Topic: Bitcoin and me (Hal Finney) - page 8. (Read 279722 times)
Reading this story makes me want to question God that why is he suddenly taking great minds away that could cause serious development with their minds.Am really touched but who am I to question the almight?.But how sure are we that you are not Satoshi himself or know him?.Just thinking a little aloud.That is great ,great achievement,you have made my day.
Hal Finney's words simplified some of the complex cloud of misinformation that I have gathered through the years. I too was introduced to Satoshi's whitepaper in early 2010. I was too skeptical with everything in my life during those times that I just disregarded Bitcoin. Today, I can only wish I dared to have involved myself with Bitcoin that early, I hate to regret. But I don't hate myself because since 2014, I got myself mostly into, getting high with cryptos.
Of course Hal is dead. We can only be grateful with what he has contributed to the cryptocurrency world. Now we should enjoy from the fruits of the early crypto-creators and innovators' works.
Of course Hal is dead. We can only be grateful with what he has contributed to the cryptocurrency world. Now we should enjoy from the fruits of the early crypto-creators and innovators' works.
your story will be our memories continue in this forum and you will become a legend for our children later.
if only you were not here, maybe i will not be like this and i should be more grateful for this life, hopefully at other times we can chatting with you guys.
if only you were not here, maybe i will not be like this and i should be more grateful for this life, hopefully at other times we can chatting with you guys.
I don't understand why people talk as if he's dead. He is pronounced clinically dead, but it's not like his body has decayed beyond possible future resuscitation. He is alive, in fact, right now, he is immortal. 
I thought I'd write about the last four years, an eventful time for Bitcoin and me.
For those who don't know me, I'm Hal Finney. I got my start in crypto working on an early version of PGP, working closely with Phil Zimmermann. When Phil decided to start PGP Corporation, I was one of the first hires. I would work on PGP until my retirement. At the same time, I got involved with the Cypherpunks. I ran the first cryptographically based anonymous remailer, among other activities.
Fast forward to late 2008 and the announcement of Bitcoin. I've noticed that cryptographic graybeards (I was in my mid 50's) tend to get cynical. I was more idealistic; I have always loved crypto, the mystery and the paradox of it.
When Satoshi announced Bitcoin on the cryptography mailing list, he got a skeptical reception at best. Cryptographers have seen too many grand schemes by clueless noobs. They tend to have a knee jerk reaction.
I was more positive. I had long been interested in cryptographic payment schemes. Plus I was lucky enough to meet and extensively correspond with both Wei Dai and Nick Szabo, generally acknowledged to have created ideas that would be realized with Bitcoin. I had made an attempt to create my own proof of work based currency, called RPOW. So I found Bitcoin facinating.
When Satoshi announced the first release of the software, I grabbed it right away. I think I was the first person besides Satoshi to run bitcoin. I mined block 70-something, and I was the recipient of the first bitcoin transaction, when Satoshi sent ten coins to me as a test. I carried on an email conversation with Satoshi over the next few days, mostly me reporting bugs and him fixing them.
Today, Satoshi's true identity has become a mystery. But at the time, I thought I was dealing with a young man of Japanese ancestry who was very smart and sincere. I've had the good fortune to know many brilliant people over the course of my life, so I recognize the signs.
After a few days, bitcoin was running pretty stably, so I left it running. Those were the days when difficulty was 1, and you could find blocks with a CPU, not even a GPU. I mined several blocks over the next days. But I turned it off because it made my computer run hot, and the fan noise bothered me. In retrospect, I wish I had kept it up longer, but on the other hand I was extraordinarily lucky to be there at the beginning. It's one of those glass half full half empty things.
The next I heard of Bitcoin was late 2010, when I was surprised to find that it was not only still going, bitcoins actually had monetary value. I dusted off my old wallet, and was relieved to discover that my bitcoins were still there. As the price climbed up to real money, I transferred the coins into an offline wallet, where hopefully they'll be worth something to my heirs.
Speaking of heirs, I got a surprise in 2009, when I was suddenly diagnosed with a fatal disease. I was in the best shape of my life at the start of that year, I'd lost a lot of weight and taken up distance running. I'd run several half marathons, and I was starting to train for a full marathon. I worked my way up to 20+ mile runs, and I thought I was all set. That's when everything went wrong.
My body began to fail. I slurred my speech, lost strength in my hands, and my legs were slow to recover. In August, 2009, I was given the diagnosis of ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's disease, after the famous baseball player who got it.
ALS is a disease that kills moter neurons, which carry signals from the brain to the muscles. It causes first weakness, then gradually increasing paralysis. It is usually fatal in 2 to 5 years. My symptoms were mild at first and I continued to work, but fatigue and voice problems forced me to retire in early 2011. Since then the disease has continued its inexorable progression.
