Skip to content
  • Categories
  • Recent
  • Tags
  • Popular
  • World
  • Users
  • Groups
Skins
  • Light
  • Cerulean
  • Cosmo
  • Flatly
  • Journal
  • Litera
  • Lumen
  • Lux
  • Materia
  • Minty
  • Morph
  • Pulse
  • Sandstone
  • Simplex
  • Sketchy
  • Spacelab
  • United
  • Yeti
  • Zephyr
  • Dark
  • Cyborg
  • Darkly
  • Quartz
  • Slate
  • Solar
  • Superhero
  • Vapor

  • Default (No Skin)
  • No Skin
Collapse
Code Project
  1. Home
  2. The Lounge
  3. Is cryptocurrency just a big bubble of bits?

Is cryptocurrency just a big bubble of bits?

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved The Lounge
adobesysadminhardwarealgorithmsbusiness
26 Posts 16 Posters 0 Views 1 Watching
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • S Offline
    S Offline
    swampwiz
    wrote on last edited by
    #1

    I was just reading about how the "ether" cryptocurrency (CC) just got hacked for $200M - and I don't even know what that means, was it taken from someone, or it was created :confused: - and I remember BitCoin getting hacked a while back. Now I am not sure about how "ether" is generated, but my understanding is that BitCoin is generated by running some fancy algorithm that is very computationally intensive, and that a few year ago at least, there were reports of folks setting up server farms to "mine" this - basically investing in the hardware and more importantly the electricity for the systems and the air-conditioning to create the BitCoins. I would presume that ether is similar. I also understand that there are few firms that act as banks in which a buyer transfers real government-approved cash (REAL CASH) to the firm, and the firm gives out the code which represents the CC, and similarly would accept a code as a "deposit" and transfer REAL CASH to the seller. OK, so far so good, this sounds like trading stocks. And there are few businesses here & there that take CC as payment for REAL STUFF. Now, it seems that the only folks who are actually buying the CC (i.e., forking over REAL CASH) are [1] victims of ransomware, [2] criminal gangs making payments to each other, [3] CC speculators, [4] folks with an anarcho-techno-syndicalist bent, and [5] assorted "the international economy will collapse" whackos. Folks in [1] obviously are forced to so this. Folks in [2] are simply doing this to get around moving around paper cash, which has various issues; that said, I can't see guys like Tony Soprano contentedly looking at their bits. Folks in [3] think that this will take off, and they want to get in the ground floor (the guy with the server farm would fit in this category). Folks in [4] are choosing the buy CC to pay for REGULAR STUFF as a way to help get the CC idea going. Folks in [5] consider CC to be like gold (Au) and think that the REAL CASH will be devalued with their CC remaining intact, like gold - just a lot easier to port around & defend. Now the way I look at it, if I am forking over REAL CASH to get my hands on the CC, I had better be able to use it like any highly liquid store of value - but very few vendors really accept this, so store of value is as per those CC banks that will buy that CC in return for REAL CASH. If I invest in a stock, I am buying a piece of a publicly traded corporation that I can read up on the official statements about their business situation, and with the kn

    D J D M L 9 Replies Last reply
    0
    • S swampwiz

      I was just reading about how the "ether" cryptocurrency (CC) just got hacked for $200M - and I don't even know what that means, was it taken from someone, or it was created :confused: - and I remember BitCoin getting hacked a while back. Now I am not sure about how "ether" is generated, but my understanding is that BitCoin is generated by running some fancy algorithm that is very computationally intensive, and that a few year ago at least, there were reports of folks setting up server farms to "mine" this - basically investing in the hardware and more importantly the electricity for the systems and the air-conditioning to create the BitCoins. I would presume that ether is similar. I also understand that there are few firms that act as banks in which a buyer transfers real government-approved cash (REAL CASH) to the firm, and the firm gives out the code which represents the CC, and similarly would accept a code as a "deposit" and transfer REAL CASH to the seller. OK, so far so good, this sounds like trading stocks. And there are few businesses here & there that take CC as payment for REAL STUFF. Now, it seems that the only folks who are actually buying the CC (i.e., forking over REAL CASH) are [1] victims of ransomware, [2] criminal gangs making payments to each other, [3] CC speculators, [4] folks with an anarcho-techno-syndicalist bent, and [5] assorted "the international economy will collapse" whackos. Folks in [1] obviously are forced to so this. Folks in [2] are simply doing this to get around moving around paper cash, which has various issues; that said, I can't see guys like Tony Soprano contentedly looking at their bits. Folks in [3] think that this will take off, and they want to get in the ground floor (the guy with the server farm would fit in this category). Folks in [4] are choosing the buy CC to pay for REGULAR STUFF as a way to help get the CC idea going. Folks in [5] consider CC to be like gold (Au) and think that the REAL CASH will be devalued with their CC remaining intact, like gold - just a lot easier to port around & defend. Now the way I look at it, if I am forking over REAL CASH to get my hands on the CC, I had better be able to use it like any highly liquid store of value - but very few vendors really accept this, so store of value is as per those CC banks that will buy that CC in return for REAL CASH. If I invest in a stock, I am buying a piece of a publicly traded corporation that I can read up on the official statements about their business situation, and with the kn

