The Term 'Early Adopter' May Be Inaccurate

[Willisius]

So, since I first checked out Bitcoin I've seen the term "early adopter" used to describe people who got involved in Bitcoin within its first few years. To me, that's like applying the term early adopter to those who got involved in the GNU Project in 1985. Wouldn't a more accurate term be alpha testers?

It's not like using the term early adopter is a bad thing. It just implies that Bitcoin adoption began before people could really "adopt" Bitcoin in place of fiat. I know that plenty of people started with Bitcoin because they support the idea, but you could say that about the GNU Project too. Maybe I'm right, or maybe I'm way off. Only one way to find out.

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[silversurfer1958]

Because Bitcoin is a deflationary currency, In 20yrs time, people getting in now might be deemed early adopters.

[Beliathon]

Because Bitcoin is a deflationary currency, In 20yrs time, people getting in now might be deemed early adopters.

Correct. "Early" is relative. Although most people getting into Bitcoin today probably don't feel like "early adopters", that will certainly change in five or ten years time, when they will have been the first 0.5% of the population involved in the new form of money.

[LiteCoinGuy]

its pretty fucking early i would say 

[blatchcorn]

You can only really map out where we are with hindsight.  If Bitcoin dies tomorrow then many early adopters here suddenly become laggards.

If Bitcoin reaches its full potential we are all innovators

[counter]

I understand the point your making but I don't see much wrong with the term early adopter.  I agree alpha tester is a good term to appeal to newer users.  I just don't think it's makes a world of difference.  Early adopter is just a term that caught on and the same could happen with the term  alpha tester.  Keep using it and if people approve of it they will use it and then it will catch on.

[freedomno1]

I feel like we are moving from a stage of early adoption towards early mainstream
Its hard to figure out the S point at this time the main problem is getting people to understand what Bitcoin is without needing to use a whitepaper to explain it and getting people to start using it more easily.

[tins]

I feel like we are moving from a stage of early adoption towards early mainstream
Its hard to figure out the S point at this time the main problem is getting people to understand what Bitcoin is without needing to use a whitepaper to explain it and getting people to start using it more easily.

I thought last year, when I was getting in and buy my first bitcoin, I was an part of the early adoption. Can't see that at this point, Sept., 2014. There are too many main stream companies that are accepting BTC as a form of payment and others working on a way to use BTC as implementation for product. Still more ripping off the idea (ApplePay), if not the technology.
No, right now we are at the tail end of early adoption and on the cusp of BTC being part of the main stream.
Just a matter of months up to a year before Bitcoin is as widespread as American Express or Paypal, etc...
Those leaning about BTC now, it's either jump in or be forced in with everybody else very soon.

[counter]

I feel like we are moving from a stage of early adoption towards early mainstream
Its hard to figure out the S point at this time the main problem is getting people to understand what Bitcoin is without needing to use a whitepaper to explain it and getting people to start using it more easily.

I thought last year, when I was getting in and buy my first bitcoin, I was an part of the early adoption. Can't see that at this point, Sept., 2014. There are too many main stream companies that are accepting BTC as a form of payment and others working on a way to use BTC as implementation for product. Still more ripping off the idea (ApplePay), if not the technology.
No, right now we are at the tail end of early adoption and on the cusp of BTC being part of the main stream.
Just a matter of months up to a year before Bitcoin is as widespread as American Express or Paypal, etc...
Those leaning about BTC now, it's either jump in or be forced in with everybody else very soon.

I could be mistaken but I think from a price standpoint we are still in a early phase.  I don't think there is any reason why the price has come down so low and with the good news coming out these days, I expect major growth for Bitcoin to come in the future.  If Bitcoin returns to the prices points pre GOX debacle, that is early enough for me.

We may be in the late stage but no body no how long it will last.