Almost gave up on Bitcoin

[UserFriendlyBitcoin]

I've been interested in Bitcoin for quite a while now.
I finally decided to get involved a couple months ago.
I've had quite a lot of trouble figuring out what I'm supposed to do.
I had trouble figuring out how to create a Bitcoin account and trouble figuring our how to mine.
After about six hours of trying to figure it out, I found this forum and created an account so that I could ask questions.
After verifying the account, I had no ability to post anything or PM anybody.
I later created a second account (this one) and had the same problem.

At this point, I got the feeling that Bitcoin is indeed what many others around me were saying it is: some amateur hacker thing that will never catch on.
I gave up and went back to business as usual.
Recently I stumbled across an article on Bitcoin that made me want to give it one more try.
I went to an IRC channel and asked if anyone knows why I'm unable to post on this forum and was told about this 'Newbies' limitation.

Now, I may not seem terribly bright, but I'm actually an advanced computer user and even do some programming.
If I almost gave up on Bitcoin because of the amateurish, user-unfriendly feeling, imagine how many average computer users are giving up on Bitcoin because of that feeling.

So, I have a question:
Why is the processes of getting started with using/mining Bitcoins being kept so user-unfriendly?
Is it because the very tech-savvy people behind Bitcoin have forgotten just how un-tech-savvy the average computer user actually is?
Or is there perhaps an unspoken effort to keep the process somewhat user-unfriendly because there is greater potential for personal profit in these early stages if the number of miners is kept somewhat small for a while.
In other words, are people saying to themselves: "sure I want everyone & their grandmother to get involved in Bitcoin, but just not quite yet ... not until I've done a bit more mining for myself".

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[Mike Christ]

Bitcoin's a beta, experimental software.  So don't expect a lot of help   You'll have to figure out the finer points of Bitcoin on your own, at least until it gains a lot more traction (and it is!)

I still don't know how to mine.  But using Bitcoin isn't too hard to pick up.  Indeed, it does have a steeper learning curve than "get dollars, spend dollars," but anything to pull someone off the rack of "I need everything to be so simple, I can do it in my sleep" can't be a bad thing.

If it were any easier, it would be.  And it will someday be.  Why not take the initiative, learn about Bitcoin, and then translate it into plain ol' English?  I don't know a damn thing about coding, so I can't help

[bitcoinscanada]

Now, I may not seem terribly bright, but I'm actually an advanced computer user and even do some programming.
If I almost gave up on Bitcoin because of the amateurish, user-unfriendly feeling, imagine how many average computer users are giving up on Bitcoin because of that feeling.

So, I have a question:
Why is the processes of getting started with using/mining Bitcoins being kept so user-unfriendly?
Is it because the very tech-savvy people behind Bitcoin have forgotten just how un-tech-savvy the average computer user actually is?
Or is there perhaps an unspoken effort to keep the process somewhat user-unfriendly because there is greater potential for personal profit in these early stages if the number of miners is kept somewhat small for a while.
In other words, are people saying to themselves: "sure I want everyone & their grandmother to get involved in Bitcoin, but just not quite yet ... not until I've done a bit more mining for myself".

Average computer users may take a very long time to figure out bitcoin. Being a nerd myself, I see this as an advantage. Over time the process will become smoother, and easier to understand, but I feel it's worth the trouble to figure it all out now, if you can.

Are you still stuck?

[DeathAndTaxes]

So, I have a question:
Why is the processes of getting started with using/mining Bitcoins being kept so user-unfriendly?

You do understand there is no "Bitcoin, Inc" right? Nobody on the Bitcoin, Inc board of directors is intentionally "keeping" it unfriendly. 
It would be like saying why was the internet in 1970 unfriendly, or why is it so hard to learn how to run a commercial gold mining operation with no experience.