      D Offline
      D Offline
      David ONeil
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      This is my favorite elucidation of crypto-currency: [Conan BitCoin Skit – David's Odds'n'Ends](http://randommonkeyworks.org/conan-bitcoin-skit/) :laugh:

      It Is The Absolute Verifiable Truth & Proven Fact

      That Your Belly-Button Signature Ties

      To Viviparous Mama.

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • S swampwiz

        I was just reading about how the "ether" cryptocurrency (CC) just got hacked for $200M - and I don't even know what that means, was it taken from someone, or it was created :confused: - and I remember BitCoin getting hacked a while back. Now I am not sure about how "ether" is generated, but my understanding is that BitCoin is generated by running some fancy algorithm that is very computationally intensive, and that a few year ago at least, there were reports of folks setting up server farms to "mine" this - basically investing in the hardware and more importantly the electricity for the systems and the air-conditioning to create the BitCoins. I would presume that ether is similar. I also understand that there are few firms that act as banks in which a buyer transfers real government-approved cash (REAL CASH) to the firm, and the firm gives out the code which represents the CC, and similarly would accept a code as a "deposit" and transfer REAL CASH to the seller. OK, so far so good, this sounds like trading stocks. And there are few businesses here & there that take CC as payment for REAL STUFF. Now, it seems that the only folks who are actually buying the CC (i.e., forking over REAL CASH) are [1] victims of ransomware, [2] criminal gangs making payments to each other, [3] CC speculators, [4] folks with an anarcho-techno-syndicalist bent, and [5] assorted "the international economy will collapse" whackos. Folks in [1] obviously are forced to so this. Folks in [2] are simply doing this to get around moving around paper cash, which has various issues; that said, I can't see guys like Tony Soprano contentedly looking at their bits. Folks in [3] think that this will take off, and they want to get in the ground floor (the guy with the server farm would fit in this category). Folks in [4] are choosing the buy CC to pay for REGULAR STUFF as a way to help get the CC idea going. Folks in [5] consider CC to be like gold (Au) and think that the REAL CASH will be devalued with their CC remaining intact, like gold - just a lot easier to port around & defend. Now the way I look at it, if I am forking over REAL CASH to get my hands on the CC, I had better be able to use it like any highly liquid store of value - but very few vendors really accept this, so store of value is as per those CC banks that will buy that CC in return for REAL CASH. If I invest in a stock, I am buying a piece of a publicly traded corporation that I can read up on the official statements about their business situation, and with the kn

        J Offline
        J Offline
        Jeremy Falcon
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        Short answer is no. It's the future. The long answer is yes... it's a baby currency with problems and not something the real world takes seriously. But that's how it always starts. 50 years ago only kids in their basement cared about IRC. Now days, here we are with Facebook being popular. So things that change the world always start that way. The reality is, BitCoin won't win, but the industry will. The bankers won't allow for something they can't control in order to control us. Even the government is controlled by the bankers. It's being used a test bed to weed out kinks before we go completely digital. The problems we have with greed BitCoin attempts to solve, which would surface in the digital world in our current system. So it's coming. May take a couple hundred years, but when the banks and government get on board you can bet they'll create their own digital currency though.

        Jeremy Falcon

        F M K L M 6 Replies Last reply
        0
        • J Jeremy Falcon

          Short answer is no. It's the future. The long answer is yes... it's a baby currency with problems and not something the real world takes seriously. But that's how it always starts. 50 years ago only kids in their basement cared about IRC. Now days, here we are with Facebook being popular. So things that change the world always start that way. The reality is, BitCoin won't win, but the industry will. The bankers won't allow for something they can't control in order to control us. Even the government is controlled by the bankers. It's being used a test bed to weed out kinks before we go completely digital. The problems we have with greed BitCoin attempts to solve, which would surface in the digital world in our current system. So it's coming. May take a couple hundred years, but when the banks and government get on board you can bet they'll create their own digital currency though.

