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Author Topic: how to acquire bitcoin address?  (Read 2037 times)
indiguy (OP)
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May 08, 2014, 04:05:39 AM
 #1

how to acquire bitcoin address?
DeathAndTaxes
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May 08, 2014, 04:12:46 AM
 #2

roll some dice ... a lot of them.
greenlion
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May 08, 2014, 04:24:51 AM
 #3

What these people are talking about above is that a bitcoin address starts with a private key, which is just a randomly-generated number. Treating it just as a series of dice rolls I think is too low-level to actually be helpful to someone who would ask this question in the first place.

Leaving out the technical details, that number is then hashed into a public key, then that public key is hashed into what you would recognize as the address (starting with a "1", or "3" for multisig). All of these are typically represented in base-58 for readability/convenience, but they're all just regular numbers in reality.

The way that you "have" an address is that you control the private key so that you are able to sign transactions against it (i.e. spend). The typical way to do this is through some kind of wallet software, or having an account with a third party that runs wallet software on your behalf. The point of wallet software is that it keeps track of your keys and generates and broadcasts the transactions you execute in it.

If you want to have an address, there are a number of options, each with its own pros and cons relating to a security / convenience tradeoff.

The most straightforward thing for a new user is to download either a desktop client or web wallet and try it out.

Probably the easiest thing is to just get Blockchain.info's webwallet or download Electrum or Multibit. KryptoKit is really straightforward if you run Chrome. Darkwallet looks awesome but I haven't had a chance to examine it in any detail yet. Once you have some experience with what's involved with having a wallet, you can make better decisions about how you would want to manage your keys, and decide how technical you want to get in understanding what's going on underneath.
zx81
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May 08, 2014, 04:29:32 AM
 #4

flip a coin 256 times.  Then import the resulting private key into software that can calculate a bitcoin address from a private key.

I've been flipping coin. how to import?
jonald_fyookball
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May 08, 2014, 04:29:58 AM
 #5

flip a coin 256 times.  Then import the resulting private key into software that can calculate a bitcoin address from a private key.

Have you actually done this at least once?

Elwar
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May 08, 2014, 04:31:58 AM
 #6

Download the Bitcoin client (bitcoin core).

Go to file, receive, generate address (or something like that...I don't have it open right now)

Or download vanitygen, run it.

First seastead company actually selling sea homes: Ocean Builders https://ocean.builders  Of course we accept bitcoin.
indiguy (OP)
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May 08, 2014, 04:47:30 AM
 #7

 Grin
oh.. no one ever told me to download first the client software.
where can i download it and are there tar balls or linux package for this software?
jonald_fyookball
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May 08, 2014, 04:50:22 AM
 #8

https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet

I recommend Electrum because you don't
have to download the 16 gig blockchain.

erono
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May 08, 2014, 04:55:12 AM
 #9

use mycelium to acquire bitcoin address while in the main view, click the Options button and select Add Address Book, and click the + button.

indiguy (OP)
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May 08, 2014, 04:58:11 AM
 #10

https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet

I recommend Electrum because you don't
have to download the 16 gig blockchain.


nice! I don't have to manually configure to create deb package.
DannyHamilton
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May 08, 2014, 04:58:24 AM
 #11

Grin
oh.. no one ever told me to download first the client software.
where can i download it and are there tar balls or linux package for this software?

For an easy to use wallet try:

https://blockchain.info/wallet

If you are storing larger amounts of bitcoins and are concerned about higher security options, you can look at any of the wallets listed here:

https://bitcoin.org/en/choose-your-wallet

Some of the more popular choices are:

  • Armory
  • Bitcoin Core
  • Electrum
  • MultiBit
  • Mycellium
  • Bitcoin Wallet for Android
indiguy (OP)
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May 08, 2014, 05:05:30 AM
 #12



Whats the catch when using these wallets by the way?
jonald_fyookball
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May 08, 2014, 05:12:03 AM
 #13

You should understand the difference between a web-based
wallet and one that you run yourself on your own machine.

The trade-off is that the web wallets are easier for
the beginner to use, but you are then trusting a
third-party (the web wallet provider) versus
completely controlling the private keys to
the coins yourself.

Are you familiar with the story of Mt. Gox?  Smiley

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May 08, 2014, 05:27:46 AM
 #14

Whats the catch when using these wallets by the way?

That's a bit like being presented with a list of a half dozen types of vehicles and asking:

"What's the catch when using these vehicles by the way?"

Each wallet has its own features and "quirks".  It's up to you as the consumer to determine what your needs are, to learn what each wallet has to offer, and to choose the wallet the best meets your needs.

Armory and Electrum offline both provide a method to secure your private keys on a computer that is never connected to the internet to significantly increase security (but at a cost of some inconvenience, and owning a second computer that is never connected to the internet).

Electrum relies on a server, MultiBit depends on SPV (Simplified Payment Verification).

Armory and Bitcoin Core both require you to have enough available disk space to store the entire blockchain, and need to be kept up to date with synchronization.

Most of those wallets run on computers, so they aren't as useful when you are out and about.  Mycellium and Bitcoin Wallet run on Android mobile devices, so they are more convenient for carrying around.

Most of those wallets can only be accessed from the one device where they are installed.  They don't synchronize to other devices.  You would need to create transactions to transfer balances between separate wallets on separate devices.

blockchain.info is a hybrid wallet.  You can access it from nearly any web browser (mobile device, laptop, desktop, etc).  They store your private keys in encrypted form so they can't access (spend/steal) your bitcoins, and they provide a backup file of your wallet so that you can still access the bitcoins even if they disappear.  This makes them much safer than other web based options (such as MtGox, BitStamp, localbitcoins, or Coinbase).
Peter R
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May 08, 2014, 07:20:10 AM
 #15

how to acquire bitcoin address?

You need to apply for an account from the Bitcoin-CEO on Reddit. 

Run Bitcoin Unlimited (www.bitcoinunlimited.info)
TrailingComet
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May 08, 2014, 08:15:16 AM
 #16

Go to bitaddress.org and generate them offline

mezmerizer9
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May 08, 2014, 10:18:37 AM
 #17

how to acquire bitcoin address?

You can get them fairly everywhere. I use a Blockchain btc address and also one one on the cex.io.


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AirC
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May 09, 2014, 05:09:53 AM
 #18

Theres multiple ways, but one of the common ones are getting a online wallet at blockchain info and register.
Relnarien
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May 09, 2014, 06:46:56 AM
 #19

Your Bitcoin wallet will generate one for you upon opening it for the first time. So all you really have to do is download a secure wallet from a legitimate source and install/run it. There are other ways to generate a personal Bitcoin address, as mentioned by others, but you will most likely want to download a Bitcoin wallet in some form sooner or later if you intend to become part of the Bitcoin community for a very long time.
Crossbow376
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May 09, 2014, 09:45:53 AM
 #20

how to acquire bitcoin address?

You can create one with any wallet client you want, or you can generate your private key (256-bit random number) with coins, dices, background radio noise, radioactive decays and convert it to a bitcoin address.

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