4) Discard the Bitcoin private keys used to get clams and never use them again.
Do not discard Bitcoin private keys.
Sigh... why delete a wallet instead of moving it aside and keeping the old copy just in case? You should never delete a wallet.
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1327.msg15136#msg15136Is it possible to claim clams by signing a message with your privkey?
Yes, but the message has to be in a particular format. It has to be in the same format as a regular transaction. For the inputs, list the CLAM utxo's you're spending. For the outputs, list the address and amount you are claiming. Then sign the whole thing using your Bitcoin private key.
There is a reference implementation that can do this for you in the CLAM github - it's part of the CLAM wallet - but you are free to rewrite it if you like.
I'm hoping that we can add a Clamcoin mining pool on FreeBitcoins that will allow people to join our pool by this method as well. We have a lot of people who want to claim their free bitcoins, but aren't a fan of coughing up a private key. This should hopefully lead to helping CLAM decentralize.
We still have to allow user balances and a few other things before that, but it is in the works and I think a good way to get "free bitcoins" long term.
(like, giving up my sig address).
I'm sure you already know this, but your address is already public on the Blockchain... just no name.
Same same but different... BUT still same same.