Putting a UK group together

[glowkeeper]

Great first meeting in Brighton last night!

Same time, same place, next month: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=219326.0

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[BitcoinMoxy]

I like the idea of a UK group. I just recently read the story about 4 pubs in London accepting Bitcoins now.

Very good news.

It's a small start but it's a start.

Somebody was asking how to get people interested in the concept of Bitcoin.

I'd say you don't have to sell it as an ideological idea at all. Just as a promising new technology they could benefit from. The sooner they learn about it, the better. And then you can build on top of that.

It's easy to be left out nowadays if you don't get yourself acquainted with a new breakthrough.

Anyways

[MGUK]

I like the idea of a UK group. I just recently read the story about 4 pubs in London accepting Bitcoins now.

Very good news.

It's a small start but it's a start.

Somebody was asking how to get people interested in the concept of Bitcoin.

I'd say you don't have to sell it as an ideological idea at all. Just as a promising new technology they could benefit from. The sooner they learn about it, the better. And then you can build on top of that.

It's easy to be left out nowadays if you don't get yourself acquainted with a new breakthrough.

Anyways

What that guy said!


Public perception of Bitcoin in the UK is not ideal. Until recently, most coverage has been of Amir selling Bitcoin as an anarchists wet dream. I think 75% of the population of the UK don't really care about that. In America, where they have a constitution to protect them from the government - I think selling on those ideals works a bit better.

Over here, a better approach for Bitcoin adoption I believe would be pointing out how you can save time and money by using Bitcoin and highlighting the benefits compared to existing systems such as PayPal.

[BitcoinMoxy]

What that guy said!


Public perception of Bitcoin in the UK is not ideal. Until recently, most coverage has been of Amir selling Bitcoin as an anarchists wet dream. I think 75% of the population of the UK don't really care about that. In America, where they have a constitution to protect them from the government - I think selling on those ideals works a bit better.

Over here, a better approach for Bitcoin adoption I believe would be pointing out how you can save time and money by using Bitcoin and highlighting the benefits compared to existing systems such as PayPal.

The single most convincing argument for small retailers and pub owners should be that there is no change. If you've ever been in retail you know organizing the change is the biggest pain in the ass.

[franky1]

Over here, a better approach for Bitcoin adoption I believe would be pointing out how you can save time and money by using Bitcoin and highlighting the benefits compared to existing systems such as PayPal.

half agree. using paypal as the comparison i agree with but the UK banking system with is free 'faster payments' bank wire transfer is a hard sell.

and also to add a comparison to paypal requires a popular and robust bitcoin equivelent. more infrustructure, security and promotion needs to be put into the legitimate bitcoin versions of ebay. just to make the point of taking on bitcoin and selling household goods on bitmit and other sites even worthy of mentioning.

what is truly needed is a fast repayment system for merchants to receive 100% of the purchase price by using bitcoins so that they are atleast tempted to take on bitcoins along with plastic.

then with the influx of more merchants, the consumers (everyday joe bloggs) will move across..

theres no point telling 1000 people to buy bitcoins if there is nothing much in the UK to buy with them. merchant adoption should be more important then convincing friends to buy in.

we are already seeing the ramifications of the weight of joe blogs overpowering that of merchants.. the height of £175 bitcoin was due to every day people. now those with bitcoin are starting to see that there is not much that can be bought with it. which is leading to a sub £70 price

[BitcoinMoxy]

we are already seeing the ramifications of the weight of joe blogs overpowering that of merchants.. the height of £175 bitcoin was due to every day people. now those with bitcoin are starting to see that there is not much that can be bought with it. which is leading to a sub £70 price

Nobody buys into a new currency when they don't know what's available for it unless in the case you mentioned they speculated on good investment or a particular product or service of interest.

[bagbtrustee1]

Hi,

What structure did you have in mind for this group?

I am trying to start a charity (Bitcoin association of Great Britain) which would have it's leading object as the advancement of education for organisations who wish to incorporate bitcoin.

There is another thread started concerning this with a video of me talking about it.

I have attended all the most recent London bitcoin meetups (highly recommended) and have had a lot of enthusiasm for this but limited support. Let me know if you are interested in sharing ideas?

My ideas are all on github, search for BitcoinAssociationofGreatBritain or bagb org uk

Lee.

[franky1]

Hi,

What structure did you have in mind for this group?

I am trying to start a charity (Bitcoin association of Great Britain) which would have it's leading object as the advancement of education for organisations who wish to incorporate bitcoin.

There is another thread started concerning this with a video of me talking about it.

I have attended all the most recent London bitcoin meetups (highly recommended) and have had a lot of enthusiasm for this but limited support. Let me know if you are interested in sharing ideas?

