i propose a simple solution to bitcoin security, as far as wallets go.
it is a bitcoin device. it would be about the size of an iphone, maby a little smaller. it would have a qrcode scanner, a touch screen, infrared sender/receiver and miniusb. it would/should cost ~USD50-100.
it works by only sending signed transactions via usb or infrared.
there is also some software that should come with it, or invent some new standards.
what you do is specify public address that you want to be included in the export file.
once you export the file it gets on the device via usb. the device would be hard wired to only accept data, and never send any data out except required usb data.
the file only contains transaction data that involves a specific or set of specific addresses you own. this is only needed so the device knows how much coin it has without needing the entire blockchain.
i was thinking about it having wifi, but that didn't seem like it would be very secure.
in the ideal situation, you would have a dedicated bitcoin node that does nothing but bitcoin, and a device. you use the node to import and export signed transactions, private keys and transaction data.
Here is more stuff that would be good.
proposition to have nodes that will respond to queries about address.
these nodes could sell their services or be free, but i think if this were developed it should include the option to charge per query or per 1k queries or whatever. or per day/week/month/year. or set up for personal/business use.
you simply supply a ip or namecoin address or dns name to the software that will accept.
these nodes could also operate as supernodes, nodes that connect to hundreds, or thousands of peers.
they could also allow people to download the blockchain from them via http or offer torrent URIs
This image shows really simply how it would work.
If this were made, mobile solutions would be simple, and desktop clients could be made and set up for use the instant they were installed.(or until they got the full chain.)
desktop clients would have 2 versions: lite and full
lite includes everything but the blockchain.
full includes everything including the ability to connect to the nodes
I think this is just so much better than surrendering your coins to some 3rd party.