          Jeremy Falcon

          F Offline
          F Offline
          Foothill
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          And when that happens, I will start buying up all the gold pressed latinum I can get my hands on. :laugh: That is unless the new net neutrality "laws" actually pass. The net is the wild west and if they can wrangle it into what they want then all bets are off.

          if (Object.DividedByZero == true) { Universe.Implode(); } Meus ratio ex fortis machina. Simplicitatis de formae ac munus. -Foothill, 2016

          C 1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • F Foothill

            And when that happens, I will start buying up all the gold pressed latinum I can get my hands on. :laugh: That is unless the new net neutrality "laws" actually pass. The net is the wild west and if they can wrangle it into what they want then all bets are off.

            if (Object.DividedByZero == true) { Universe.Implode(); } Meus ratio ex fortis machina. Simplicitatis de formae ac munus. -Foothill, 2016

            C Offline
            C Offline
            CodeWraith
            wrote on last edited by
            #5

            Foothill wrote:

            I will start buying up all the gold pressed latinum I can get my hands on.

            What exactly is your height to ear size index?

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • S swampwiz

              I was just reading about how the "ether" cryptocurrency (CC) just got hacked for $200M - and I don't even know what that means, was it taken from someone, or it was created :confused: - and I remember BitCoin getting hacked a while back. Now I am not sure about how "ether" is generated, but my understanding is that BitCoin is generated by running some fancy algorithm that is very computationally intensive, and that a few year ago at least, there were reports of folks setting up server farms to "mine" this - basically investing in the hardware and more importantly the electricity for the systems and the air-conditioning to create the BitCoins. I would presume that ether is similar. I also understand that there are few firms that act as banks in which a buyer transfers real government-approved cash (REAL CASH) to the firm, and the firm gives out the code which represents the CC, and similarly would accept a code as a "deposit" and transfer REAL CASH to the seller. OK, so far so good, this sounds like trading stocks. And there are few businesses here & there that take CC as payment for REAL STUFF. Now, it seems that the only folks who are actually buying the CC (i.e., forking over REAL CASH) are [1] victims of ransomware, [2] criminal gangs making payments to each other, [3] CC speculators, [4] folks with an anarcho-techno-syndicalist bent, and [5] assorted "the international economy will collapse" whackos. Folks in [1] obviously are forced to so this. Folks in [2] are simply doing this to get around moving around paper cash, which has various issues; that said, I can't see guys like Tony Soprano contentedly looking at their bits. Folks in [3] think that this will take off, and they want to get in the ground floor (the guy with the server farm would fit in this category). Folks in [4] are choosing the buy CC to pay for REGULAR STUFF as a way to help get the CC idea going. Folks in [5] consider CC to be like gold (Au) and think that the REAL CASH will be devalued with their CC remaining intact, like gold - just a lot easier to port around & defend. Now the way I look at it, if I am forking over REAL CASH to get my hands on the CC, I had better be able to use it like any highly liquid store of value - but very few vendors really accept this, so store of value is as per those CC banks that will buy that CC in return for REAL CASH. If I invest in a stock, I am buying a piece of a publicly traded corporation that I can read up on the official statements about their business situation, and with the kn

              D Offline
              D Offline
              DaveAuld
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              What just got hacked? Where's the link, the only recent thing I am aware of is the arbX exchange 'issues' as seen [here](https://cointelegraph.com/news/cryptocurrency-exchange-arbx-technological-issue-sees-complete-loss-of-funds-scam-accusations). The whole crypto arena a boiling pit of technology that is still trying to find it's ultimate use case to drive breakout. It is coming though, there is no stopping it I don't think. Financial analysts predict continued growth of both BTC and ETH over the next few years. one has BTC hitting 50,000 USD in 5 years and ETH to hit 1,000 USD by end 2018. Never mind all the others that are also gaining momentum in their relative spheres of influence. XRP continues to grow in the financial sector and LTC is becoming an attractive alternative to BTC. At the end of the day, these things will only have value if they are adopted....With an international banking transaction taking days to complete and costing a small fortune in fees, near real-time transfer and low fees in the crypto world does sound very appealing doesn't it.

