New to BitCoin? Start here! - Atlas Edition

[Jon]

You’re new here and you have a very basic understanding of Bitcoin. No matter, I’ll tell you what you need to know.

Bitcoin is simple to use and easy to understand at its face. Bitcoin is online money that can be instantly sent to anyone in the world for little to no fees. It directly goes to the person you want it to. No middle-man. It works just like cash.

Bitcoins go into your digital account called your wallet. Your wallet can be accessed online from a website (http://blockchain.info/wallet) or a program you can install from http://bitcoin.org. Your wallet can be stored on a computer or website of your choosing. You can even back it up to multiple locations!

Now, losing your Bitcoin wallet is like losing a real wallet full of cash -- be careful!

As for getting Bitcoins, you can buy them on an exchange (http://MtGox.com) or earn them by doing a job. You can then send them to friends or businesses that accept Bitcoins by sending a selected amount to their address, a Bitcoin address. It looks like this:

1GXPn9yNHtenWLw9irWhBA8aCX8gHsREKT

Beyond that, Bitcoin is a special currency because no one person or entity controls it and no more than 21 million coins can be made. It’s as good, if not better, than gold. When you have Bitcoins, they are usually only yours to hold. You can trust that they will always be in your hands.*

Like gold, people mine them. Instead of using drills and shovels, we use dedicated computing power and then sell them on various online exchanges. The great thing about the mining process is you'll have an idea of the value of your Bitcoins in the coming days: Bitcoins are mined at a predictable rate and there will never be more than 21 million of them.

To learn more about Bitcoin in detail, explore the forums and the bitcoin wiki (http://bitcoin.it).

If you have any further questions about Bitcoin, contact me at jon.nikopol@gmail.com.

*Make sure you use Bitcoin on a secure device and reputable software.

[Portnoy]

You’re new here and you have a very basic understanding of Bitcoin. No matter, I’ll tell you what you need to know.

Bitcoin is simple to use and easy to understand at its face. Bitcoin is online money that can be instantly sent to anyone in the world for little to no fees. It directly goes to the person you want it to. No middle-man. It works just like cash.

Bitcoins go into your digital account called your wallet. Your wallet can be accessed online from a website (http://blockchain.info/wallet) or a program you can install from http://bitcoin.org.

As for getting Bitcoins, you can buy them on an exchange (http://MtGox.com} or earn them by doing a job. You can then send them to friends or businesses that accept Bitcoins by sending a selected amount to their address, a Bitcoin address. It looks like this:

1GXPn9yNHtenWLw9irWhBA8aCX8gHsREKT

Beyond that, Bitcoin is a special currency because no one person or entity controls it and no more than 21 million coins can be made. It’s as good, if not better, than gold. When you have Bitcoins, they are usually only yours to hold. You can trust that they will always be in your hands.*

Like gold, people mine them. Instead of using drills and shovels, we use dedicated computing power and then sell them on various online exchanges. The great thing about the mining process is you'll have an idea of the value of your Bitcoins in the coming days: Bitcoins are mined at a predictable rate and there will never be more than 21 million of them.

To learn more about Bitcoin in detail, explore the forums and the bitcoin wiki (http://bitcoin.it).

If you have any further questions about Bitcoin, contact me at jon.nikopol@gmail.com.

*Make sure you use Bitcoin on a secure device and reputable software.

Nice try Atlas the innovator...  lol

well actually no; rather pathetic attempt to get some unsuspecting newbie to send you some coin.   

Weren't you permabanned?

Didn't you say you were going to do something big on March 11th?

Weren't the one who promised this, that and the other thing...
and failed each time?

[Phinnaeus Gage]

You’re new here and you have a very basic understanding of Bitcoin. No matter, I’ll tell you what you need to know.

Bitcoin is simple to use and easy to understand at its face. Bitcoin is online money that can be instantly sent to anyone in the world for little to no fees. It directly goes to the person you want it to. No middle-man. It works just like cash.

Bitcoins go into your digital account called your wallet. Your wallet can be accessed online from a website (http://blockchain.info/wallet) or a program you can install from http://bitcoin.org.

As for getting Bitcoins, you can buy them on an exchange (http://MtGox.com} or earn them by doing a job. You can then send them to friends or businesses that accept Bitcoins by sending a selected amount to their address, a Bitcoin address. It looks like this:

1GXPn9yNHtenWLw9irWhBA8aCX8gHsREKT

Beyond that, Bitcoin is a special currency because no one person or entity controls it and no more than 21 million coins can be made. It’s as good, if not better, than gold. When you have Bitcoins, they are usually only yours to hold. You can trust that they will always be in your hands.*

Like gold, people mine them. Instead of using drills and shovels, we use dedicated computing power and then sell them on various online exchanges. The great thing about the mining process is you'll have an idea of the value of your Bitcoins in the coming days: Bitcoins are mined at a predictable rate and there will never be more than 21 million of them.

To learn more about Bitcoin in detail, explore the forums and the bitcoin wiki (http://bitcoin.it).

If you have any further questions about Bitcoin, contact me at jon.nikopol@gmail.com.

*Make sure you use Bitcoin on a secure device and reputable software.

Nice try Atlas the innovator...  lol

well actually no; rather pathetic attempt to get some unsuspecting newbie to send you some coin.  

