Bitcoin press hits, notable sources

[k]

another TechCrunch article

http://techcrunch.com/2011/05/21/the-bitcoin-experiment/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29

[Longmarch]

http://www.links.org/?p=1175

Bitcoin is Slow Motion

OK, let’s approach this from another angle.

The core problem Bitcoin tries to solve is how to get consensus in a continuously changing, free-for-all group. It “solves” this essentially insoluble problem by making everyone walk through treacle, so it’s always evident who is in front....

[dust]

A variation of the slate article was in the Sunday print edition of the Washington Post.

[N12]

http://techland.time.com/2011/05/23/report-police-confuse-bitcoin-miners-power-use-for-weed-grow-op/

[mewantsbitcoins]

http://techland.time.com/2011/05/23/report-police-confuse-bitcoin-miners-power-use-for-weed-grow-op/

They ain't taking me alive 

[eof]

MINE BITCOIN.  HELP PROTECT LOCAL GROWERS.

[Longmarch]

http://techland.time.com/2011/05/23/report-police-confuse-bitcoin-miners-power-use-for-weed-grow-op/

Truly hilarious. 

[xf2_org]

Bit players
An open-source digital currency seeks to gain wider acceptance

     The Daily - http://www.thedaily.com/page/2011/05/23/052311-apps-technews-bitcoins-1-2/

[Distribution]

A blog about Florida politics: http://www.floridapoliticalpress.com/2011/05/18/greshams-law-private-money-bitcoins/

[FatherMcGruder]

http://www.npr.org/2011/05/24/136620231/what-are-bitcoins

[Longmarch]

http://www.npr.org/2011/05/24/136620231/what-are-bitcoins

Oh, crap.  There goes the neighborhood.

[kidgorgeous]

Just about to post the npr story. I wish they wouldn't focus on the illegal uses of it. After all no one faults the, US Mint for printing money that is used in drug deals.

[N12]

http://idle.slashdot.org/story/11/05/24/1257229/Increased-Power-Usage-Leads-to-Mistaken-Pot-Busts-for-Bitcoin-Miners

[Gabriel Beal]

Just about to post the npr story. I wish they wouldn't focus on the illegal uses of it. After all no one faults the, US Mint for printing money that is used in drug deals.

And the reporter said there's absolutely no record of the transaction, which isn't quite true.

[Garrett Burgwardt]

Just about to post the npr story. I wish they wouldn't focus on the illegal uses of it. After all no one faults the, US Mint for printing money that is used in drug deals.

And the reporter said there's absolutely no record of the transaction, which isn't quite true.

http://help.npr.org/npr/includes/customer/npr/custforms/contactus.aspx

Submit a correction

[FatherMcGruder]

And the reporter said there's absolutely no record of the transaction, which isn't quite true.

There's a long answer and a short answer to the question "are bitcoin transactions anonymous?". The short answer: yes. The long answer: kind of...

It was a short bit so I can't really blame them for going with the short answer.

[jerfelix]

Just about to post the npr story. I wish they wouldn't focus on the illegal uses of it. After all no one faults the, US Mint for printing money that is used in drug deals.

And the reporter said there's absolutely no record of the transaction, which isn't quite true.

http://help.npr.org/npr/includes/customer/npr/custforms/contactus.aspx

Submit a correction

How's this?

Your story tonight regarding Bitcoins was interesting and informative.

I wanted to clarify something though.  While Bitcoins are designed for anonymity, to say that there is "no record of the transactions" is just plain wrong.  In fact, *every* Bitcoin transaction since the beginning of time is recorded, and currently passed to *every* Bitcoin user that uses the current software.  The Peer-to-Peer software passes the transaction log to every user, and that's how the system works to prevent fraud!

The part that is anonymous is that the user's name and IP address are not recorded.  But the path of Bitcoins can be tracked forever.  I can use the site called http://blockexplorer.com/ to view every Bitcoin that was ever spent, and see the path from one user to another.  I cannot identify those users by name (unless I happened to have transacted with the user, and he or she happened to give me the same ID as he or she gave to someone else - which is not recommended).  But clearly there is a record of every transaction.

The other item that was a bit of a disappointment was how All Things Considered focused on the potential illegal uses of Bitcoin.  If you were doing a story on the Dollar currency or the Euro, would you focus on that?  Remember, Bitcoins are like cash that you can push through a wire from person to person.  Dollar Bills can be used by criminals, and they are every day. 

The story here isn't that criminals have another currency.  The story is that now EVERYONE can accept cash over the internet without fees. 

Are you organizing a group gift for your boss in another state?  Send an email out to your co-workers with your Bitcoin address, and each person can contribute to you electronically.   THAT is the story.  How did you miss it?

[xf2_org]

I already emailed a correction to NPR, and CC'd the reporter.

[FatherMcGruder]

How's this?

A little harsh. Here are my edits:

Your story tonight regarding Bitcoins was interesting and informative. However, I wanted to clarify that, while Bitcoin is designed for anonymity, you incorrectly stated that "no record of the transactions" exists. In fact, every legitimate bitcoin transaction exists on a record know as the blockchain, and everyone has access to it. Every user's Bitcoin client reviews the blockchain and that's how the system works to prevent fraud!

That said, the blockchain doesn't include users' names and IP addresses. You can use a site called http://blockexplorer.com/ to view every Bitcoin transaction, and see the path from one user to another. You cannot identify those users by name unless you happened to have transacted with a user, and that user happened to give you the same payment address as he gave to someone else.

Also, All Things Considered disappointed me with the undue weight it gave to potential illegal uses of Bitcoin. If you were doing a story on the US dollar or the euro, would you focus on that? Criminals use cash, of all kinds, illegally all the time. No news there.

The story here isn't that criminals have another currency. Rather, now EVERYONE can accept a form of cash over the Internet as easily and independently as they might in person.

[bearbones]

Just about to post the npr story. I wish they wouldn't focus on the illegal uses of it. After all no one faults the, US Mint for printing money that is used in drug deals.

And the reporter said there's absolutely no record of the transaction, which isn't quite true.

http://help.npr.org/npr/includes/customer/npr/custforms/contactus.aspx

Submit a correction

I submitted a correction a few hours ago.