Free BTC at MIT

[Harley997]

Odds of an MIT student producing or using a new application or seeking a way to monetize something interesting?  Maybe 5%. 

Odds of a homeless shelter resident producing or using a new application or seeking a way to monetize something interesting?  Maybe 0.0005%. 

That's why.

That plus, in my experience at least, giving money to a homeless person usually results in the purchase of drugs and/or alcohol.

Giving a new kind of money to a college student would likely inspire ideas.

[ShakyhandsBTCer]

And I couldn't have more respect for MIT, since bitcoin is often associated with drugs, and I could see negative media articles published about how MIT is "enabling" students to purchase illegal things...But they are smartly looking beyond that possibility.

What will likely happen is the very smart students at MIT will find net and better uses for bitcoin

[illymoka]

This is fantastic. Putting it in people's hands and letting them play with it is a great to get people--the smartest people in our country--interested.

[Harley997]

This is fantastic. Putting it in people's hands and letting them play with it is a great to get people--the smartest people in our country--interested.

This should and hopefully will lead to further innovations in the crypto currency market

[bryant.coleman]

This is fantastic. Putting it in people's hands and letting them play with it is a great to get people--the smartest people in our country--interested.

Yes. Right now we should focus on popularizing Bitcoins among the tech savvy population. Storage of Bitcoins and other stuff are a bit complex for the non-tech savvy population currently.  

[LiteCoinGuy]

Odds of an MIT student producing or using a new application or seeking a way to monetize something interesting?  Maybe 5%.  

Odds of a homeless shelter resident producing or using a new application or seeking a way to monetize something interesting?  Maybe 0.0005%.  

That's why.

That plus, in my experience at least, giving money to a homeless person usually results in the purchase of drugs and/or alcohol.

Giving a new kind of money to a college student would likely inspire ideas.

AND drugs... thats at least two things  

[rext]

who knows 10 years from now, it could be a world of bitcoins

[knightcoin]

hacks brainstorm ...

[Harley997]

Odds of an MIT student producing or using a new application or seeking a way to monetize something interesting?  Maybe 5%.  

Odds of a homeless shelter resident producing or using a new application or seeking a way to monetize something interesting?  Maybe 0.0005%.  

That's why.

That plus, in my experience at least, giving money to a homeless person usually results in the purchase of drugs and/or alcohol.

Giving a new kind of money to a college student would likely inspire ideas.

AND drugs... thats at least two things  

I don't think very much (if any at all) of the MIT bitcoin money will be used for (illegal) drugs. The students have too much to lose by risking using drugs while a student there.

[CoinMode]

http://bitcoin.mit.edu/announcing-the-mit-bitcoin-project/

Wow $100 for free, like the students at MIT need more free money.  How about giving it to a homeless shelter instead?

I know you mean well, but you do not understand what you say. In order for BTC to ever help anybody, it needs to first be adopted by people who will actively develop it as a useful tool. Sorry, but that excludes every homeless person I have ever known. I am sure you could hunt down one or two homeless people who would actually start some sort of business or organization based on bitcoin if you gave them $100 of it, but personally, I would bet on the student having a better chance at helping to grow the network.

Where could a homeless person even spend it? Seriously, you would not be helping anybody at all if you did that, and, in fact, you would ultimately be hurting the bitcoin network growth and indirectly harming the homeless people by stymieing any sort of benefits that bitcoin might have ever been able to give towards wealth equality.

Give the homeless person $100 if you want, but don't do it in bitcoin. We aren't even close to the point in time where that would be helpful for anybody except to make you feel better about yourself.

[ShakyhandsBTCer]

http://bitcoin.mit.edu/announcing-the-mit-bitcoin-project/

Wow $100 for free, like the students at MIT need more free money.  How about giving it to a homeless shelter instead?

I know you mean well, but you do not understand what you say. In order for BTC to ever help anybody, it needs to first be adopted by people who will actively develop it as a useful tool. Sorry, but that excludes every homeless person I have ever known. I am sure you could hunt down one or two homeless people who would actually start some sort of business or organization based on bitcoin if you gave them $100 of it, but personally, I would bet on the student having a better chance at helping to grow the network.

Where could a homeless person even spend it? Seriously, you would not be helping anybody at all if you did that, and, in fact, you would ultimately be hurting the bitcoin network growth and indirectly harming the homeless people by stymieing any sort of benefits that bitcoin might have ever been able to give towards wealth equality.

Give the homeless person $100 if you want, but don't do it in bitcoin. We aren't even close to the point in time where that would be helpful for anybody except to make you feel better about yourself.

The difference between giving it to a homeless person and giving it to a student as a prestigious university is that a homeless person will ultimately use it to buy drugs/alcohol while the student will get inspired and will be able to further innovate  

EDIT: one person will be contributing to society while the other will be draining society

[BillyBobJoe]

http://bitcoin.mit.edu/announcing-the-mit-bitcoin-project/

Wow $100 for free, like the students at MIT need more free money.  How about giving it to a homeless shelter instead?