              Dave Find Me On:Web|Youtube|Facebook|Twitter|LinkedIn Folding Stats: Team CodeProject

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • S swampwiz

                I was just reading about how the "ether" cryptocurrency (CC) just got hacked for $200M - and I don't even know what that means, was it taken from someone, or it was created :confused: - and I remember BitCoin getting hacked a while back. Now I am not sure about how "ether" is generated, but my understanding is that BitCoin is generated by running some fancy algorithm that is very computationally intensive, and that a few year ago at least, there were reports of folks setting up server farms to "mine" this - basically investing in the hardware and more importantly the electricity for the systems and the air-conditioning to create the BitCoins. I would presume that ether is similar. I also understand that there are few firms that act as banks in which a buyer transfers real government-approved cash (REAL CASH) to the firm, and the firm gives out the code which represents the CC, and similarly would accept a code as a "deposit" and transfer REAL CASH to the seller. OK, so far so good, this sounds like trading stocks. And there are few businesses here & there that take CC as payment for REAL STUFF. Now, it seems that the only folks who are actually buying the CC (i.e., forking over REAL CASH) are [1] victims of ransomware, [2] criminal gangs making payments to each other, [3] CC speculators, [4] folks with an anarcho-techno-syndicalist bent, and [5] assorted "the international economy will collapse" whackos. Folks in [1] obviously are forced to so this. Folks in [2] are simply doing this to get around moving around paper cash, which has various issues; that said, I can't see guys like Tony Soprano contentedly looking at their bits. Folks in [3] think that this will take off, and they want to get in the ground floor (the guy with the server farm would fit in this category). Folks in [4] are choosing the buy CC to pay for REGULAR STUFF as a way to help get the CC idea going. Folks in [5] consider CC to be like gold (Au) and think that the REAL CASH will be devalued with their CC remaining intact, like gold - just a lot easier to port around & defend. Now the way I look at it, if I am forking over REAL CASH to get my hands on the CC, I had better be able to use it like any highly liquid store of value - but very few vendors really accept this, so store of value is as per those CC banks that will buy that CC in return for REAL CASH. If I invest in a stock, I am buying a piece of a publicly traded corporation that I can read up on the official statements about their business situation, and with the kn

                M Offline
                M Offline
                Mladen Jankovic
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                swampwiz wrote:

                "ether" cryptocurrency (CC) just got hacked for $200M ... BitCoin getting hacked a while back

                Link? You probably mixed up exchange site with cryptocurrency itself.

                swampwiz wrote:

                REAL CASH have a very strong level of safety with a code of law, the government as law enforcer, etc., to ensure that it won't disappear.

                :laugh: Haven't you heard about things like quantitative easing?

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • S swampwiz

                  I was just reading about how the "ether" cryptocurrency (CC) just got hacked for $200M - and I don't even know what that means, was it taken from someone, or it was created :confused: - and I remember BitCoin getting hacked a while back. Now I am not sure about how "ether" is generated, but my understanding is that BitCoin is generated by running some fancy algorithm that is very computationally intensive, and that a few year ago at least, there were reports of folks setting up server farms to "mine" this - basically investing in the hardware and more importantly the electricity for the systems and the air-conditioning to create the BitCoins. I would presume that ether is similar. I also understand that there are few firms that act as banks in which a buyer transfers real government-approved cash (REAL CASH) to the firm, and the firm gives out the code which represents the CC, and similarly would accept a code as a "deposit" and transfer REAL CASH to the seller. OK, so far so good, this sounds like trading stocks. And there are few businesses here & there that take CC as payment for REAL STUFF. Now, it seems that the only folks who are actually buying the CC (i.e., forking over REAL CASH) are [1] victims of ransomware, [2] criminal gangs making payments to each other, [3] CC speculators, [4] folks with an anarcho-techno-syndicalist bent, and [5] assorted "the international economy will collapse" whackos. Folks in [1] obviously are forced to so this. Folks in [2] are simply doing this to get around moving around paper cash, which has various issues; that said, I can't see guys like Tony Soprano contentedly looking at their bits. Folks in [3] think that this will take off, and they want to get in the ground floor (the guy with the server farm would fit in this category). Folks in [4] are choosing the buy CC to pay for REGULAR STUFF as a way to help get the CC idea going. Folks in [5] consider CC to be like gold (Au) and think that the REAL CASH will be devalued with their CC remaining intact, like gold - just a lot easier to port around & defend. Now the way I look at it, if I am forking over REAL CASH to get my hands on the CC, I had better be able to use it like any highly liquid store of value - but very few vendors really accept this, so store of value is as per those CC banks that will buy that CC in return for REAL CASH. If I invest in a stock, I am buying a piece of a publicly traded corporation that I can read up on the official statements about their business situation, and with the kn

