A proper callback API should have a server-side shared secret field. You shouldn't have to rely on IP addresses for authentication.

This is absurd. There is no chance your applications will close by themselves. On a windows VPS you would connect via Remote Desktop, run your applications, and then disconnect. Everything you left running will be there 100% (make sure you turn off auto-updates or it might reboot)

There are lots of good VPS solutions out there, you need to find the provider that best suits you. What country do you want it hosted in? What type of specs do you need? What is your budget.

Whenever I need to find a new host I head over to webhostingtalk.com and start searching. Here is a link to their VPS special offers forum, I am sure you can find something : http://www.webhostingtalk.com/forumdisplay.php?f=104

On this same note... does anyone have an alternative for REDPHONE? That app was about to bring encrypted phone calls to the masses before it was bought out and shut off by twitter. Even the source code would help.

Textsecure is a fantastic encrypted text messaging app you can find it in the market still.

Hey casascius,
How do you or your partners handle the risk associated with buying your coins via paypal or credit card? Is it because the goods are tangible and must be shipped that the risk is lower?

Multibit looks pretty decent, but I notice it is based on bitcoinj written by Google. And libbitcoin is not complete. It still doesnt make sense to me that the bitcoin devs would focus on a full fledged client which is just ONE implementation of what should be an entire platform.

Bitcoin has been around for some time now and yet there seems to be only one legitimate competitor (armory) to the main bitcoin client and even that requires keeping the main client running for full functionality.

Instead of worrying about things like address management, wallet files, bootstrapping, gui, etc why cant the main client devs focus on making a multi-platform library that can be imported by everyone else? Thinks like reading the blockchain, transactions, p2p protocol and much more would obviously need to be handled by a core library. But I think many other implementation details can and should be left up to individual devs. Not only will this turn bitcoin into a true *platform* for development, but it would lead to specialized clients that can fulfill niche roles not yet foreseen.

Right now I feel bitcoin seems to be held back by its client. Thoughts?

61 please