Today, I am essentially paralyzed. I am fed through a tube, and my breathing is assisted through another tube. I operate the computer using a commercial eyetracker system. It also has a speech synthesizer, so this is my voice now. I spend all day in my power wheelchair. I worked up an interface using an arduino so that I can adjust my wheelchair's position using my eyes.
It has been an adjustment, but my life is not too bad. I can still read, listen to music, and watch TV and movies. I recently discovered that I can even write code. It's very slow, probably 50 times slower than I was before. But I still love programming and it gives me goals. Currently I'm working on something Mike Hearn suggested, using the security features of modern processors, designed to support "Trusted Computing", to harden Bitcoin wallets. It's almost ready to release. I just have to do the documentation.
And of course the price gyrations of bitcoins are entertaining to me. I have skin in the game. But I came by my bitcoins through luck, with little credit to me. I lived through the crash of 2011. So I've seen it before. Easy come, easy go.
That's my story. I'm pretty lucky overall. Even with the ALS, my life is very satisfying. But my life expectancy is limited. Those discussions about inheriting your bitcoins are of more than academic interest. My bitcoins are stored in our safe deposit box, and my son and daughter are tech savvy. I think they're safe enough. I'm comfortable with my legacy.
[edited slightly]
For those who don't know me, I'm Hal Finney. I got my start in crypto working on an early version of PGP, working closely with Phil Zimmermann. When Phil decided to start PGP Corporation, I was one of the first hires. I would work on PGP until my retirement. At the same time, I got involved with the Cypherpunks. I ran the first cryptographically based anonymous remailer, among other activities.
Fast forward to late 2008 and the announcement of Bitcoin. I've noticed that cryptographic graybeards (I was in my mid 50's) tend to get cynical. I was more idealistic; I have always loved crypto, the mystery and the paradox of it.
When Satoshi announced Bitcoin on the cryptography mailing list, he got a skeptical reception at best. Cryptographers have seen too many grand schemes by clueless noobs. They tend to have a knee jerk reaction.
I was more positive. I had long been interested in cryptographic payment schemes. Plus I was lucky enough to meet and extensively correspond with both Wei Dai and Nick Szabo, generally acknowledged to have created ideas that would be realized with Bitcoin. I had made an attempt to create my own proof of work based currency, called RPOW. So I found Bitcoin facinating.
When Satoshi announced the first release of the software, I grabbed it right away. I think I was the first person besides Satoshi to run bitcoin. I mined block 70-something, and I was the recipient of the first bitcoin transaction, when Satoshi sent ten coins to me as a test. I carried on an email conversation with Satoshi over the next few days, mostly me reporting bugs and him fixing them.
Today, Satoshi's true identity has become a mystery. But at the time, I thought I was dealing with a young man of Japanese ancestry who was very smart and sincere. I've had the good fortune to know many brilliant people over the course of my life, so I recognize the signs.
After a few days, bitcoin was running pretty stably, so I left it running. Those were the days when difficulty was 1, and you could find blocks with a CPU, not even a GPU. I mined several blocks over the next days. But I turned it off because it made my computer run hot, and the fan noise bothered me. In retrospect, I wish I had kept it up longer, but on the other hand I was extraordinarily lucky to be there at the beginning. It's one of those glass half full half empty things.
The next I heard of Bitcoin was late 2010, when I was surprised to find that it was not only still going, bitcoins actually had monetary value. I dusted off my old wallet, and was relieved to discover that my bitcoins were still there. As the price climbed up to real money, I transferred the coins into an offline wallet, where hopefully they'll be worth something to my heirs.
Speaking of heirs, I got a surprise in 2009, when I was suddenly diagnosed with a fatal disease. I was in the best shape of my life at the start of that year, I'd lost a lot of weight and taken up distance running. I'd run several half marathons, and I was starting to train for a full marathon. I worked my way up to 20+ mile runs, and I thought I was all set. That's when everything went wrong.
My body began to fail. I slurred my speech, lost strength in my hands, and my legs were slow to recover. In August, 2009, I was given the diagnosis of ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's disease, after the famous baseball player who got it.
ALS is a disease that kills moter neurons, which carry signals from the brain to the muscles. It causes first weakness, then gradually increasing paralysis. It is usually fatal in 2 to 5 years. My symptoms were mild at first and I continued to work, but fatigue and voice problems forced me to retire in early 2011. Since then the disease has continued its inexorable progression.
Today, I am essentially paralyzed. I am fed through a tube, and my breathing is assisted through another tube. I operate the computer using a commercial eyetracker system. It also has a speech synthesizer, so this is my voice now. I spend all day in my power wheelchair. I worked up an interface using an arduino so that I can adjust my wheelchair's position using my eyes.
