Bitcoin and me (Hal Finney)

[bug.lady]

Hal, thank you for your post. I read it with great attention and admiration. You are a great person and I wish you all the best. I am replying kind of to say "thank you" and kind of to keep that inspiring post alive, for others to read it, maybe it should be pinned (?).

[junoreactor]

His discussions by email with Satoshi Nakamoto are still visible on the old forum for those who would like to have a read.

Hal, thank you for your post. I read it with great attention and admiration. You are a great person and I wish you all the best. I am replying kind of to say "thank you" and kind of to keep that inspiring post alive, for others to read it, maybe it should be pinned (?).

Not sure what you mean by "all the best" but Hal Finney is no longer on Earth, sadly (passed away in August 2014).

Finney thing I really like the philosophy of life journey and your career. I thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience.

"Finney thing"? A little bit of respect please if it is not too much to ask.

[bug.lady]

His discussions by email with Satoshi Nakamoto are still visible on the old forum for those who would like to have a read.

Hal, thank you for your post. I read it with great attention and admiration. You are a great person and I wish you all the best. I am replying kind of to say "thank you" and kind of to keep that inspiring post alive, for others to read it, maybe it should be pinned (?).

Not sure what you mean by "all the best" but Hal Finney is no longer on Earth, sadly (passed away in August 2014).

I didn't know that. I never ment any disrespect. I highly admire Hal's attitude but sadly don't know much of his work nor life. I will read more though. Nevertheless, in my opinion his post deserves to be pinned, it influenced me deeply and from what I read not only me.

[cyberresponsibility]

Hal, I am grateful for your determination and contribution comparable to the greatest in the history of mankind. Thanks to your post, many then and today realized how cruel fate has met you and your loved ones. how in principle you were lonely with Phil Zimmerman at PGP (including ZImmerman's arrest ... etc).

We will forever inquire about whether Satoshi was you? ;-)

I passed the expert's path from Cybercrime, through Cybersecurity to Cyberresponsibility. In parallel with the design and research of safe cyberspace technology, I take into account the influence of the human factor as an integral mosaic of cyberspace (Neuromancer, etc.).

As a scientist in the 1990s, I taught students separately: AI (I have a PhD in industrial application of AI), PGP-based cryptography and peer-to-peer network based on the Napster version (I downloaded the first song "In memoriam" by Steve Hacket; problems with mainstream Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker, Napster .... etc).
https://youtu.be/AqmRLJLYoH0

From 2000, I also taught virtualization technologies and experienced the slow emergence of cyberspace: Blockchain's success Bitcoin & platforms such as Ethereum (today's Ethereum / Golem project about 10 years ago I suggested to my students to consider as an example of sharing the unused power of their laptops ...: - )

The above elements of stained glass today are in a revolution, a new paradigm:
- mechanical devices, electrical networks (19th century, computer networks (Internet) (XX century) and ... finally Blockchain (XXI century).

I encourage you to look forward. This man created computers and computer networks / Blockchain. He is the Creator and participant at the same time. Singularity. What will happen when we connect our minds without the mediation of hands? How can you call such a state when our thoughts are quickly blown with information bits?

Hal was one of the key Creators
You also can be such a Creator if you do not know that your dreams will be realized. I've been trying to be like Hal ever since 1990. And picks on. The R & D project 'Youth in the Safe Golf Cyberspace' is one of my recent initiatives AI & Cryptography & Virtualization & Blockchain & ;-)

And what is your project that will change my, yours, our lives forever?

I'm passing for poor English, I'm from Europe ;-)

Regards

Cyberresponsibility for all ;-)

[phlog]

How on earth was “Hal Finney” last seen on March 29 last year?

[DispatchLabs]

Thank you, Mr. Finney for your inspirational words.

[retard75]

How on earth was “Hal Finney” last seen on March 29 last year?

Well, maybe cryogenics and medical research made more progress than public is knowing yet.

[AltcoinE]

How on earth was “Hal Finney” last seen on March 29 last year?

Well, maybe cryogenics and medical research made more progress than public is knowing yet.

Great man!

[timbereagle]

Yes Finney was online:    Last Active:   March 29, 2017, 09:22:58 PM

means someone has access to his account?

[Rockerfaller]

Thank you for everything Hal.. Thank you.

[flickernetwork]

Hal Finney was an icon of crypto. He is dearly missed.

[bnok]

Yes Finney was online:    Last Active:   March 29, 2017, 09:22:58 PM

means someone has access to his account?

Might be his family or smth, or mb its Satoshi 

Anw RIP Hal, thanks for giving us your wisdom 

[paras20]

I thought I'd write about the last four years, an eventful time for Bitcoin and me.

