Search content
Sort by
Showing 20 of 44 results by knocte
Re: POLL - Have you been robbed any BTC? And what OS do you use?
Given how many topics appear in the forum about people getting robbed, I wanted to throw a POLL to get some stats here. Thanks for participating.
Not everyone on the forum gets robbed because of system hack. Most of the times its a scam they fall prey to.
Already answered this in https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=951188.msg10421063#msg10421063
Re: POLL - Have you been robbed any BTC? And what OS do you use?
It is not about the OS, it is what you do on the OS apart from bitcoin. No one can help you if you like to mindlessly download and install freeware and shareware.
That's kinda true.
However, at the end of the day, for example if you use Linux you tend to install more opensource software than freeware/shareware, just because the former is easier to discover and download than the latter.
Re: POLL - Have you been robbed any BTC? And what OS do you use?
Most of people who got scammed lost their BTC on shady exchanges, how's OS relevant in this case?
It's easy to deduce, from the possible answers of the poll, that we're talking about non-online "wallets" here. If you had been robbed in Mtgox, that has nothing to do with this poll.
OK, I see where you come from. But you don't get infected just by installing software.
Well, sorry for not being specific. You get infected by *running* infected software, be it installed or uninstalled. The thing is, in order to run software, you need first to *download* it.
So then, what you have to examine is the typical workflow of a user when he wants to download new software. In Linux, you normally do it from a "sandbox" of packages, which have been curated by the community. In Mac&Windows though, it is the job of the user to find the software on the web (or on the store, but this case we discard it because AFAIK nobody has sold infected software in a physical store), and this is where the majority of infections come from. If you deny this fact, this conversation ends right here.
The latest major security vulnerabilities were not on Windows though.
That is like saying that bitcoin is a failure because of the latest price drop.
Linux is no different than Windows
That, to begin with, is utterly wrong. The big difference between Linux and Windows is that it's open source. (Remember: bitcoin is opensource too, and if it wasn't, it wouldn't have been so successful.)
people should really stop thinking that there is something magical about it
I've never brought up magic in the conversation. I tried to explain why opensource software is more secure, in technical terms.
You don't need to install software as root to infect your machine with malware. Obviously, if you do it the malware has full access to the machine but running a trojan with your own credentials is enough to steal your wallet data.
I never brought up the subject about root vs non-root permissions (which BTW it is something that is better designed in Linux, compared to Windows), but about the way that users install software. Remember, you can only be infected by installing software (documents cannot infect viruses, except for rare occasions in which the document contains executable macros). And you have to analyze how people typically install software in Linux, versus how they do it in other operating systems.
As for me, what I do is use Linux.
Linux's software installation model prevents you from getting infected by malware and viruses.
Linux's software installation model prevents you from getting infected by malware and viruses.
This almost true.
It is more accurate to say that Linux' software installation model insulates you from infections. It doesn't prevent it, and a poor decision by a computer's user will always bypass even the most strict security model.
There is no automated system capable of preventing a user from being tricked.
I've been wondering about this. I've tried both, Ubuntu and Windows, and Ubuntu would take getting used to for beginners, but it is pretty easy. People had to get used to Windows 8, same deal.
If 75% of people decided to switch to Ubuntu (if they weren't already using it), would there be a way for hackers to start targeting them, as they always target the majority of users to get the most bang for their buck, so to speak.
How hard would it be, for the hackers to start targeting Ubuntu users if a bunch of newbies to Linux started to use it (Because they heard it was fool-proof)?
If you say this then you don't understand the difference between opensource and propietary software, basically.
