Nov. 22nd, 2012

Bitcoin

Nov. 22nd, 2012 01:13 pm
jack: (Default)

I've read some popular articles and skimmed some quite technical explanations of Bitcoin, but when fishpi explained it to me, I realised I'd never actually quite "got it".

This is obviously a top-level summary of what it does, not sufficient detail to show it's secure, but for me the salient facts were:

  1. Accounts are identified by public keys. Anyone can have as many accounts as they like just by generating a public/private key pair on their own computer, without needing anything from anyone else.

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jack: (Default)
Happy thanksgiving!

Well, unless you're Canadian, I guess. I mean, I hope you're happy anyway, but I understand it isn't thanksgiving? Um, so sorry for missing Canadian thanksgiving.

And, um, is there a sensible way of saying happy thanksgiving that isn't offensive to native americans? :(

It feels funny to be saying "happy thanksgiving" in Britain. I think it's that many American holidays British people have absorbed a bit through general awareness of American culture, and have seeped into the UK somewhat (even if they don't know what they're like to experience). But thanksgiving isn't like that: it's not just American culture, it's inherently grounded in America. If I was in America (even as a foreigner), I think I'd just automatically celebrate thanksgiving (or if I was an expatriate American), but when I'm not, it feels like I'd be pretending to celebrate thanksgiving, not actually celebrating thanksgiving. In Britain, thanksgiving turns into "why are none of our oversees colleages answering the phones" day :)

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