.
I really enjoy reading Hal's story, it's very impressive to me.

[jlevrt]

Rest in peace, Hal. You left an enduring legacy, indeed.

[amer9001]

What an astonishing story.
Rest in peace legend.

[AdvaitaV]

Wow... I'm not really an emotional person and never thought I would get emotional reading something on Bitcointalk but that hit me hard.

Thank you so much for everything you did Hal - for your contributions and for keeping an open mind to a (at the time obscure) project that has and will continue to change countless lives.

Now it is up to everyone reading this to carry the torch... buy Bitcoin, work on Bitcoin, and spread the word about Bitcoin... now the whole world is watching.

RIP Hal.

[#BiT_pOL]

fantastic and instructive story, despite the not happy ending,
I am admired by the devotion and depth of thought, and sincere humanity that he expressed in so few lines ( and in all his life ) ........

some points are significant (the part relating to the safe deposit box offline) (and where he literally writes about Satoshi, see below) (for all the history and legends and even that are born about it) ....

brilliant mind, great man, honored member of the first cypherpunk movement, creator/mind of the rpow .. ..
thank you very much Hal, wherever you are, if you see where your little experiment has gone you would smile from up there, but maybe you already do ...
goodbye

" Today, Satoshi's true identity has become a mystery. But at the time, I thought I was dealing with a young man of Japanese ancestry who was very smart and sincere. I've had the good fortune to know many brilliant people over the course of my life, so I recognize the signs. "

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
p.s.

[coinits]

Dear Hal,

Thank You for helping me early with the Bitcoin project. We talked ALOT during prelaunch and postlaunch to fix minor bugs with the software. I originally had no idea what we were really getting into to. But you knew, you could tell how powerful Bitcoin was even when I couldn't. You even figured out the fact that I was young even thought I lied and told everyone I was an old man. Hal I decided to hide my real identity because I felt as if the world was not ready. I knew that Bitcoin was a great idea and that if it ever caught wind and everyone started to accept Bitcoin it would become special, and it did thanks to you. The world was not ready to know that Satoshi Nakamoto does not exist in real life and his real identity is a young African American kid from Louisiana. Even now the world refuses to accept the fact that I am Satoshi. And I knew this fact 10 years ago which is the sole reason why I hide myself from the world. Over the years there have been several different people claiming to be me so I understand. I wish you were still here friend, I wish that I at least told you who I really was before I left the community. I wish you were able to see how much our little Bitcoin has grown over the years. Bitcoin is strong Hal, stronger than we could ever imagine. I am sorry that I left you, Gavin, the others and Bitcoin 10 years ago. The CIA coming after us in year 1 was really scary for me so I decided to leave and disappear from the community. Please forgive me for that it was an honest inexperienced mistake. One day, I plan on reaching out to your family and thanking them for raising a good hearted person. Hopefully this post spreads worldwide over the next few years the same way Bitcoin spread through the community.

Please continue to watch over our Bitcoin project and please continue to watch over me as well as I try to convince the world of my identity.


Satoshi/hots23

Yes. The real Satoshi would say A LOT as ALOT. Quit disrespecting this OP please.