Weren't you permabanned?

Didn't you say you were going to do something big on March 11th?

Weren't the one who promised this, that and the other thing...
and failed each time?

Actually, it was my idea, Portnoy, and this is his first attempt at my request. Please see this thread: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=69181.0

My thinking is that it would be a great way for /A/ to redeem himself since the sticky post entitled New to BitCoin? Start here!, above, was in dire need of a makeover. I even promised /A/ that I would never diss him again unless it was for humorous purposes only. In a way, you can say I bribed him.

That said, let's work together with /A/ and tighten this son of a bitch up.

Thanks, all, and thanks, /A/.

@Jon: Double check  https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=69181.0 and make sure you glean all the good shit out of that post, then possible finish up where eMansipater left off: missing links; obsolete links; etc.

Also, reply to my PM in regards to that snowball idea I shot at you earlier.

~Bruno~

[RodeoX]

I think it's a fine post.

[Phinnaeus Gage]

I think it's a fine post.

Yep, but working together, we can make it much better, for it's possibly the first place a newbie or, for that matter, a notable may go to read about Bitcoin. As it stands now, the post by eMansipater is nothing but a hodge-podge mess.

Once completed, I'm pretty sure theymos will make it the new sticky--just the OP, without any follow up dialog.

Thanks again, Jon.

~Bruno~

[Jon]

Please tell me what was good about E's thread. I can't imagine a newbie going through that easily.

[Phinnaeus Gage]

Please tell me what was good about E's thread. I can't imagine a newbie going through that easily.

You got me on that one, Jon.

I guess there's only two aspects I can think of: His title of the thread/post is not that bad, whereupon calling it Bitcoin for Starters is a tad lame; His Frequently Asked Questions about BitCoin would have been great if completed and always updated.

I'm going to Wisconsin tomorrow to pick up a load barn wood, therefore will be out of pocket most of the day. If anybody has an extra dead fish they want to give me, coupled with providing me an address where I can place the dead fish in his their mailbox, I may be persuaded to make a quick detour if the Bitcoin bribe bounty is fair enough.  

~Bruno~

[BadBear]

Meh, I like E's post better because it actually talks about how it works, instead of just saying it works.

[Portnoy]

Actually, it was my idea...

What, was Bruce Wagner not available?   

 and this is his first attempt at my request. Please see this thread: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=69181.0

My thinking is that it would be a great way for /A/ to redeem himself since the sticky post entitled New to BitCoin? Start here!, above, was in dire need of a makeover.

I don't see it as needing a makeover but just the Thread coming placeholders filled in.  I am sure threads already exist where those topics have already been discussed.
It certainly doesn't need to be rewritten as Atlas seems to be doing. And there are other introductions that already exist that can be pointed to, like weusecoins.com.
And the donation address should be kept the same and/or put in the one for the Bitcoin Faucet. These are my views on this.
 

[Jon]

Meh, I like E's post better because it actually talks about how it works, instead of just saying it works.

Most people don't need to know such things when they are first introduced to a concept. They learn the inner-workings gradually.

[BadBear]

Most people don't need to know such things when they are first introduced to a concept. They learn the inner-workings gradually.

Not everybody is as stupid as you seem to think they are. At the very least add more than a wiki link, link to mtgox, and your btc address. Give them easy access to learn more. A stickied introduction thread should have a good overview with links to discussion threads with deeper discussion about them, which as someone else said is all the current thread really needs (IMO). If people manage to find their way to a bitcoin discussion forum reading an introduction thread, they are probably curious and want information.

In the meantime, anyone have some good links to fill out the faq in the existing one?

[Jon]

Most people don't need to know such things when they are first introduced to a concept. They learn the inner-workings gradually.

Not everybody is as stupid as you seem to think they are. At the very least add more than a wiki link, link to mtgox, and your btc address. Give them easy access to learn more. A stickied introduction thread should have a good overview with links to discussion threads with deeper discussion about them, which as someone else said is all the current thread really needs (IMO). If people manage to find their way to a bitcoin discussion forum reading an introduction thread, they are probably curious and want information.

In the meantime, anyone have some good links to fill out the faq in the existing one?

It's all a matter of accessibility. A huge essay is not accessible to most people. A link to the wiki is sufficient. People who want deep details have the intuition to find what they need from the satoshi paper and so forth.

I wouldn't want to give E's thread to an intelligent person. It's poorly written and far from the objective: Explain what Bitcoin basically is and not the cogs that make it.

My goal is not to overwhelm the user but to make the experience effortless.

People are not stupid nor are they slaves. They shouldn't have to serve the material they are reading. It should only serve them.

[BadBear]

A huge essay is not accessible to most people. A link to the wiki is sufficient.

There's a lot of area covering the middle ground here, it doesn't have to be one or the other. You can at least put a little bit more effort into it. 

And don't worry I don't think you overwhelmed anybody.

[Jon]

A huge essay is not accessible to most people. A link to the wiki is sufficient.

There's a lot of area covering the middle ground here, it doesn't have to be one or the other. You can at least put a little bit more effort into it. 

And don't worry I don't think you overwhelmed anybody.

The objective of this piece was to introduce somebody to Bitcoin. Further information will require another piece or chapter which I may do.