My ideas are all on github, search for BitcoinAssociationofGreatBritain or bagb org uk

Lee.

yuck.. no offence but i hate those kind of things....forgive me for having a high moral standard but i think charity status should be for those that have needs such as disaster relief (needing food and water and homes). not for tax evasion so you can go around meet ups at pubs and all of your wages are paid for by other peoples donations.

i prefer to work hard for my bitcoins and then use them to benefit bitcoin adoption/mainstreaming.

i have donated money directly to gavin andressen (bitcoin-qt programmer) directly but would never donate to the foundation to pay for the other foundation owners wages so they can promote.

promoting bitcoins should be the hobby of EVERYONE. it shouldnt be a charity status

[Lethn]

Don't feel guilt tripped about it franky1 for those who don't know charity groups are a common and hated thing in the UK and it's because they use harassment and aggressive tactics to get your money and happily invade your personal space to yell out whatever cause they're collecting for and of course only a small percentage of the money actually goes to that cause.

[franky1]

Don't feel guilt tripped about it franky1 for those who don't know charity groups are a common and hated thing in the UK and it's because they use harassment and aggressive tactics to get your money and happily invade your personal space to yell out whatever cause they're collecting for and of course only a small percentage of the money actually goes to that cause.

lol i know what you mean. especially when it take 5 people to make a charity(board members). so thats 5 peoples wages. lets say they take £250 a week wage thats £1250 or in friendlier terms 18 bitcoins a week..

and that is 18 bitcoins just to ensure the charity is legal. let alone costs of delivering a service to *cough* educate the country.*cough*

now here is a great idea.. dont be a charity.. instead promote bitcoin for free.. how you may ask?

easy. talk just-eat.co.uk into accepting bitcoin.. you will instantly have 2000 businesses accepting bitcoin in one swoop.

i last year started doing this but other investment projects got in the way.

and how do i know it can be done for free.. well the simple answer is foodler.com.. getting them to take it on didnt cost a penny.

[Perseus353]

Also in London -- will be happy to follow this development. Please keep me posted.

[bagbtrustee1]

So there are no plans to earn a wage from this. It would be done with people's spare time. Eventually members could vote a proposal through to employ someone, but unlike existing organisational structures the democracy would be rapid.

[xavier]

Hi guys

I'm back in London for a bit & interested in attending any future meetups (I believe there's one this weeekend). I went to one a few months ago, it was pretty good. If anyone's going this weekend, see u there!

Btw - I notice blockchain.info is UK-based, would be good to have them attend at some point?

Cheers!

PS- Like seeing the UK represented on these forums. Let's organize more things for Bitcoin in the UK and London. We need to make the UK the #1 centre in Europe for this.

[franky1]

Hi guys

I'm back in London for a bit & interested in attending any future meetups (I believe there's one this weeekend). I went to one a few months ago, it was pretty good. If anyone's going this weekend, see u there!

Btw - I notice blockchain.info is UK-based, would be good to have them attend at some point?

Cheers!

PS- Like seeing the UK represented on these forums. Let's organize more things for Bitcoin in the UK and London. We need to make the UK the #1 centre in Europe for this.

i too would like this. but it would require some structured business networking meetups as oppose to just bitcoin consumer meet ups.

so seek out businesses which would like to know about bitcoin and would bring actual benefits to the community as well as bitcoin bringing benefits to the business. and have some presentations going.

do any of these pubs have a function room or somewhere that aswell as enjoying the ales paid for in bitcoin that the group can spend a bit of private time talking business as oppose to * football and eastenders. i have seen some success in one place where a 50 minute video made up of 10 short 5 minute videos was on a loop from 6pm till 11pm at a social gathering allowing the newbies take in the information at their own pace while getting to know each other. and it not seem like a lecture hall.

basically like having TV adverts/ mtv music channel running in the background

* as oppose to just football and eastenders.. i have nothing against these topics and these can be talked about but a bit of emphasis on bitcoin business too..

[bagbtrustee1]

Talk to Iain who runs the bitcoin London meetup. He is trying to organise something like this at the moment.

[glowkeeper]

Hi,

What structure did you have in mind for this group?

I am trying to start a charity (Bitcoin association of Great Britain) which would have it's leading object as the advancement of education for organisations who wish to incorporate bitcoin.

There is another thread started concerning this with a video of me talking about it.

I have attended all the most recent London bitcoin meetups (highly recommended) and have had a lot of enthusiasm for this but limited support. Let me know if you are interested in sharing ideas?

My ideas are all on github, search for BitcoinAssociationofGreatBritain or bagb org uk

Lee.

That's a consultancy, not a charity.

[glowkeeper]

...In America, where they have a constitution to protect them from the government - I think selling on those ideals works a bit better...

You're joking aren't you? It's a mirage:  http://www.ted.com/talks/lawrence_lessig_we_the_people_and_the_republic_we_must_reclaim.html

...which is where Bitcoin comes in...

[bagbtrustee1]

That's a consultancy, not a charity.

1) The plan is to let the charities commission handle that.
2) If an organisation has wholly charitable objects, then it is a charity. If it has a turnover of less than £5000 a year, then it can be an unincorporated charity.

 bagb uses objects similar to, say, the royal society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, then it becomes a subjective opinionof which is more worthy. If what bitcoiners do now shapes the society of the future then an argument can be made that this is more important.

[ffssixtynine]

Anyone here in London for the conference tomorrow?

[Perseus353]

I was at the conference yesterday -- really interesting.

Did any of you go?