For those who don't know me, I'm Hal Finney. I got my start in crypto working on an early version of PGP, working closely with Phil Zimmermann. When Phil decided to start PGP Corporation, I was one of the first hires. I would work on PGP until my retirement. At the same time, I got involved with the Cypherpunks. I ran the first cryptographically based anonymous remailer, among other activities.

Fast forward to late 2008 and the announcement of Bitcoin. I've noticed that cryptographic graybeards (I was in my mid 50's) tend to get cynical. I was more idealistic; I have always loved crypto, the mystery and the paradox of it.

When Satoshi announced Bitcoin on the cryptography mailing list, he got a skeptical reception at best. Cryptographers have seen too many grand schemes by clueless noobs. They tend to have a knee jerk reaction.

I was more positive. I had long been interested in cryptographic payment schemes. Plus I was lucky enough to meet and extensively correspond with both Wei Dai and Nick Szabo, generally acknowledged to have created ideas that would be realized with Bitcoin. I had made an attempt to create my own proof of work based currency, called RPOW. So I found Bitcoin facinating.

When Satoshi announced the first release of the software, I grabbed it right away. I think I was the first person besides Satoshi to run bitcoin. I mined block 70-something, and I was the recipient of the first bitcoin transaction, when Satoshi sent ten coins to me as a test. I carried on an email conversation with Satoshi over the next few days, mostly me reporting bugs and him fixing them.

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.

After a few days, bitcoin was running pretty stably, so I left it running. Those were the days when difficulty was 1, and you could find blocks with a CPU, not even a GPU. I mined several blocks over the next days. But I turned it off because it made my computer run hot, and the fan noise bothered me. In retrospect, I wish I had kept it up longer, but on the other hand I was extraordinarily lucky to be there at the beginning. It's one of those glass half full half empty things.

The next I heard of Bitcoin was late 2010, when I was surprised to find that it was not only still going, bitcoins actually had monetary value. I dusted off my old wallet, and was relieved to discover that my bitcoins were still there. As the price climbed up to real money, I transferred the coins into an offline wallet, where hopefully they'll be worth something to my heirs.

Speaking of heirs, I got a surprise in 2009, when I was suddenly diagnosed with a fatal disease. I was in the best shape of my life at the start of that year, I'd lost a lot of weight and taken up distance running. I'd run several half marathons, and I was starting to train for a full marathon. I worked my way up to 20+ mile runs, and I thought I was all set. That's when everything went wrong.

My body began to fail. I slurred my speech, lost strength in my hands, and my legs were slow to recover. In August, 2009, I was given the diagnosis of ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's disease, after the famous baseball player who got it.

ALS is a disease that kills moter neurons, which carry signals from the brain to the muscles. It causes first weakness, then gradually increasing paralysis. It is usually fatal in 2 to 5 years. My symptoms were mild at first and I continued to work, but fatigue and voice problems forced me to retire in early 2011. Since then the disease has continued its inexorable progression.

Today, I am essentially paralyzed. I am fed through a tube, and my breathing is assisted through another tube. I operate the computer using a commercial eyetracker system. It also has a speech synthesizer, so this is my voice now. I spend all day in my power wheelchair. I worked up an interface using an arduino so that I can adjust my wheelchair's position using my eyes.

It has been an adjustment, but my life is not too bad. I can still read, listen to music, and watch TV and movies. I recently discovered that I can even write code. It's very slow, probably 50 times slower than I was before. But I still love programming and it gives me goals. Currently I'm working on something Mike Hearn suggested, using the security features of modern processors, designed to support "Trusted Computing", to harden Bitcoin wallets. It's almost ready to release. I just have to do the documentation.

And of course the price gyrations of bitcoins are entertaining to me. I have skin in the game. But I came by my bitcoins through luck, with little credit to me. I lived through the crash of 2011. So I've seen it before. Easy come, easy go.

That's my story. I'm pretty lucky overall. Even with the ALS, my life is very satisfying. But my life expectancy is limited. Those discussions about inheriting your bitcoins are of more than academic interest. My bitcoins are stored in our safe deposit box, and my son and daughter are tech savvy. I think they're safe enough. I'm comfortable with my legacy.
[edited slightly]

Bitcoin  and be I adopt  bitcoin  as one part of my life,i work for bitcoin daily I love having a bitcoin everyday and then

[bitcointheboardgame]

Thank you Mr. Finney. You contribution to Bitcoin is much appreciated and will say a prayer for your family today.

[LeoHonek]

I believe having people contributing to the bitcoin ecosystem from many perspective is highly valuable. I am grateful that you have chosen to continue to spend time in this area and I hope you will continue to find it fulfilling.

