Bitcoin Faucet Community Policing Project

[Gavin Andresen]

I launched a new version of the Bitcoin Faucet today, with a few changes:

1. Payout is now 0.02 bitcoins (down from 0.05), to reflect the rise in value of bitcoins versus other currencies.

2. Recent Sends page, showing scrambled email addresses and (not scrambled) IP addresses of the last 100 people to get coins from the Faucet.

3. Behind the scenes, faucet payouts are bundled up and sent in batches every N minutes, to minimize the fees that the Faucet pays.

I want to recruit some trusted volunteers to be "Faucet Police" -- if somebody notices a fishy pattern of either IP addresses or email addresses, I'll give the Faucet Police the ability to temporarily stop the flow of coins from the Faucet.

If you're willing to help out and you've got a good reputation/history here on the forums, email me (gavinandresen@gmail.com) your google account information along with what time zone you're usually in, and I'll try to pick a couple handfuls of people so no matter what time of day or night, somebody will be awake and ready to turn off the spigot.

[kokjo]

i am willing to help out. i am in copenhagen timezone UTC+2(summertime) or UTC+1(wintertime)

[BitcoinBonus]

As for #3 above, how many different payouts can you bundle in one transaction? Which version of bitcoind support this?

[BitterTea]

Did somebody clean out the faucet, or is it just empty due to an influx of new users and nobody wanting to fill it back up?

[organic]

... nobody wanting to fill it back up?

it's been empty at least for a week. i wanted to send back the .02 cents but when the popup said it wants .01 fees i gave up

[BitterTea]

... nobody wanting to fill it back up?

it's been empty at least for a week. i wanted to send back the .02 cents but when the popup said it wants .01 fees i gave up

Oh, I was mainly talking about people in the community that have a large(r) amount of bitcoin. Historically it has been funded by donations (I think). I've added a few coins to get it started back up.

[croleva]

Hello,

I'm a new user who learned about bitcoins yesterday but has been expecting an idea like this to develop for some time now. I got my .02 BTC from the faucet yesterday and plan to have dinner with an OTC user tomorrow to learn more about using bitcoins and to make a cash purchase.

I'm writing because I have a suggestion for the faucet. I recognize that the faucet runs out often due to abuse. This is a problem because new users find the faucet helpful for learning about transacting with bitcoins. I'd like to suggest that the faucet's output adjust automatically according to the value of BTC relative to dollars, euros, both, whatever. A constant value, however low, will require constant tweaking due to excess value. This could keep it predictable.

When I get my first 500 BTC, the faucet will be my first donation destination.

Thanks for your effort!

[mewantsbitcoins]

People turn the faucet off. It's clearly being drained by a bot

[theymos]

People turn the faucet off. It's clearly being drained by a bot

What makes you think so?

[mewantsbitcoins]

In the last 4mins it lost more than 1BTC. Can't be that many people queuing up for 0.02

[Stephen Gornick]

I see it now responds with:

"Faucet is being Fixed
The Bitcoin Faucet is closed for maintenance. Please come back later."

[5891]

Hey i just discovered Bitcoins today and am very interested in receiving the 2 free bitcoins. Any idea when they will be available again?



if anyone wants to donate one or two so that i can try it out and hopefully invest more back into it in the very near future my address is   
 1EeKQFHixmMWea1ZEf5n8YA7br7759hoqL.

[AntiVigilante]

Hey i just discovered Bitcoins today and am very interested in receiving the 2 free bitcoins. Any idea when they will be available again?



if anyone wants to donate one or two so that i can try it out and hopefully invest more back into it in the very near future my address is   
 1EeKQFHixmMWea1ZEf5n8YA7br7759hoqL.

Better than the faucet: http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=8159.msg159142#msg159142

[5891]

Thank you i'm checking it out now i think ill send in an entry!

[casascius]

I'm sending 16.44 for the faucet

[5891]

I'm sending 16.44 for the faucet

is it working? the website says its down.

[bytepimp]

I think it stopped working several days ago. I submitted my address to the Faucet and I never got any coins.

[5891]

what a shame i was really hoping to get my free ones and try it out.