[ANNOUNCE] Electrum - Lightweight Bitcoin Client

[ThomasV]

All right, Electrum 0.40 is now officialy released!
get it from here: http://ecdsa.org/electrum/

To use new Qt gui, type:

Code:

  python electrum

If you want to use the old Gtk gui, type:

Code:

  python electrum --gui gtk

Screenshot (again):

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[ThomasV]

How? it's Windows, it's not a .exe file, it's not a .py file too.

can't you do 'python electrum' ?

Finally, got Electrum run on Windows XP.
Nice!

just for information, did you have to install PyQt, or did it work right away?

[finway]

just for information, did you have to install PyQt, or did it work right away?

Sure, i installed pyqt4

[ThomasV]

I am still getting lots of connections from old clients. One the one hand it's a good thing, it means that users are just happy with their version. However, I would prefer to see more people using the latest version. Here is a small reward for the users of version 0.40: the Wall tab has a monospace font, that allows to display ascii art.
So, remember this: if your client correctly displays Bernanke, then you do not need to upgrade.

[grondilu]

I am still getting lots of connections from old clients. One the one hand it's a good thing, it means that users are just happy with their version. However, I would prefer to see more people using the latest version. Here is a small reward for the users of version 0.40: the Wall tab has a monospace font, that allows to display ascii art.
So, remember this: if your client correctly displays Bernanke, then you do not need to upgrade.

OMG the client displays Bernanke in ACII art! Definitely a big coolness factor

PS.  It doesn't make much sense on an X application, though

[BTCurious]

It's not monospace on windows!
Qt looks nice though

[ThomasV]

It's not monospace on windows!
Qt looks nice though

Thanks for the Windows build!

I have started to write documentation on the wiki page:
https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Electrum
Please feel free to improve or augment it!

[ThomasV]

hopefully complete documentation is here: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Electrum#List_of_commands

[ThomasV]

I made a new release, version 0.41

changelog:
* 'create' and 'restore' commands are now distinct, so that it is possible to create offline wallets. https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Electrum#Offline_wallet
* Support for remote wallets. (demo here: http://ecdsa.org/remote.php. Detailed explanation: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=65136.0

[ThomasV]

A quick note on Bitcoin aliases.

In order to be used for signatures, Bitcoin aliases need to have the following properties:
 1.- cannot be hijacked (redirected to another Bitcoin address) by an attacker
 2.- cannot be tampered by their owner (i.e. the owner cannot secretely change their alias and pretend they did not sign something they actually signed).
Aliases stored on a website and secured by their owner might have property 1, but they do not have the second property.
I believe that Bitcoin aliases will need to be stored in a blockchain-based storage such as Namecoin or DIANNA.

I will update my proposal (http://ecdsa.org/bitcoin_URIs.html), and the way aliases are handled in Electrum in order to reflect this.

[flatfly]

Hi, I just found out and tried Electrum today, and i really love it!
To hell with the blockchain download!
 
I am having an issue though.
I am testing the wallet recovery feature (from seed) but it seems to do nothing for me...
The client just exits (without even displaying the main GUI) after I input my seed.

Tried with both 0.40a and 0.41. on win XP.

What's going on? Should I change the gap limit to something else than 5?

[ThomasV]

Hi, I just found out and tried Electrum today, and i really love it!
To hell with the blockchain download!
 
I am having an issue though.
I am testing the wallet recovery feature (from seed) but it seems to do nothing for me...
The client just exits (without even displaying the main GUI) after I input my seed.

Tried with both 0.40a and 0.41. on win XP.

What's going on? Should I change the gap limit to something else than 5?

no, you do not need to change the gap unless you changed it during the normal use of the wallet.
do you get a message from the command line window? what does it say?

[flatfly]

I have no command-line window. I couldn't spend much time to see how to enable it, sorry.

However in the meantime I did get some good news: using the mnemonic works!
 just not the seed. strange.

[ThomasV]

I have no command-line window. I couldn't spend much time to see how to enable it, sorry.

However in the meantime I did get some good news: using the mnemonic works!
 just not the seed. strange.

you are right, there is a bug here.
Actually I never use the hexadecimal seed (I always use the mnemonic), this is the reasonwhy I did not notice this.
I will fix it.

[flatfly]

Thanks! I appreciate your fast response.

[flatfly]

I just tried the latest changes (0.42, straight from the source tree)
and can confirm that recovery from seed is OK for me now!

Thanks.

[minimalB]

Is there any .ini file or is there any parameter command for selecting "electrum.dat" location?

I tried typing "electrum.exe help" into Command Prompt, but i didn't find any suitable parameter.

I'd like to create portable electrum wallet on my usb stick. I'd like to force electrum to first check root folder (where the electrum.exe file is located) for "electrum.dat" file.

Thanks.

[ThomasV]

Is there any .ini file or is there any parameter command for selecting "electrum.dat" location?

I tried typing "electrum.exe help" into Command Prompt, but i didn't find any suitable parameter.

I'd like to create portable electrum wallet on my usb stick. I'd like to force electrum to first check root folder (where the electrum.exe file is located) for "electrum.dat" file.

Thanks.

you could use the -w parameter:

electrum -w /usb/path/wallet

[minimalB]

Ahhh... so simple.

Why is this not listed in Readme or RELEASE-NOTES or in "electrum help"?

I feel embarrassed and at the same time i am wasting your time : )

Thanks for super fast answer!

[ThomasV]

Ahhh... so simple.

Why is this not listed in Readme or RELEASE-NOTES or in "electrum help"?

I feel embarrassed and at the same time i am wasting your time : )

Thanks for super fast answer!

well, it was described here: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Electrum#Multiple_wallets
but I agree, this help page should be listed in the readme