[ay-x]

iyi uyu reis 

[davidqw]

Thanks for inventing bitcoin

[Verona25]

To make Bitcoin the official currency and the government needs to work hard enough to go.

[Erikleo07]

I thought I'd write about the last four years, an eventful time for Bitcoin and me.

For those who don't know me, I'm Hal Finney. I got my start in crypto working on an early version of PGP, working closely with Phil Zimmermann. When Phil decided to start PGP Corporation, I was one of the first hires. I would work on PGP until my retirement. At the same time, I got involved with the Cypherpunks. I ran the first cryptographically based anonymous remailer, among other activities.

Fast forward to late 2008 and the announcement of Bitcoin. I've noticed that cryptographic graybeards (I was in my mid 50's) tend to get cynical. I was more idealistic; I have always loved crypto, the mystery and the paradox of it.

When Satoshi announced Bitcoin on the cryptography mailing list, he got a skeptical reception at best. Cryptographers have seen too many grand schemes by clueless noobs. They tend to have a knee jerk reaction.

I was more positive. I had long been interested in cryptographic payment schemes. Plus I was lucky enough to meet and extensively correspond with both Wei Dai and Nick Szabo, generally acknowledged to have created ideas that would be realized with Bitcoin. I had made an attempt to create my own proof of work based currency, called RPOW. So I found Bitcoin facinating.

When Satoshi announced the first release of the software, I grabbed it right away. I think I was the first person besides Satoshi to run bitcoin. I mined block 70-something, and I was the recipient of the first bitcoin transaction, when Satoshi sent ten coins to me as a test. I carried on an email conversation with Satoshi over the next few days, mostly me reporting bugs and him fixing them.

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.

After a few days, bitcoin was running pretty stably, so I left it running. Those were the days when difficulty was 1, and you could find blocks with a CPU, not even a GPU. I mined several blocks over the next days. But I turned it off because it made my computer run hot, and the fan noise bothered me. In retrospect, I wish I had kept it up longer, but on the other hand I was extraordinarily lucky to be there at the beginning. It's one of those glass half full half empty things.

The next I heard of Bitcoin was late 2010, when I was surprised to find that it was not only still going, bitcoins actually had monetary value. I dusted off my old wallet, and was relieved to discover that my bitcoins were still there. As the price climbed up to real money, I transferred the coins into an offline wallet, where hopefully they'll be worth something to my heirs.

Speaking of heirs, I got a surprise in 2009, when I was suddenly diagnosed with a fatal disease. I was in the best shape of my life at the start of that year, I'd lost a lot of weight and taken up distance running. I'd run several half marathons, and I was starting to train for a full marathon. I worked my way up to 20+ mile runs, and I thought I was all set. That's when everything went wrong.

My body began to fail. I slurred my speech, lost strength in my hands, and my legs were slow to recover. In August, 2009, I was given the diagnosis of ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's disease, after the famous baseball player who got it.

ALS is a disease that kills moter neurons, which carry signals from the brain to the muscles. It causes first weakness, then gradually increasing paralysis. It is usually fatal in 2 to 5 years. My symptoms were mild at first and I continued to work, but fatigue and voice problems forced me to retire in early 2011. Since then the disease has continued its inexorable progression.

Today, I am essentially paralyzed. I am fed through a tube, and my breathing is assisted through another tube. I operate the computer using a commercial eyetracker system. It also has a speech synthesizer, so this is my voice now. I spend all day in my power wheelchair. I worked up an interface using an arduino so that I can adjust my wheelchair's position using my eyes.

It has been an adjustment, but my life is not too bad. I can still read, listen to music, and watch TV and movies. I recently discovered that I can even write code. It's very slow, probably 50 times slower than I was before. But I still love programming and it gives me goals. Currently I'm working on something Mike Hearn suggested, using the security features of modern processors, designed to support "Trusted Computing", to harden Bitcoin wallets. It's almost ready to release. I just have to do the documentation.

And of course the price gyrations of bitcoins are entertaining to me. I have skin in the game. But I came by my bitcoins through luck, with little credit to me. I lived through the crash of 2011. So I've seen it before. Easy come, easy go.

That's my story. I'm pretty lucky overall. Even with the ALS, my life is very satisfying. But my life expectancy is limited. Those discussions about inheriting your bitcoins are of more than academic interest. My bitcoins are stored in our safe deposit box, and my son and daughter are tech savvy. I think they're safe enough. I'm comfortable with my legacy.

Descanse em paz.
[edited slightly]

[ceferov]

Thank you for all you have done for Bitcoin legend. We will not forget you.

Rest in Peace