Why not pull transaction data from blockexplorer?

[randomproof]

I was wondering why you couldn't just pull the transaction data from blockexplorer.com (https://blockexplorer.com/q/mytransactions/{address_here}) so that thin/mobile clients didn't have to download and possible store the blockchain themselves.  I'm sure whoever is running blockexplorer might not want all the extra traffic, but you could use a similar model to setup a dedicated server for it if needed.

[1714918443]

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[1714918443]

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[finway]

The problem is trust, bitcoin is 0-trust.

[R-]

The problem is trust, bitcoin is 0-trust.

I rate blockexplorer like a US Treasury Bond.

[payb.tc]

The problem is trust, bitcoin is 0-trust.

I rate blockexplorer like a US Treasury Bond.

how insulting

[cbeast]

The problem is trust, bitcoin is 0-trust.

I rate blockexplorer like a US Treasury Bond.

how insulting

lolwhut?

[R-]

The problem is trust, bitcoin is 0-trust.

I rate blockexplorer like a US Treasury Bond.

how insulting

At least the creator of the T-bill isn't MIA.

-reference to Satoshi not admin of BlockExplorer

[Raoul Duke]

The problem is trust, bitcoin is 0-trust.

I rate blockexplorer like a US Treasury Bond.

how insulting

He must not be aware that the owner of blockexplorer is the forum admin and has the power to ban him.

OK, just got the confirmation 1 post above mine that he's really clueless lol


j/k about the ban part, not about him being the admin

[Mike Hearn]

That design already exists. It's the one that Electrum and BitcoinSpinner uses. The server scans and indexs the block chain, you tell the server your public keys, it builds transactions for you.

This design has the advantage of being simpler on the client-side and not requiring block chain management, which can be a little buggy with bitcoinj currently. The disadvantages are that there are fewer servers available, the server can lie about your balance without being caught, and there isn't any privacy - the server knows all your keys so it can tie together all your transactions to an IP address, see your balance, and so on.

I think we'll get block chain management to the point where it's robust and fast enough that the appeal of such solutions will go away, but for now at least the superlightweight model presents strong competition.