                  L Offline
                  L Offline
                  Lost User
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  Nothing has intrinsic value, it's just that more people realize this about bitcoin.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • S swampwiz

                    I was just reading about how the "ether" cryptocurrency (CC) just got hacked for $200M - and I don't even know what that means, was it taken from someone, or it was created :confused: - and I remember BitCoin getting hacked a while back. Now I am not sure about how "ether" is generated, but my understanding is that BitCoin is generated by running some fancy algorithm that is very computationally intensive, and that a few year ago at least, there were reports of folks setting up server farms to "mine" this - basically investing in the hardware and more importantly the electricity for the systems and the air-conditioning to create the BitCoins. I would presume that ether is similar. I also understand that there are few firms that act as banks in which a buyer transfers real government-approved cash (REAL CASH) to the firm, and the firm gives out the code which represents the CC, and similarly would accept a code as a "deposit" and transfer REAL CASH to the seller. OK, so far so good, this sounds like trading stocks. And there are few businesses here & there that take CC as payment for REAL STUFF. Now, it seems that the only folks who are actually buying the CC (i.e., forking over REAL CASH) are [1] victims of ransomware, [2] criminal gangs making payments to each other, [3] CC speculators, [4] folks with an anarcho-techno-syndicalist bent, and [5] assorted "the international economy will collapse" whackos. Folks in [1] obviously are forced to so this. Folks in [2] are simply doing this to get around moving around paper cash, which has various issues; that said, I can't see guys like Tony Soprano contentedly looking at their bits. Folks in [3] think that this will take off, and they want to get in the ground floor (the guy with the server farm would fit in this category). Folks in [4] are choosing the buy CC to pay for REGULAR STUFF as a way to help get the CC idea going. Folks in [5] consider CC to be like gold (Au) and think that the REAL CASH will be devalued with their CC remaining intact, like gold - just a lot easier to port around & defend. Now the way I look at it, if I am forking over REAL CASH to get my hands on the CC, I had better be able to use it like any highly liquid store of value - but very few vendors really accept this, so store of value is as per those CC banks that will buy that CC in return for REAL CASH. If I invest in a stock, I am buying a piece of a publicly traded corporation that I can read up on the official statements about their business situation, and with the kn

                    L Offline
                    L Offline
                    Lost User
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    swampwiz wrote:

                    And the financial institutions that deal with stocks & REAL CASH have a very strong level of safety with a code of law, the government as law enforcer, etc., to ensure that it won't disappear. Where the hell is that with CC? Where are the security guards? I see this as the 21st Century tulip mania!

                    You do realize that despite all these laws, there is far more debt in the world than there is money? So yes, by definition "value" will dissapear once those debts are called.

                    Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss: If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^][](X-Clacks-Overhead: GNU Terry Pratchett)

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • S swampwiz

                      I was just reading about how the "ether" cryptocurrency (CC) just got hacked for $200M - and I don't even know what that means, was it taken from someone, or it was created :confused: - and I remember BitCoin getting hacked a while back. Now I am not sure about how "ether" is generated, but my understanding is that BitCoin is generated by running some fancy algorithm that is very computationally intensive, and that a few year ago at least, there were reports of folks setting up server farms to "mine" this - basically investing in the hardware and more importantly the electricity for the systems and the air-conditioning to create the BitCoins. I would presume that ether is similar. I also understand that there are few firms that act as banks in which a buyer transfers real government-approved cash (REAL CASH) to the firm, and the firm gives out the code which represents the CC, and similarly would accept a code as a "deposit" and transfer REAL CASH to the seller. OK, so far so good, this sounds like trading stocks. And there are few businesses here & there that take CC as payment for REAL STUFF. Now, it seems that the only folks who are actually buying the CC (i.e., forking over REAL CASH) are [1] victims of ransomware, [2] criminal gangs making payments to each other, [3] CC speculators, [4] folks with an anarcho-techno-syndicalist bent, and [5] assorted "the international economy will collapse" whackos. Folks in [1] obviously are forced to so this. Folks in [2] are simply doing this to get around moving around paper cash, which has various issues; that said, I can't see guys like Tony Soprano contentedly looking at their bits. Folks in [3] think that this will take off, and they want to get in the ground floor (the guy with the server farm would fit in this category). Folks in [4] are choosing the buy CC to pay for REGULAR STUFF as a way to help get the CC idea going. Folks in [5] consider CC to be like gold (Au) and think that the REAL CASH will be devalued with their CC remaining intact, like gold - just a lot easier to port around & defend. Now the way I look at it, if I am forking over REAL CASH to get my hands on the CC, I had better be able to use it like any highly liquid store of value - but very few vendors really accept this, so store of value is as per those CC banks that will buy that CC in return for REAL CASH. If I invest in a stock, I am buying a piece of a publicly traded corporation that I can read up on the official statements about their business situation, and with the kn