Bitcoin is far more user friendly than it was in say 2010 and will be even more user friendly/mainstream/"easy" in 2020.  If you can't "get it" then honestly it might be too early for you.  I don't mean that as an insult, the reality is there is a massive amount of work before the project is ready for mainstream "plug and play" users (larger higher trading volume exchanges, hardware wallets, functional multi-sig/contracts, insured deposits, polished UIs, etc).  You can get your hands dirty or you check back in a decade when everything is "facebook easy" (the fortunes will have already been made by the companies that made in super easy).

[bitcoinscanada]

I don't have the hardware to mine, and I'm not sure if or how fast that investment would pay off for me. I'm sure there are some people on this forum have found an affordable way to make some coin. The lucky ones had extra computer kicking around they could just set up and get running.

The whole bitcoin community and concept is truly intriguing. It's amazing to see how the entrepreneurs have come up with imaginative ways of making money/bitcoins through games, lotteries, etc.

[chmod755]

So, I have a question:
Why is the processes of getting started with using/mining Bitcoins being kept so user-unfriendly?
Is it because the very tech-savvy people behind Bitcoin have forgotten just how un-tech-savvy the average computer user actually is?
Or is there perhaps an unspoken effort to keep the process somewhat user-unfriendly because there is greater potential for personal profit in these early stages if the number of miners is kept somewhat small for a while.
In other words, are people saying to themselves: "sure I want everyone & their grandmother to get involved in Bitcoin, but just not quite yet ... not until I've done a bit more mining for myself".

1.That's more than just one question.
2.I think you answered it already: "the very tech-savvy people behind Bitcoin have forgotten just how un-tech-savvy the average computer user actually is"

I helped a guy today getting his private key in his wallet. That's something that could be easier (or just explained for people who are "un-tech-savvy")

Bitcoin is for more user friendly than it was in say 2010

Agreed!

[crash_override]

In all honesty, it's very clearly stated that you can only post in the Newbies section when registering here. I'm sorry you've had so much trouble, but as you can see, many, many others have not.

So, I really don't think it's all as complicated as you make it out to be. Just use everyone's best friend (Google) to find the information that is needed, and then follow the steps for starting to mine or whatever you want to do. If you can do this there should not be a problem.

I am absolutely thrilled that I hopped on the BitCoin train last year, and I hope you'll be able to figure it out, too. This community seems to be growing at a rapid pace... the sky is the limit.

[chmod755]

In all honesty, it's very clearly stated that you can only post in the Newbies section when registering here. I'm sorry you've had so much trouble, but as you can see, many, many others have not.

So, I really don't think it's all as complicated as you make it out to be. Just use everyone's best friend (Google) to find the information that is needed, and then follow the steps for starting to mine or whatever you want to do. If you can do this there should not be a problem.

Some people are even willing to pay for some help / bitcoin tech support

[Stephen Gornick]

So, I have a question:
Why is the processes of getting started with using/mining Bitcoins being kept so user-unfriendly?

You seem to think that mining is some golden ticket to riches.  

Nearly every purchase of mining hardware has lost money for the person mining, especially when including the effort (labor).

What I mean by that is that had each person instead put that money into buying bitcoins instead, that person would today have more coins than that person has since received from mining (including coins that would be obtained by liquidating the investment in mining hardware, at today's values).

So in terms of bitcoins held in-hand today, mining has been a money-losing proposition for most everyone⁽¹⁾.

Ask all those people who sent in nearly 200 BTC for their BFL single's back in June 2012.  Will those people be recouping their 200 BTC?   Well, once that hardware ships we'll know what difficulty levels will be and how much they'll earn, but they probably shouldn't expect anywhere near 200 BTC.

Now to purchase that hardware they paid an amount worth about $1,300.  Will they get $1,300 worth of bitcoins (after expenses) from it over its lifetime?  Probably.  Right now it only needs to mine 22 BTC to get there.    Would those miners have preferred their 200 BTC right now?  Sure, but that includes the benefit of hindsight.

So that's one reason mining isn't being given the "hard sell" -- there are skills required and risks taken and that isn't something for everyone.

(¹) - The exception are those who have already received their Avalon ASICs or shares of ASICMINER -- they are doing better on a per-bitcoin invested basis than had they simply held onto their bitcoins.