I'd like to thank everyone in this thread who answered my question about using Bitcoin verifying computer power directly for something useful-- in a positive tone, and who referred me to other sources.
A few of you raised some interesting and perplexing issues.
I am genuinely perplexed by the comment,
"Sigh. Stick around for a while and you'll see why most of your suggestions on manners are unworkable".
"There are demons lurking in the corners, just waiting to swallow the careless."
I'm sure the latter statement is true. The internet in general seems to be perfectly reflective of life in general. But surely it can't be true that in order to communicate and do business, that we have to adopt the lingo and mannerisms of the thugs? In fact, in life, and on the internet most don't do that. In life and on the internet there are two domains (roughly)--the domain of the reasonably "respectable" who act and communicate with a reasonable amount of decorum. And the domain of the evil thugs.
Are you saying that the Bit coin world has become so influenced by the latter that falling to that level is warranted and necessary--for whatever reason. Or that the people most interested in joining the community are the thugs..so one has to speak their language?
One thing I have noticed--having read the Newbie pages and researched what is going on...is that on the one hand, the uber-goal of bit-coiners is to have the movement become mainstream and, in so doing, revolutionize the way the world does business--for the betterment of humanity. There is passion for this--though some of this passion comes from a politically extreme end of the spectrum--which is a bit unsettling to some. Although I think that those of us who are not Libertarians in the real world and who don't want Vermont to become a free state--take a more naive Marxist rather than hard core communist view of the kind of Libertarianism Bit coin poses.
I also see a long of young people frustrated with the world economy who have been given hope by the movement.
At the same time though, I must say that my impression so far is that the Bit coin world has evolved into a very closed "society"--replete with a language of its own, an odd set of acceptable social morays of its own, etc. There are several pages in the Newbie material defining the many colorful, but bizarre expressions used in Bit coin parlance.
If it is the goal of the movement to become mainstream and to change the world--surely you don't at the same time expect that the world to be willing to learn dozens and dozens of new words for concepts ranging from the simple to the completely arcane?
I never asked or expected to be spoon fed information (though I expect if you want the world to come a long that is precisely what you are going to have to figure out how to do).
I am a reasonably intelligent person with a higher education--and for what it is worth coming from an outsider--what is going on here is way too complex in its current form (from concept, to language to implementation) to ever be ready for prime time in the real world.
I have tried and failed to explain the basic concept to others. I have tried and failed to use the tools available (the exchanges, the wallets, etc.) as a means through which I can securely store wealth and transact business.
But that's not my problem (yet). What would really be sad is if all of you who have done so much gratis work for this project--will in the future have the fruits of your toil co-opted by others who realize that the thing right now is just too complex and frankly--a bit strange.
The reason I personally am interested in the original issue I raised about making better use of the computer power involved in Bitcoin, is the following.
I happen to not have a job because I am disabled. I have spent time since becoming disabled reaching out to the world through projects such as getting kids worldwide interested in math and science through Astronomy. I am also, like someone else who commented on the thread, in the top 1% of BOINC users.
I have a lot of time and energy to contribute to a worthy cause--and I happen to agree that the basic Bit coin model is inspiring.
I happen to be comfortable enough financially that I don't need to strike it rich as a prospector--though it seemed interesting enough to try (as a learning experience and financial game) to try my hand at mining on a not insignificant scale (12K in lite coin type GPU mining rigs--18 7970s). And yes, I will be donating what I gain to NPOs and causes I believe in "for the betterment of humanity".
So if you need someone to formulate educational ideas, etc--maybe I'm your man. Because you definitely need this as a community. Everything I've discovered clearly points to the fact that the concept is sound--but needs to be simplified, and aside from technical advances-- just streamlined conceptually
So naturally I am interested in the idea of using the computing power used in verifying blocks to, at the same time, contribute to our well being as a species in other areas. It is not enough and very facile to just say that the benefits of the Bitcoin itself to the world is enough to justify the use of energy and computational power.
This issue, as one of you has pointed out, in responding that it is not impossible to harness this power, is not trivial. It also just happens to be, in my view, one of the stumbling blocks associated with the public's resistance to the idea. It is the part of the concept which seems a bit fishy--until explained at a level far too deep to be of any real interest or value to the average person.
Wouldn't it be such a natural fit and easy sell if you could say everything you are saying already--with the added dimension of at the same time creating a supercomputer network to do cancer research?
I know many of you feel that the public will eventually just have to go along with the idea--perhaps without even knowing that they are doing that--just as we all had to figure out how to use Paypal if we wanted to certain types of internet transactions (and regretted it later when our accounts were frozen).
A lot of people also keep saying, when it comes to the crypto currency movement and alt coins in particular--that it is the coin which will really bring something new to the table that will be the major player still standing at the end of the day. Do you guys really aspire to become "Netscape"?
I think it is quite possible the harnessing of the calculations themselves to do something useful might well be the thing which seals the deal. It would make it hard for the government to object, make people feel good about using the currency and help the movement shed its seedy silk road associations. Not saying that gangsters wouldn't still use it to launder their money--just saying from a PR Point of view it is irresistible.
I don't have the background to even follow much of what was outlined in this link (though I am in awe of whoever wrote it):
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http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=108888.0But if it is possible--I'd certainly be willing to support a serious effort to make it feasible. I'd even be willing to try to do it within the framework of Bitcoin itself (rather than an Altcoin)--because Bitcoin is where all the blood, sweat and tears has been invested.
But you guys are a very strange bunch and you also seem to be a bit war weary and shell shocked--radicalized even to the point of some of you having forgotten basic common decency--over the gosh knows what kind of challenges you have faced in the past couple of years.
You are also a scary bunch in that half the time, I have no idea with whom I am dealing--silk roader? idealist? speculator? IT nerd? Political agitator? etc., etc.,
So that is what is on my mind. I think it would be best to see if what I say strikes a spark in any of you.
All the best.
Cheers,
Ken
