Good luck-- I share your view that coming up with better ways of playing zero-sum games is not the way to make the world a better place.
The fact that this statement is coming from the 'lead developer' of Bitcoin does NOT make me feel good about the future of the Bitcoin project. Shows a complete ignorance of markets and economics. Epic epic epic fail.
The fact that Zhou thinks that such markets are a 'zero sum game' as well means that it is a good thing he is getting out. He doesn't even understand what he created. Sad.
Gavin,
Can you respond to this?
-Charlie
While I am not Gavin, and I do not believe that markets are a zero sum game, a lot of people do.
I believe they provide a service, whether that be hedging or liquidity or something else. Services like bitcoinica provide financial infrastructure for the bitcoin economy.
That aside, the fact is that bitcoinica did not create any immediate benefit, just a transfer of coins between parties I can see that point of view. Calling markets like bitcoinica a zero sum game is not a radical or even problematic viewpoint. Its just not YOUR viewpoint.