Bitcoin is the original cryptocurrency. Altcoin is a generic term to define all the other coins that followed. There are so many of them that you have no choice but to research each one individually for their merit or disadvantage.

The forum area to talk about those is: [ DO NOT POST SESC LINKS #6]Alternate cryptocurrencies[/url]

Bitcoin is another free open source project. Anyone can take the code, do some changes and release a new coin. That is why there are so many of them. Of course, the market decides if they have any value or not, and how much or little. Many simply wanted to be as successful as bitcoin was, but regret not being there when it all started, hoping to make a new coin to see if they too could make a fortune. But in the end they didn't get as much value as bitcoin, and all of them together are still moving less fiat equivalent money than bitcoin alone.

But of course you are free to make your own choices. Just remember to use the designated area for that purpose. This forum was originally bitcoin alone, that's why its got "bitcoin" in its name