What a great OP! Assumed there would only be Bitcoin and no Alt-coin, the ideas presented

had even more impact.  I think, that all models for evaluating the value of Bitcoin have to

be build with regard to all alt-coins possessing a maximum amount of units. Early adopters

of Bitcoin are therefore better seen as early adopters of cryptocurrencies with this attribute.


As there is a possible infinite supply of bitcoin-clones, I see the described dangers somewhat

alleviated due to the fact that the market-share of one single crypto becomes smaller with

every crypto newly introduced.


Edit: Somewhere on BT, the topic of human slavery through machines is discussed (gmaxwell's
       ideas on autonomous agents?). Quite interesting, as machines could take over the role some
       individuals are in, today - now that the financial human-machine interface gets build.