So tell me....

[Anenome]

I've been doing some lurking...getting a feel of things and still can't quite figure out what bitcoin is. I have an idea, but many of the posts I've read in the 'newbies' (shit, first time I'll been called a 'newbie' in 100 years) page seem to be pretty useless gibberish...have yet to come across anything that explains exactly how to go about using this.
I was talking to someone this morning about writing/designing their site and marketing materials (I was a writer/graphic artist in a previous life). We were talking politics, religion, music etc. then he sent me a link to bitcoin and said I might be interested.
Well, so far, if I'm thinking is correct...then I'm interested.
Let me tell you what I've gathered. This is more of a site where you gather 'electronic monies' or 'barder (trade services or do services for bitcoins)'. Am I on the right track? Please explain.
As well, being on disability and working part-time, I'm flat broke. How do I go about advertising my services (writing or design: logos, flyers, print or web media, press releases, start conversations on forums, head/moderate forums, etc.) for bitcoins or something else?
Would someone please explain or at least guide me in the right direction? No smart-ass obvious remarks please...I have a sense of humor, but only if it's funny and not mindless.
Thanks in advance.

Anenome

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[cubemonkey]

I'm very new at this myself, so take this with a grain of salt...  but I think you would approach it like bartering.   Someone has a bitcoin wallet with coins in it.  You have a wallet able to receive them.  You give them a service and provide them a bitcoin address for the payment. They transfer bitcoins to that address.  After it settles out in the network, you are in control of those bitcoins.   If you want to convert them to standard currency, you use one of the exchanges like mtgox to sell them.  Have the proceeds transfered to dwolla (or liberty reserve or whatever you choose) and then you go from there.   Or, use the bitcoins you received for your work to purchase another item or service from someone else.

As far as advertising, you could try forums or classifieds.. try googling bitcoin classifieds.

[Atom]

Bitcoin is money.  If you want to take other money you have and buy bitcoin money with it, thats fine.  If you want to work and accept/request bitcoins in exchange, thats fine.

if you want to understand the protocol, I recommend reading the Bitcoin White Paper by Satoshi

Welcome to the community

[Hoobie7]

Ya, what Atom said.
It's a currency like any other.
Your video card earns your money for you basically.

Hoobie7

[sveetsnelda]

http://www.weusecoins.com/   <---good intro video

[MoonShadow]

Bitcoin is a form of LETS currency, wherein the local trading zone is the Internet and the total currency is circulation is net positive, not net zero.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_Exchange_Trading_Systems