It has been an adjustment, but my life is not too bad. I can still read, listen to music, and watch TV and movies. I recently discovered that I can even write code. It's very slow, probably 50 times slower than I was before. But I still love programming and it gives me goals. Currently I'm working on something Mike Hearn suggested, using the security features of modern processors, designed to support "Trusted Computing", to harden Bitcoin wallets. It's almost ready to release. I just have to do the documentation.
And of course the price gyrations of bitcoins are entertaining to me. I have skin in the game. But I came by my bitcoins through luck, with little credit to me. I lived through the crash of 2011. So I've seen it before. Easy come, easy go.
That's my story. I'm pretty lucky overall. Even with the ALS, my life is very satisfying. But my life expectancy is limited. Those discussions about inheriting your bitcoins are of more than academic interest. My bitcoins are stored in our safe deposit box, and my son and daughter are tech savvy. I think they're safe enough. I'm comfortable with my legacy.
[edited slightly]
Wow. This kind of genuine act deserves praise from all bitcoin users around the world. Your great work will surely inspire others to contribute even in a simplest ways.
I hope you know that your blind trust in bitcoin was probably the cause of it being stable during the first weeks/months and your combat against ALS is really inspiring.
Rest in peace Hal.
Rest in peace Hal.
bitcoin and me i would like to thank you bitcoin if not because of you my life has change and i realize that bitcoin is helpful and im proud that im schooling by using of bitcoin im balancing my study and bitcoin. and its look like the story of hal finney im encourgeng you guys to study the crypto currency. thank you for sharing your story hal finney im salute you sir and im respect you.
To go from being in the best shape of your life to being physically restricted is incomprehensible to many, but the fact that you continue to embrace your passion for developing, despite the time taken is remarkable. 
right now i'm starting to find out about bitcoin that i do every day reading the discussion and find out from google, i know about bitcoin from my friend who already feel the advantages of bitcoin, today is very different because i read the post from Hal Finney, so impressive with all the limitations can do something useful, touched and feel a new motivation, thanks Hal Finney post you already teach about the strength in us that we can use for something good, may your life always happy.
It is a great writing and sharing with us is valuable.Thank you for the part of bitcoin. Rest in peace Hal!
So which means that bitcoin can be one of the inheritance that could be pass of from generation to another generation. Well i was hoping that i was one of Hal Finney son's or grandson so that i could be able to inherit his bitcoins. I bet it is so huge. Anyway i see the point now why bitcoin has gone some market fall down. In my opinion maybe it was being used by Hal Finney's medication and his bitcoin inheritance also was been sold already by his sons/daughters.
I just read the forbes article about you. It literally made me cry! You are an amazing person and this messed up world needs more idealistic people like you. I'm truly inspired by your personality and work! You have my deepest respect for ever!
An interesting post i feel encouraged and more enlightened by this post this totally a story of a man with a complete and a well accomplished life thank you sir for making see more than i thought i have thank you so much.
if in my opinion bitcoin is in safe condition. but all should be filled with care with the assets we have. because we do not know what will happen in the future. because there is from my friend who Wallet they conceded on his own carelessness .
Thank you for all of your work and for sharing your story. Your remarkable contribution to the foundation of our future economy should let you feel proud and safe to be remembered by all of us.
shoot me an email if I am able to lend a hand for the documentation.
Thanks for all you've done.
XCryptoFund
Thanks for all you've done.
XCryptoFund
If they ever make a Bitcoin movie, its characters like this that would make it really interesting. Bitcoin has so many characters that would make for a great movie. I mean Dorian Nakamoto, Craig Wright and the mysterious death of David Kleiman, Hal Finney as a possible Satoshi being cryogenized then reborn 1000 years later with millions of BTC in his power.
very inspirational and you put things back into perspective.
i've enjoyed reading your posts from the early days and found them highly educational.
thanks for your help in getting Bitcoin off the ground.
Yes, thread like this is indeed very inspirational and very good to read. In times like this, when we are still waiting fir the right time to sell our bitcoin, atleast we are more inspired to wait. i've enjoyed reading your posts from the early days and found them highly educational.
thanks for your help in getting Bitcoin off the ground.
Hal Finney is an actual legend. If they ever make a Bitcoin movie, its characters like this that would make it really interesting. If Hal is still holding his coins, he will be the richest man on earth.
Awesome! A motivational and incredible story that inspires people to have believe in themselves, I think why most people fail is that they copy what other do not knowing what they are capable of. I really think these story will help to open our understanding. Thanks bro!
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