Can we still advertise the Satoshi Client for noobs?

[giszmo]

Yesterday I started developing an instawallet/faucet/don't know yet service and started a bitcoind on my server. I expect it to take more than 24h to download the blockchain. This you can not explain to new users easily.

Don't get me wrong, the full client is the backbone of bitcoin and should run on as many nodes as possible but I guess it is repelling to install a software that takes 24h to finish. Worse than Windows.

As a new user with no idea whatsoever, I would not pick Electrum from this list but I think it should be suggested if it is what I think it is. I didn't try it myself yet

Which clients are you suggesting to new users?

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[kjlimo]

For now, I find it easiest to get people to register with an exchange to "accept" their first coins.

If people would prefer to reduce their counterparty risk (the risk associated with an exchange getting shutdown/ hacked), then I recommend the original client from www.bitcoin.org.

I just explain to them that it takes "overnight" to download the blockchain.  And then that gives them to additional security.

I agree that some people have complained (because they have an old computer) that the large size is too much.  Those are the people that I recommend sticking to an exchange.

I haven't looked into the e-wallets much.

[tritium]

have you tried 6.2? it downloaded all blocks for me in about 20/30 mins yesterday

[giszmo]

have you tried 6.2? it downloaded all blocks for me in about 20/30 mins yesterday

Hmm ... then what is wrong??? Looks well connected (17) latest version (60200) but it's almost 24h now and not done yet. "top" shows me spikes of 10% CPU load every some seconds. It's a server, so bandwidth should not be a problem.

Code:

    "version" : 60200,
    "protocolversion" : 60001,
    "walletversion" : 60000,
    "balance" : 0.00000000,
    "blocks" : 179920,
    "connections" : 17,
    "proxy" : "",
    "difficulty" : 1733207.51384839,
    "testnet" : false,
    "keypoololdest" : 1338085668,
    "keypoolsize" : 101,
    "paytxfee" : 0.00000000,
    "errors" : ""

hope it is more responsive once the blockchain is downloaded so i can at least go into beta without putting much effort into setting up a faster client. Was so happy with the ease of the api but speed is really an issue now.

[hazek]

I only suggest eWallets to noobs.

[dancupid]

have you tried 6.2? it downloaded all blocks for me in about 20/30 mins yesterday

0.62 I believe - I look forward to the 6.2 none beta 10 years from now.

[paraipan]

have you tried 6.2? it downloaded all blocks for me in about 20/30 mins yesterday

+1 i was speechless but it did 

[proudhon]

I also setup a new 0.62 wallet on a Windows VM yesterday and it took about 30 minutes to get the whole blockchain.

[westkybitcoins]

To those who had the 20/30-minute download times...

Are you all using Windows?

[paraipan]

have you tried 6.2? it downloaded all blocks for me in about 20/30 mins yesterday

Are you kidding me?

After downloading 130000 blocks (aprox.), the synchronization gets too slow (almost unacceptable). I am synchronizing at 60-70 blocks/min.

My setup: OS: debian 6, Client: 0.6.2 (tar.gz), RAM: 512 MB (I can't afford better hardware)

The only thing I can say is that we have to solve this serious usability issue if we want to turn Bitcoin into the "New World Currency".

your DB libs could be out of date, dunno just saying. I've tested it a few times on various ubuntu machines and it has completed the blockchain download in the same amount of time ~30-40 minutes.

@westkybitcoins, debian-ubuntu here

[evoorhees]

I only suggest eWallets to noobs.

+1

However, if the noob is clearly passionate about Bitcoin itself, then it might make sense to discuss the desktop client.

When my Mother asked "what the hell have you been spending your time on" I said, "sign up at blockchain.info" and then I sent her a coin, and she got it. Simplicity it key, unless the person is a tech/monetary/economics/liberty enthusiast, then they're ready for more advanced discussions.

[hazek]

Simplicity is key, unless the person is a tech/monetary/economics/liberty enthusiast, then they're ready for more advanced discussions.

Bingo.