                      W Offline
                      W Offline
                      W Balboos GHB
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      So let me feed into your fears: a cyber-attack in a BitCoin (&etc.) world would stop all commerce at all levels everywhere. Except, perhaps, in the primitive country that uses actual currency (and who coincidentally launched the cyber attack). Having access to all of your assets, directly and at all times, is both exciting and frightening. As for currency values, or even gold: neither is good if you're hungry. Only what you can exchange them for - if anyone wants to exchange for them. Stocks? The real value of most stocks is, well, nothing! Voting power in the companies management (not for your or me, with 1/10,000th of 1% of the shares) - so a few blocks of stock run things for their own benefit. The only value they hold is the same as currency, gold, or BitCoin: what will someone give you to get them from you. Look up hyperinflation[^] to realize your faith is anything but well-founded. In a very real sense, they're all the same:   dependent upon a market for 'them' when, in fact, it is not 'them' that is wanted but what 'them' can be exchange for!

                      Ravings en masse^

                      "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

                      "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

                      V J S 3 Replies Last reply
                      0
                      • J Jeremy Falcon

                        Short answer is no. It's the future. The long answer is yes... it's a baby currency with problems and not something the real world takes seriously. But that's how it always starts. 50 years ago only kids in their basement cared about IRC. Now days, here we are with Facebook being popular. So things that change the world always start that way. The reality is, BitCoin won't win, but the industry will. The bankers won't allow for something they can't control in order to control us. Even the government is controlled by the bankers. It's being used a test bed to weed out kinks before we go completely digital. The problems we have with greed BitCoin attempts to solve, which would surface in the digital world in our current system. So it's coming. May take a couple hundred years, but when the banks and government get on board you can bet they'll create their own digital currency though.

                        Jeremy Falcon

                        M Offline
                        M Offline
                        Marc Clifton
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        Jeremy Falcon wrote:

                        So it's coming.

                        [Indeed it is.](http://fortune.com/2017/02/28/ethereum-jpmorgan-microsoft-alliance/) > Thirty big banks, tech giants, and other organizations—including J.P. Morgan Chase, Microsoft, and Intel—are uniting to build business-ready versions of the software behind Ethereum, a decentralized computing network based on digital currency. Marc

                        Latest Article - Create a Dockerized Python Fiddle Web App Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802

                        J 1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • S swampwiz

                          I was just reading about how the "ether" cryptocurrency (CC) just got hacked for $200M - and I don't even know what that means, was it taken from someone, or it was created :confused: - and I remember BitCoin getting hacked a while back. Now I am not sure about how "ether" is generated, but my understanding is that BitCoin is generated by running some fancy algorithm that is very computationally intensive, and that a few year ago at least, there were reports of folks setting up server farms to "mine" this - basically investing in the hardware and more importantly the electricity for the systems and the air-conditioning to create the BitCoins. I would presume that ether is similar. I also understand that there are few firms that act as banks in which a buyer transfers real government-approved cash (REAL CASH) to the firm, and the firm gives out the code which represents the CC, and similarly would accept a code as a "deposit" and transfer REAL CASH to the seller. OK, so far so good, this sounds like trading stocks. And there are few businesses here & there that take CC as payment for REAL STUFF. Now, it seems that the only folks who are actually buying the CC (i.e., forking over REAL CASH) are [1] victims of ransomware, [2] criminal gangs making payments to each other, [3] CC speculators, [4] folks with an anarcho-techno-syndicalist bent, and [5] assorted "the international economy will collapse" whackos. Folks in [1] obviously are forced to so this. Folks in [2] are simply doing this to get around moving around paper cash, which has various issues; that said, I can't see guys like Tony Soprano contentedly looking at their bits. Folks in [3] think that this will take off, and they want to get in the ground floor (the guy with the server farm would fit in this category). Folks in [4] are choosing the buy CC to pay for REGULAR STUFF as a way to help get the CC idea going. Folks in [5] consider CC to be like gold (Au) and think that the REAL CASH will be devalued with their CC remaining intact, like gold - just a lot easier to port around & defend. Now the way I look at it, if I am forking over REAL CASH to get my hands on the CC, I had better be able to use it like any highly liquid store of value - but very few vendors really accept this, so store of value is as per those CC banks that will buy that CC in return for REAL CASH. If I invest in a stock, I am buying a piece of a publicly traded corporation that I can read up on the official statements about their business situation, and with the kn

