heres some idea's what people can do this year
1) hardware wallets need a revamp. they need to function without needing to download browser add-ons or connecting to websites or things like electrum.
EG have software self contained
EG a fitbit/smartwatch with NFC to make payment just by swiping a retailers touchpad (and
yes its possible, just not done yet)
100% agree, it's really not safe to use addons and bullshit like that.
Have a small USB size wallet or a smartwatch, with a little display interface, hopefully not 8 bit, but something with normal resolutions.
2) nodes and wallets need more diversity. so far knots, blockchain.info, bitcoinj, greenaddress, core are all under the same 'ownership'
But if people dont care? Monopolies dont just go away by their own. People dont care about diversity, until the services they use are trustworthy.
3) PEOPLE need to realise bitcoin is code. it has no voice to promote itself and no arms and legs to defend itself, PEOPLE need to get involved instead of sitting on their hands waiting for bitcoin to do something.
EG if you want retailers in your area to accept bitcoin. go speak to them yourself
EG if you want to make bitcoin more popular. learn about bitcoin then set up some meetups/conferences
This is very annoying. People just want bitcoin to grow by itself, by doing nothing to promote.
Everyone should create themselves some media channels on YOutube and elsewhere ,and start blogging about bitcoin.
Or promote it locally in your small town or village.
4) bitcoin jobs. look for a product/service you think will be useful to sell. then look for suppliers/employee's/dropshippers and then start selling them for bitcoin.
This will not be achieved in 2017, need a lot more work on this, and people are scared of govenrment bans, so until governments come clean on bitcoin, this will not happen.
5) exchanges should start requesting a public key and use the bitID concept for logins instead of passwords, and also use the public key to form multisigs to hold funds, instead of giving customers easy to fake mysql balances. thus mitigating hacker/insider embezzling risks
I am not sure an ID system is wise from privacy standpoint, but yes making exchanges transparent is very necessary.
We are tired of fake chinese pump and dumps, and market manipulation with fractional reserves. We need a clean exchange with no fake volume, and a limit on margin trading.