Its too bad the system wasn't designed to carry out useful calculations. I know people have talked about the security cons/ logistics/ ethics of this- but I think just from a publicity standpoint, this would give bitcoins so much attention, and would make gov'ts less likely to target the digital currency.
I personally find supporting and securing first ever viable convenient and honest currency on the planet being quite useful. More useful than, for example, search for aliens in other galaxies.
Precisely. There is probably no more important application for networked computers right now than securing the wealth of nations and providing reliable, fair price signalling information technology.
Just look at what happens when it is mismanaged by greedy bankers and incompetent politicians. It can become a crime on a vast scale that goes unpunished. We have not seen the last of the "financial crises" yet. The wealth has all been squandered already, spent on hookers and blow by Wall St. for the last 25 years most likely, the crises are only the aftermath to distribute the theft evenly to the plebes.