There are 2 ways in which one person can be infected by malware/viruses:
a) By a vulnerability of the operating system. In this case, Linux is superior to proprietary operating systems because the code is open, then anyone can develop a fix, and as a consequence of this, the updates to fix vulnerabilities are normally provided faster in Linux or other opensource operating systems. However, with Windows or Mac, you rely on how fast Microsoft and Apple want to provide you with an update. Not to mention that, as Mac&Windows are not opensource, there could be easily backdoors that these companies know about, and we don't, because they are the only ones that have access to the code.
b) By installing infected software. In proprietary operating systems, it's easier that these happens because normally when you install Mac or Windows you need to look for software that you manually download and install. Users are not good at differentiating who they can trust (in terms of providers of software) so they end up installing programs that contain Malware or viruses. In opensource operating systems, however, this is not usually the case, because the operating system (i.e. Ubuntu) includes ways to install software that comes from trusted sources (i.e. Ubuntu package repositories), which are compiled from opensource software. The possibility of an opensource program to be infected by virus or malware routines is next to zero, because being opensource, all programmers have access to the code and could detect this before the software gets packaged.
So my point is, of course there have been viruses and malware that affect Linux, but as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_malware already states, most of them are not dangerous anymore (because they were only risky at the moment that a vulnerability was found and not yet patched), or only affected brave/ignorant users that went ahead and tried to install software in their Linux OS outside of the network of trusted repositories (which, is, BTW, hard to do, so it's not very likely that it happens).
Where did you create the vanity address? Did you have 2-factor set up? You don't need to throw out your comp but I wouldn't use it to store or send bitcoins unless you know its safe as you could have some keylogger malware.
Im throwing it away :-( i already have new one paid for i was about to go pick up before i seen this
Well if you're going to get a new computer, make sure to have extensive security measures installed.
As for me, what I do is use Linux.
Linux's software installation model prevents you from getting infected by malware and viruses.
When you know how to use it ...
LOL, do you know that Linux has now graphical installers right? It's not hard anymore. That was a valid argument 10 years ago.
Where did you create the vanity address? Did you have 2-factor set up? You don't need to throw out your comp but I wouldn't use it to store or send bitcoins unless you know its safe as you could have some keylogger malware.
Im throwing it away :-( i already have new one paid for i was about to go pick up before i seen this
Well if you're going to get a new computer, make sure to have extensive security measures installed.
As for me, what I do is use Linux.
Linux's software installation model prevents you from getting infected by malware and viruses.
Re: Started getting paid 100% in Bitcoin starting with my last paycheck
I set up my direct deposit to the account number they provided me...
I wonder if this can be done with other things that are not exactly wages? For example revenue from AirBNB?
Just checked this directly with them: it works with AirBNB.
Re: Started getting paid 100% in Bitcoin starting with my last paycheck
I set up my direct deposit to the account number they provided me...
I wonder if this can be done with other things that are not exactly wages? For example revenue from AirBNB?
Re: Ironically, the best way (for the bitcoin ecosystem) to spend your bitcoins is..
So, we all know that with merchant acceptance and people using bitcoin more, the price goes down because most of the merchants convert (sell) the bitcoin to fiat at the moment of the purchase.
However, there's a way to avoid a sell-order when using your bitcoin to purchase things: using services like PurseIO or Brawker!
Therefore, ironically enough, the best way (for the bitcoin ecosystem) to spend your bitcoin, is using it with merchants that still don't support it...
I wonder if there could be a way to convince BitPay to implement the best of both worlds here? Whenever a purchase is made, don't put an immediate-sell order on the market, but just place a bid (offering the customer a small discount in exchange for a small delay to confirm the transaction maybe?).
However, there's a way to avoid a sell-order when using your bitcoin to purchase things: using services like PurseIO or Brawker!
Therefore, ironically enough, the best way (for the bitcoin ecosystem) to spend your bitcoin, is using it with merchants that still don't support it...
I wonder if there could be a way to convince BitPay to implement the best of both worlds here? Whenever a purchase is made, don't put an immediate-sell order on the market, but just place a bid (offering the customer a small discount in exchange for a small delay to confirm the transaction maybe?).
The best thing for bitcoin price may not necessarily be the best thing for Bitcoin.
Merchants who accept bitcoin may negatively impact bitcoins' price in the short term (if they convert it to fiat), but they are good for Bitcoin in the long term.
That's a good point. However, one of the best ways to raise bitcoin awareness is, unfortunately, btc value being higher.
Re: Ironically, the best way (for the bitcoin ecosystem) to spend your bitcoins is..