I know you mean well, but you do not understand what you say. In order for BTC to ever help anybody, it needs to first be adopted by people who will actively develop it as a useful tool. Sorry, but that excludes every homeless person I have ever known.

He said "a homeless shelter"

You completely changed the topic.

[cosmicapex]

Odds of an MIT student producing or using a new application or seeking a way to monetize something interesting?  Maybe 5%. 

Odds of a homeless shelter resident producing or using a new application or seeking a way to monetize something interesting?  Maybe 0.0005%. 

That's why.

That plus, in my experience at least, giving money to a homeless person usually results in the purchase of drugs and/or alcohol.

Giving a new kind of money to a college student would likely inspire ideas.

AND drugs... thats at least two things 

I don't think very much (if any at all) of the MIT bitcoin money will be used for (illegal) drugs. The students have too much to lose by risking using drugs while a student there.

The only reason the Bitcoin won't be used for drugs is because MIT students can already afford drugs and their dealers probably don't accept Bitcoin.

The notion that smart kids don't do drugs is laughable.  Smart kids do the most drugs; they're smart enough to not get caught.

[Nerazzura]

now how would a homeless person use 100$ in bitcoin and also the fact that all of these mit students are going to learn about bitcoin is going to open the eyes to a whole new amount of people and its going to be good for bitcoin overall and hopefully will spread more knowledge as well

yes, bitcoin know how to defend himself in a way that we never expected. indeed he had several times fallen, but he immediately got up and fought again

[CoinMode]

He said "a homeless shelter"

You completely changed the topic.

No, that doesn't change my message at all. Giving bitcoin to homeless shelters is not going to spur innovation either. MIT students are far more likely to start some sort of program for the homeless using bitcoin than some overworked shelter which barely has enough manpower to hand out soup and blankets.

You are living in a fantasy world. Give it to the students who will create the innovations in the network that will allow it to serve the homeless population well. Homeless shelters are not really known for technological innovation, in case your dumb ass didn't notice.

[BillyBobJoe]

He said "a homeless shelter"

You completely changed the topic.

No, that doesn't change my message at all. Giving bitcoin to homeless shelters is not going to spur innovation either. MIT students are far more likely to start some sort of program for the homeless using bitcoin than some overworked shelter which barely has enough manpower to hand out soup and blankets.

You are living in a fantasy world. Give it to the students who will create the innovations in the network that will allow it to serve the homeless population well. Homeless shelters are not really known for technological innovation, in case your dumb ass didn't notice.

You think anymore than maybe 1% or 2%, if even that, on these boards are using it for innovation? No they are no even spening it. They are holding and bullshitting about how rich and eliet they will be someday.

You dumb ass.

[Harley997]

Odds of an MIT student producing or using a new application or seeking a way to monetize something interesting?  Maybe 5%. 

Odds of a homeless shelter resident producing or using a new application or seeking a way to monetize something interesting?  Maybe 0.0005%. 

That's why.

That plus, in my experience at least, giving money to a homeless person usually results in the purchase of drugs and/or alcohol.

Giving a new kind of money to a college student would likely inspire ideas.

AND drugs... thats at least two things 

I don't think very much (if any at all) of the MIT bitcoin money will be used for (illegal) drugs. The students have too much to lose by risking using drugs while a student there.

The only reason the Bitcoin won't be used for drugs is because MIT students can already afford drugs and their dealers probably don't accept Bitcoin.

The notion that smart kids don't do drugs is laughable.  Smart kids do the most drugs; they're smart enough to not get caught.

I would say that they are smart enough not to do drugs on campus and/or associate their drug use with their school.

[ShakyhandsBTCer]

He said "a homeless shelter"

You completely changed the topic.

No, that doesn't change my message at all. Giving bitcoin to homeless shelters is not going to spur innovation either. MIT students are far more likely to start some sort of program for the homeless using bitcoin than some overworked shelter which barely has enough manpower to hand out soup and blankets.

You are living in a fantasy world. Give it to the students who will create the innovations in the network that will allow it to serve the homeless population well. Homeless shelters are not really known for technological innovation, in case your dumb ass didn't notice.

You think anymore than maybe 1% or 2%, if even that, on these boards are using it for innovation? No they are no even spening it. They are holding and bullshitting about how rich and eliet they will be someday.

You dumb ass.

That is why bitcoin is generally not given away for free on these forums.

The people giving away the bitcoin are giving it to people who are likely to innovate as a result of their "gift"   

[smoothie]

This is a great promotional as it will bring more young people to know and use Bitcoin.

[BillyBobJoe]

This is a great promotional as it will bring more young people to know and use Bitcoin.

I agree. Along those same lines I gave my young nephew a paper wallet loaded with a little bit of BTC for his birthday.