when will I start getting bitcoins

[dsg]

Unfortunately Dai's situation is probably not too uncommon. The bitcoin site still guides new users to enabling "generate coins", and the software has the tickbox in an obvious place in the GUI. Reading the site, it's not surprising people think bitcoin is all about mining.

We should really try to write a new introduction for the main bitcoin page that puts less emphasis on mining and more on the trade aspect. Also, remove mining from the official client!

[1714932755]

1714932755

[1714932755]

1714932755

[1714932755]

1714932755

[1714932755]

1714932755

[1714932755]

1714932755

[Jered Kenna (TradeHill)]

I would still call GPU mining computational power or whatever we used but I'd clarify that CPU mining is not efficient.
He's not the only one to make this mistake and I'm not going to blame him.
Whoever said "taking the time to write and not think it's a scam etc" was dead on, most people would just give up and walk away.

Edit: I'm with DSG, just remove mining from the official client, it won't do anything to benefit realistically.

[eMansipater]

Unfortunately Dai's situation is probably not too uncommon. The bitcoin site still guides new users to enabling "generate coins", and the software has the tickbox in an obvious place in the GUI. Reading the site, it's not surprising people think bitcoin is all about mining.

We should really try to write a new introduction for the main bitcoin page that puts less emphasis on mining and more on the trade aspect. Also, remove mining from the official client!

+1
Way too many people think mining is the whole point, or even the biggest point, of bitcoin.

[Meni Rosenfeld]

I agree with dsg and stonetz. To summarize the required changes to the site:
 - Remove the suggestion to turn on bitcoin generation.
 - Remove the estimates for the time taken by a CPU to generate a block. They will always be outdated and it's useless information (as Jim said, it already takes several years instead of what's on the site).
 - Emphasize that generation is done on a GPU by a separate software.
 - Add discussion of trading and references for possible places (Forum/Marketplace, otc, mtgox, Coincard+Coinpal...). Especially shops and organizations who consider accepting Bitcoin need information on easy ways to exchange them for fiat currency.

And, of course, the bitcoin generation should be removed from the client. It was nice for a while, but now it does little more than mislead.

Now, for the most important part - who should be contacted about all this? I'm guessing Gavin is one option. Are there any others in control of the site?

[Jered Kenna (TradeHill)]

I made  a poll http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=4828.0 and quoted you in it because you laid it out clearly and perfectly.