Ironically, the best way (for the bitcoin ecosystem) to spend your bitcoins is.......
give it to me. I think I can make it work for us!
give it to me. I think I can make it work for us!
spend != donate
Re: Ironically, the best way (for the bitcoin ecosystem) to spend your bitcoins is..
Purse.io is a good way to do it, you're right; but they should spread their service around the world. As I know they're just serving in the USA, is that right?
Nope, I'm in Europe and I got yesterday a package from PurseIO.
Re: Ironically, the best way (for the bitcoin ecosystem) to spend your bitcoins is..
Wrong, when you post an order-proposal in PurseIO or Broker, you're putting a sale proposal, not a sell order, I mean, it's not a sell order in an exchange. When the buyer orders your items, it's basically an immediate-buy-order. So the last step is the one that matters, the person that confirms the transaction is in this case the buyer, as opposed with BitPay-based merchants (that convert immediately to fiat).
Ironically, the best way (for the bitcoin ecosystem) to spend your bitcoins is..
So, we all know that with merchant acceptance and people using bitcoin more, the price goes down because most of the merchants convert (sell) the bitcoin to fiat at the moment of the purchase.
However, there's a way to avoid a sell-order when using your bitcoin to purchase things: using services like PurseIO or Brawker!
Therefore, ironically enough, the best way (for the bitcoin ecosystem) to spend your bitcoin, is using it with merchants that still don't support it...
I wonder if there could be a way to convince BitPay to implement the best of both worlds here? Whenever a purchase is made, don't put an immediate-sell order on the market, but just place a bid (offering the customer a small discount in exchange for a small delay to confirm the transaction maybe?).
However, there's a way to avoid a sell-order when using your bitcoin to purchase things: using services like PurseIO or Brawker!
Therefore, ironically enough, the best way (for the bitcoin ecosystem) to spend your bitcoin, is using it with merchants that still don't support it...
I wonder if there could be a way to convince BitPay to implement the best of both worlds here? Whenever a purchase is made, don't put an immediate-sell order on the market, but just place a bid (offering the customer a small discount in exchange for a small delay to confirm the transaction maybe?).
)I have trouble believing vast majority of miners are not selling for fiat immediately, because if a miner is not converting to fiat, then he's just paying facility/electricity/equipment cost out of pocket, then he's essentially buying BTC with fiat. He could have just bought BTC on an exchange if he wanted to buy BTC with fiat.
I think they are selling to cover their costs, sure, but I don't believe they are selling every bitcoin they make.
I think the other factor to keep in mind is that Bitcoin is still wildly inflationary, much more so than USD.
Each day 3200+ coins are minted, and at $500 price tag, requires $1.6M new money to enter the Bitcoin economy, every single day, just to maintain the $500 price tag.
When less than $1.6M enters, price -> fall. Until a new equilibrium is reached.
On the other hand, if more than $1.6M enters each day, then price will rise.
Each day 3200+ coins are minted, and at $500 price tag, requires $1.6M new money to enter the Bitcoin economy, every single day, just to maintain the $500 price tag.
When less than $1.6M enters, price -> fall. Until a new equilibrium is reached.
On the other hand, if more than $1.6M enters each day, then price will rise.
That's a good point.
But there's also 2 things on top of that:
1) If less than 1.6M of bitcoin is bought in a day, it doesn't automatically mean that prices go down. Because all bitcoin miners don't sell their new minted coins right away. Many of them just hold them.
2) When next halving occurs, it will be 0.8M, much less. So this means that the more halving events we have, the quicker the price will start going up in the future.
Hey guys, I'm replying to this thread, not because I'm part of a non-profit interested in receiving bitcoin donation, but because I'm interested in creating a non-profit that exclusively manages its accounting with bitcoin (no banks whatsoever, or just a bank account as an intermediate step to convert USD donations to BTC).
Does anyone know any such non-profit that is already operating in this manner? I'd love to know how they handle this, to learn from them on how to manage the paperwork with the government every year properly. Thanks
Does anyone know any such non-profit that is already operating in this manner? I'd love to know how they handle this, to learn from them on how to manage the paperwork with the government every year properly. Thanks