[giszmo]

your DB libs could be out of date, dunno just saying. I've tested it a few times on various ubuntu machines and it has completed the blockchain download in the same amount of time ~30-40 minutes.

Can you post which CLI-commands could help finding the cause?

It's a 2.6.18 i686 linux virtual server but 50x the startup time is a bit crazy still.

[paraipan]

your DB libs could be out of date, dunno just saying. I've tested it a few times on various ubuntu machines and it has completed the blockchain download in the same amount of time ~30-40 minutes.

Can you post which CLI-commands could help finding the cause?

It's a 2.6.18 i686 linux virtual server but 50x the startup time is a bit crazy still.

a bit off topic but yeah

Code:

#apt-get install apt-show-versions
#apt-show-versions |grep libdb4.8

You want to look for ver. +4.8.24, if it doesn't show up at all look for a way to upgrade your distro especially the Berkeley libs.

[giszmo]

Can you post which CLI-commands could help finding the cause?

It's a 2.6.18 i686 linux virtual server but 50x the startup time is a bit crazy still.

a bit off topic but yeah

Code:

#apt-get install apt-show-versions
#apt-show-versions |grep libdb4.8

You want to look for ver. +4.8.24, if it doesn't show up at all look for a way to upgrade your distro especially the Berkeley libs.

Thanx. If my concern of the client taking one day to start is the topic, I don't see how finding the reason is off-topic.

Code:

$ apt-show-versions |grep libdb4.8
libdb4.8/squeeze uptodate 4.8.30-2
libdb4.8-dev/squeeze uptodate 4.8.30-2

[paraipan]

Can you post which CLI-commands could help finding the cause?

It's a 2.6.18 i686 linux virtual server but 50x the startup time is a bit crazy still.

a bit off topic but yeah

Code:

#apt-get install apt-show-versions
#apt-show-versions |grep libdb4.8

You want to look for ver. +4.8.24, if it doesn't show up at all look for a way to upgrade your distro especially the Berkeley libs.

Thanx. If my concern of the client taking one day to start is the topic, I don't see how finding the reason is off-topic.

Code:

$ apt-show-versions |grep libdb4.8
libdb4.8/squeeze uptodate 4.8.30-2
libdb4.8-dev/squeeze uptodate 4.8.30-2

a bit off-topic in regards to OP i meant. You seem to have those libs uptodate, hmm, are you using the "daemon" or the "qt" desktop version ?

[hamdi]

i installed bitoind on a good linux server 1gbit connection and it took over 24 hours to check thorugh the blockchain...
absolutely inacceptable for newbies giving it a quick try...

[phelix]

Can we still advertise the Satoshi Client for noobs?

no.

http://dre.tx0.org/compare.htm (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=83768)

[paraipan]

i installed bitoind on a good linux server 1gbit connection and it took over 24 hours to check thorugh the blockchain...
absolutely inacceptable for newbies giving it a quick try...

the thing is bitcoin-qt just works, like others said too. Bitcoind is a whole other issue and i don't think newbies will fiddle with it as a wallet too soon. 

@phelix that chart is a bit misleading, Armory uses the bitcoin client to handle the blockchain and the other two need a connection to dedicated servers that do the same thing. My point is we don't have a complete independent client atm, and btw bitcoin-qt IS portable. Meh, must stop evangelizing but can't help it sometimes.

[phelix]

i installed bitoind on a good linux server 1gbit connection and it took over 24 hours to check thorugh the blockchain...
absolutely inacceptable for newbies giving it a quick try...

the thing is bitcoin-qt just works, like others said too. Bitcoind is a whole other issue and i don't think newbies will fiddle with it as a wallet too soon. 

@phelix that chart is a bit misleading, Armory uses the bitcoin client to handle the blockchain and the other two need a connection to dedicated servers that do the same thing. My point is we don't have a complete independent client atm, and btw bitcoin-qt IS portable. Meh, must stop evangelizing but can't help it sometimes.

i thought multibit would not need a special server?

post in the other thread so flatfly can fix it