Most Influential Person in Bitcoin 2014

[raskul]

http://coinde.sk/1wiIEAG

Coindesk are asking for input from bitcoiners to find out who has been the most influential person in Bitcoin in 2014.

My personal opinion is that, that this year specifically, the accolade should be to someone who has striven to put bring most efficient bitcoin mining rigs to market, and allow hobbyists to stay in the game up to this point. Even if staying in the game means whatever small part we still play, we are still here, and we are still interested in bitcoin - and, we are still contributing to the network we worked so hard to raise up from the ground.

Aside from the fact that the network was always destined to go large scale, the situation we find ourselves in today has been an unavoidable fate from the very beginning and I have based my own nomination on all of the above points.

I've started this thread to discuss all the candidates that might be put forward for this nomination, and why?
please discuss.

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[EternalWingsofGod]

Tough choices
I would say Gavin as usual core developer for the protocol
Turr Demester for his interesting speeches
And perhaps Andreas Antopoulos although there are quite a few candiates from that Bitcoin Senate Series to choose from

Could mention Slush etc.

[sidhujag]

D larimer

[franky1]

andreas

he has helped governments, universities, merchants and average joes understand bitcoin beyond the advertised crap that speculators, mining hobbyists and media usually spout out.

he has cleared up many misconceptions and explained the untapped potential that usually gets unspoken. without him many businesses would not have adopted bitcoin. many governments would have tried to rule bitcoin and many users would have not understood bitcoin

[bornil267645]

Gavin Anderson I think.

He spoke out a lot of things this year.

[onewiseguy]

say Mr Josh garza with all of his gaw (****)

[raskul]

Andreas Antopoulos is likely going to be a very popular choice here. Perhaps we can research some specific events in the year in which he has been most influential.
I have a day at home today, so i'll see if I can put together some kind of timeline if I get some spare time from the housework 

[franky1]

Andreas Antopoulos is likely going to be a very popular choice here. Perhaps we can research some specific events in the year in which he has been most influential.
I have a day at home today, so i'll see if I can put together some kind of timeline if I get some spare time from the housework 

main one of this year was how he easily described bitcoin to the Canadian senate and then proposed they do nothing regulatory

[Nagle]

Mark Karpeles.

[raskul]

Mark Karpeles.

was indeed quite influential, but not for any good reasons

[uvt9]

andreas

he has helped governments, universities, merchants and average joes understand bitcoin beyond the advertised crap that speculators, mining hobbyists and media usually spout out.

he has cleared up many misconceptions and explained the untapped potential that usually gets unspoken. without him many businesses would not have adopted bitcoin. many governments would have tried to rule bitcoin and many users would have not understood bitcoin

Andreas did good works for Bitcoin, but he occasionally talk BS. For example he claimed worldwide remittance market make a profit of $175bn per year while the real figure is nowhere near that.

[neoneros]

Make it a Poll and see what happens

[Aswan]

Mark Karpeles  was pretty influencial

Edit: Meh, someone already mentioned him TT

[raskul]

Make it a Poll and see what happens

that's what the link is doing, no need for a poll here, just click the link in the OP and wait for Coindesk to tell us who wins.

[bitcoinmining]

Gavin Andresen was one of the Bitcoin experts, not just for 2014, he is the second most influential person for me(if we accept the first is Satoshi) in Bitcoin history!

By the way his name is not Gavin Anderson, it's Gavin Andresen guys 

[neoneros]

Make it a Poll and see what happens

that's what the link is doing, no need for a poll here, just click the link in the OP and wait for Coindesk to tell us who wins.

forgot my reading glasses

but still, would be nice to have a poll beforehand, seeing what might be the outcome?

'You hear that Mr. Andresen?... That is the sound of inevitability'

[ChuckBuck]

No hesitation.  Andreas Antonopolous.

-Constantly speaking during meetups and events
-Brings awareness weekly on his podcast and during his 3 appearances on Joe Rogan Experience
-Leaving Bitcoin Foundation "due to lack of transparency" with the scumbags that were onboard like Karpeles and Brock Pierce
-Speaking in front of the Canadian Senate to bring clarity to the technology and currency to politicians that would normally dismiss it
-Started fundraiser for wrongly accused Dorian Nakamoto, putting to bed suspicions that Dorian was the "Satoshi Nakamoto".  Raised over 47 BTC in the process for the tough on his luck, life, and health Dorian.
-Involved in various businesses and Bitcoin startups to go along with his continued advisorship to Blockchain.info
-Wrote "Mastering Bitcoin" book and teaches a free digital currency course at University of Nicosia

List goes on and on, but this really is a no brainer.

Snap your fingers and say the first name that comes to mind for Bitcoin and 2014, and it should be Andreas Antonopolous 12 out of 10 times.

[Flashman]

Yup, most positive influence...

No hesitation.  Andreas Antonopolous.

Most negative influence, you know who, split his soul and called it a transaction malleability error, the dark Mark himself, Missssssster Karpeles.

[Dillar]

Andreas Antonopoulos is a voice of bitcoin

[avw1982]

Everyone who uses Bitcoin.