Quote from: tw0.625 on Today at 02:20:29 PM

In reality, he could have chosen a smoother approximation of Wt[t] – reducing the block reward every 10 blocks, or every 100 blocks, or every 1000 blocks.

Of course! But I also think Bitcoin wouldn't have been quite as successful with a smooth emission curve.

Quote from: tw0.625 on Today at 02:20:29 PM

I think he opted for a halving of the block reward every 4 years simply to make it easier for regular people unfamiliar with mathematics to remember and comprehend.

It's a great hook considering how weird and confusing the other mechanics of Bitcoin may seem at a first glance. All things considered the halving is one of the easiest concepts to explain to a newcomer.

Apart from that a smooth emission curve wouldn't have resulted in the sudden supply shocks that lead to Bitcoin's notorious bubbles which in turn placed it on everyone's radar. Add to that a cycle of predictable, publicly known, future supply shocks and you get yourself a self-fulling prophecy -- not only because one "knows" when to expect the next price increase, but also because price increases are expected by most market participants at roughly the same time.

Quote from: Carlton Banks on Today at 03:05:19 PM

Why was satoshi so obsessed with the number 8? Cheesy

The number 21 was just a distraction all along Shocked