                          M Offline
                          M Offline
                          Marc Clifton
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #12

                          What Jeremy said, plus, there is a much broader movement toward decentralization with particular emphasis on [decentralizing social media](https://cointelegraph.com/news/beware-facebook-decentralised-social-network-is-approaching). Also, keep in mind that blockchain underlying technology can be used for creating [any kind of contract/transaction](http://theconversation.com/finally-interesting-uses-for-the-blockchain-that-go-beyond-bitcoin-51213), not necessarily one involving "coin" or even having a direct translation to hard currency. Marc

                          Latest Article - Create a Dockerized Python Fiddle Web App Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • J Jeremy Falcon

                            Short answer is no. It's the future. The long answer is yes... it's a baby currency with problems and not something the real world takes seriously. But that's how it always starts. 50 years ago only kids in their basement cared about IRC. Now days, here we are with Facebook being popular. So things that change the world always start that way. The reality is, BitCoin won't win, but the industry will. The bankers won't allow for something they can't control in order to control us. Even the government is controlled by the bankers. It's being used a test bed to weed out kinks before we go completely digital. The problems we have with greed BitCoin attempts to solve, which would surface in the digital world in our current system. So it's coming. May take a couple hundred years, but when the banks and government get on board you can bet they'll create their own digital currency though.

                            Jeremy Falcon

                            K Offline
                            K Offline
                            kalberts
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            Jeremy Falcon wrote:

                            . 50 years ago only kids in their basement cared about IRC.

                            I sure remember that from my childhood, in 1967 when we were doing IRC, fifteen years before the arrival of th Internet. For physical layer transfer, we used semaphore flags, using 6-bit symbols: Each arm could be set in one of 8 positions, so with two arms/flags we got 6 bits per transistion. There were competing technologies, like blinking with a flashlight, using a messy 3-value coding (off, dot, dash) for serializing variable length symbols - it was a really protocol, that never could reach the transfer speed of the clean 6-bit-per-symbol semaphore protocol - yet it almost completely took over visual data communication the last ten year before electronic transmission arrived. I still feel sorry for my friend living on top of the hill, so his house could be seen from both sides. He was eager the first time we suggested that he could serve as a router for buddies living on the one and the other side, out of sight of each other, but he ended up spending all his time routing messages. When in transmission mode down one side of the hill, he had to use a mirror to look down the other side for new messages. He had a tremendous memory, able to hold several kilobytes of buffered messages - normally held in transient memory, but when he had to power cycle (i.e. be fed), he saved all uncomitted messages on stable storage (paper). Those were the days! It is a pity that kids don't learn semaphore coding in school today, for communication when the internet connection breaks down.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • J Jeremy Falcon

                              Short answer is no. It's the future. The long answer is yes... it's a baby currency with problems and not something the real world takes seriously. But that's how it always starts. 50 years ago only kids in their basement cared about IRC. Now days, here we are with Facebook being popular. So things that change the world always start that way. The reality is, BitCoin won't win, but the industry will. The bankers won't allow for something they can't control in order to control us. Even the government is controlled by the bankers. It's being used a test bed to weed out kinks before we go completely digital. The problems we have with greed BitCoin attempts to solve, which would surface in the digital world in our current system. So it's coming. May take a couple hundred years, but when the banks and government get on board you can bet they'll create their own digital currency though.

                              Jeremy Falcon

                              L Offline
                              L Offline
                              Lost User
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              Jeremy Falcon wrote:

                              The reality is, BitCoin won't win. The bankers won't allow for something they can't control

                              vaguely remember something similar being said about the music industry

                              Sin tack the any key okay

                              J 1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • W W Balboos GHB

                                So let me feed into your fears: a cyber-attack in a BitCoin (&etc.) world would stop all commerce at all levels everywhere. Except, perhaps, in the primitive country that uses actual currency (and who coincidentally launched the cyber attack). Having access to all of your assets, directly and at all times, is both exciting and frightening. As for currency values, or even gold: neither is good if you're hungry. Only what you can exchange them for - if anyone wants to exchange for them. Stocks? The real value of most stocks is, well, nothing! Voting power in the companies management (not for your or me, with 1/10,000th of 1% of the shares) - so a few blocks of stock run things for their own benefit. The only value they hold is the same as currency, gold, or BitCoin: what will someone give you to get them from you. Look up hyperinflation[^] to realize your faith is anything but well-founded. In a very real sense, they're all the same:   dependent upon a market for 'them' when, in fact, it is not 'them' that is wanted but what 'them' can be exchange for!

