Is there a secure online wallet service that doesn't charge for transactions? Even though it's usually only about 5c, it seems against the whole ethos of Bitcoin to change transaction fees. I thought that's what was supposed to be attractive about bitcoins, that it's like using cash?
Uh no, where did you get the idea that bitcoins is "free" (as in, no cost)? Who pays for the miners after the block reward drops to zero? Nothing is fee free, cash has "fees" in the form of taxes you pay to the government to reprint the coins/bills. Even gold has fees, you either need an assayer to validate it's legit, or pay someone to conduct chemical tests.
Firstly, you should probably use correct grammar if you're going to be condescending (bitcoins ARE free, not 'is' free). Secondly, the block reward has not dropped to zero yet, has it? Thirdly, the fee paid is going to the wallet provider, not the miners. Fourthly, what you're saying is pretty much irrelevant to what I was asking.
Transaction fees are 0.001 BTC, which is less than a cent, much better than anything available. Want it cheap? Run your own wallet. If you're using an online wallet, you're paying for a SERVICE, which incurs an extra fee, like in any market.
Transaction fees are not 0.001 BTC. With Blockchain, it's 0.01. Oh, and strongcoin too. And a few others, apparently. Which is about 5 cents. As I said in my original post. Which you didn't seem to read.
Am I paying for a SERVICE? You seem to have changed your mind from above where you said the fee was going to the miners. Oh well. Anyway, the SERVICE I'm apparently paying for is the ability to plug in the details from my paper wallet and make transfers. At 5c a time, that's too expensive. And oh, wait, apparently some people do offer that service for free...
https://walletbit.comAlternatively, is there a desktop client that:
1. Is portable (able to be run from a usb without installation / admin rights)
Yes, the stock bitcoin client can run from a USB. You simply need to configure it properly. Don't ask for it here, search on google or the wiki (
https://bitcoin.it)
Actually, you don't need to do that. Apparently you're so new to bitcoin that you didn't know that. Bitcoin-qt will run from a zip package, but that's not what I was asking about. If you had understood the post, you would realise that I'm asking if there's a client that will do ALL of the listed things.
2. Able to import addresses / private keys
Why would you want to do that? I'm guessing you're still new to bitcoins, and it's not a good idea to mess with stuff like this. If you really want to, i hear armory has that feature available.
I'm using a paper wallet. I'm guessing you're still new to bitcoins.
3. Writes the wallet.dat to it's own directory, instead of an arbitrary user settings directory defined by the OS? (This seems the worst part of the current client, bitcoin-qt - why write such a sensitive, insecure file to a separate directory associated with the user account, where you have to seek it out and encrypt / move / delete it? It could be forgotten so easily.)
it's called setting the data dir. search before asking questions, please.
Why even bother answering if you're just going to be rude and tell someone to search? Is your wife not home for you to beat her?
I know bitcoin is new but to be honest I was surprised at how basic the client seemed to be.
That's why it's beta software. Besides, what more can you want? You can send and receive bitcoins, why add more bells and whistles?
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Yeah, bells and whistles like being able to import new wallets. I once bought a car and was told that if I wanted wheels, I would have to pay extra.
It always amazes me how people will spend their time making angry sarcastic posts instead of just moving on.
Really; why are you so angry?