                                Ravings en masse^

                                "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

                                "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

                                V Offline
                                V Offline
                                Vikram A Punathambekar
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #15

                                Bitcoin's problem is hyperdeflation :doh:

                                Cheers, विक्रम "We have already been through this, I am not going to repeat myself." - fat_boy, in a global warming thread :doh:

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • M Marc Clifton

                                  Jeremy Falcon wrote:

                                  So it's coming.

                                  [Indeed it is.](http://fortune.com/2017/02/28/ethereum-jpmorgan-microsoft-alliance/) > Thirty big banks, tech giants, and other organizations—including J.P. Morgan Chase, Microsoft, and Intel—are uniting to build business-ready versions of the software behind Ethereum, a decentralized computing network based on digital currency. Marc

                                  Latest Article - Create a Dockerized Python Fiddle Web App Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802

                                  J Offline
                                  J Offline
                                  Jeremy Falcon
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  Totally. Like self driving cars. Doesn't matter what we think of today... driving ourselves will be a thing of the past too... eventually. About the only constant in life is change.

                                  Jeremy Falcon

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • L Lost User

                                    Jeremy Falcon wrote:

                                    The reality is, BitCoin won't win. The bankers won't allow for something they can't control

                                    vaguely remember something similar being said about the music industry

                                    Sin tack the any key okay

                                    J Offline
                                    J Offline
                                    Jeremy Falcon
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    The crypto currency *industry* will win. BitCoin won't. Imagine you controlled the world since you control the money... would you give that up just because someone cooked up some new cool tech? Or would you watch that tech and see how you can make it your own and still have oversight of it? Guess which route the banks will choose.

                                    Jeremy Falcon

                                    K 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • W W Balboos GHB

                                      So let me feed into your fears: a cyber-attack in a BitCoin (&etc.) world would stop all commerce at all levels everywhere. Except, perhaps, in the primitive country that uses actual currency (and who coincidentally launched the cyber attack). Having access to all of your assets, directly and at all times, is both exciting and frightening. As for currency values, or even gold: neither is good if you're hungry. Only what you can exchange them for - if anyone wants to exchange for them. Stocks? The real value of most stocks is, well, nothing! Voting power in the companies management (not for your or me, with 1/10,000th of 1% of the shares) - so a few blocks of stock run things for their own benefit. The only value they hold is the same as currency, gold, or BitCoin: what will someone give you to get them from you. Look up hyperinflation[^] to realize your faith is anything but well-founded. In a very real sense, they're all the same:   dependent upon a market for 'them' when, in fact, it is not 'them' that is wanted but what 'them' can be exchange for!

                                      Ravings en masse^

                                      "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

                                      "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

                                      J Offline
                                      J Offline
                                      Jeremy Falcon
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      W∴ Balboos wrote:

                                      Having access to all of your assets, directly and at all times, is both exciting and frightening.

                                      If you think about cloud computing, it's the same thing in a way. As a whole, we're moving towards a more connected whole, in more ways than one.

                                      Jeremy Falcon

                                      W 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • J Jeremy Falcon

                                        W∴ Balboos wrote:

                                        Having access to all of your assets, directly and at all times, is both exciting and frightening.

                                        If you think about cloud computing, it's the same thing in a way. As a whole, we're moving towards a more connected whole, in more ways than one.

                                        Jeremy Falcon

                                        W Offline
                                        W Offline
                                        W Balboos GHB
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        I a pretty militant non-advocate of cloud computing. For now, I'm safe.

                                        Ravings en masse^

                                        "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

                                        "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

                                        J 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • W W Balboos GHB

                                          I a pretty militant non-advocate of cloud computing. For now, I'm safe.

                                          Ravings en masse^

                                          "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein

                                          "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010

                                          J Offline
                                          J Offline
                                          Jeremy Falcon
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #20

                                          Your grandchildren won't think it's a big deal. Welcome to change.

                                          Jeremy Falcon

                                          1 Reply Last reply
                                          0
                                          Reply
                                          • Reply as topic
                                          Log in to reply
                                          • Oldest to Newest
                                          • Newest to Oldest
                                          • Most Votes


                                          • Login

                                          • Don't have an account? Register

                                          • Login or register to search.
                                          • First post
                                            Last post
                                          0
                                          • Categories
                                          • Recent
                                          • Tags
                                          • Popular
                                          • World
                                          • Users
                                          • Groups