Bitcoin press hits, notable sources - page 5.

cbeast

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Let's talk governance, lipstick, and pigs.

http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Opinion+++Analysis/Online+currency+faces+challenges+++/-/539548/1375432/-/1l2quhz/-/

Quote

In some places, large networks of illegal money changers are used for cross-border payments.
That situation is part of the reason for the early success in Africa of mobile-phone payment systems such as Kenya’s Mpesa, which allows users to send each other money using text messages.
Koch believes that mobile payments built around Bitcoin could be even more useful.
“It’s interesting to see how creative Africans can be about transferring money,” says Koch. “They really think seriously about a cashless society.”

Necessity is a mother.

cypherdoc

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Quote from: meanig on March 28, 2012, 08:08:58 PM

Interview with former Harvard President and US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers

http://www.technologyreview.com/business/39962/

Quote

Conceptually, money can exist without a central authority. The United States only got a central bank in 1913, and we were a country with a functioning economy before 1913. There are also private issuers of things that function very much like money—think about Crimson Cash here at Harvard, or American Express traveler's checks.

Bitcoin is one of many innovative technologies that are going to seek to take friction out and provide services to people. You can make a priori arguments about how it will work very well, and you can also raise concerns a priori. And I think if we know anything about new technologies, you just have to wait and see what happens in the marketplace. Everyone thought New Coke would be better than old Coca-Cola and take things by storm, and [former IBM CEO] Tom Watson thought there was only demand in the world for 10 or 12 computers. And so I think history teaches that you can't really forecast which kinds of innovations will ultimately become networked and get to scale.

I can feel a change in the way that media is treating Bitcoin. It's not so long ago that Paul Krugman said Bitcoin was a bad idea and now we have a big shot like Summers saying that Bitcoin is "innovative". It's only a matter before some Wall St hotshot starts to publicly pump Bitcoin!

real good find. someone at his level with his kind of influence is big.

Summers is also known for his interpretation of Gibson's Paradox.

meanig

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Interview with former Harvard President and US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers

http://www.technologyreview.com/business/39962/

Quote

Conceptually, money can exist without a central authority. The United States only got a central bank in 1913, and we were a country with a functioning economy before 1913. There are also private issuers of things that function very much like money—think about Crimson Cash here at Harvard, or American Express traveler's checks.

Bitcoin is one of many innovative technologies that are going to seek to take friction out and provide services to people. You can make a priori arguments about how it will work very well, and you can also raise concerns a priori. And I think if we know anything about new technologies, you just have to wait and see what happens in the marketplace. Everyone thought New Coke would be better than old Coca-Cola and take things by storm, and [former IBM CEO] Tom Watson thought there was only demand in the world for 10 or 12 computers. And so I think history teaches that you can't really forecast which kinds of innovations will ultimately become networked and get to scale.

I can feel a change in the way that media is treating Bitcoin. It's not so long ago that Paul Krugman said Bitcoin was a bad idea and now we have a big shot like Summers saying that Bitcoin is "innovative". It's only a matter before some Wall St hotshot starts to publicly pump Bitcoin!

muyuu

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Pretty good read: http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2012/03/p2p-botnets-the-bigger-they-come-the-faster-they-fall.ars

julz

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Quote

Why the P2P Foundation is paying its salaries in Bitcoin

Michel Bauwens
2012-03-28

http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/why-the-p2p-foundation-is-paying-its-salaries-in-bitcoin/2012/03/28

...
It is to demonstrate our commitment to such developments, that we will now pay our collaborators in a mix of currencies, and part of it will be in Bitcoin.
...

discussion: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/why-the-p2p-foundation-is-paying-its-salaries-in-bitcoin-74404

julz

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Quote

Stossel's Currency Conundrum
Former Federal Reserve Economist David Barker discusses whether Americans should be able to print their own currency.

2012-03-02

http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1484348139001/stossels-currency-conundrum

I didn't see this reported in this thread earlier this month. (?)

Thanks to Seth King & dailyanarchist...

Quote

Former Fed Economist Plugs Bitcoin

Submitted by Seth King
2012-03-26

http://dailyanarchist.com/2012/03/26/former-fed-economist-plugs-bitcoin/

julz

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Quote

Introduction To Bitcoins And The Tor Network

Jake Rocheleau
2012-03-26

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/introductions-to-bitcoins-tor-network/

julz

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Quote

Bitcoin: a mobile money alternative

Gareth van Zyl, Editor - ITWeb Africa
2012-03-26

http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52931:[url]bitcoin:-a-mobile-money-alternative[/url]

Virtual currency Bitcoin could be an alternative to mobile phone payment systems in Africa, such as M-Pesa, say experts.
...

Secure to use?
E-money specialist Jon Matonis does, however, say that Bitcoins are safe to use, despite exchanges such as Mt Gox having had its security compromised.
“The cryptography is sound, as it is based on cryptographic primitives that have been peer-reviewed and tested.

Almost comical timing for the quote from Jon Matonis given the previous 'scratches on the surface of SHA256' Wink

Still - if these scratches do weaken any aspects of bitcoin, they're probably also going to weaken a myriad of other systems that the military and traditional banks rely on.

phathash

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Quote from: julz on March 26, 2012, 05:45:31 AM

I thought it notable that a security consultant who works for a bank should choose to mention Bitcoins out of all the usecases for SHA256...

He is taking 15 days to reveal his findings. This is an eternity.

julz

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Quote

Scratches on the Surface of SHA256
A closer look at the cryptography in use for digital currency Bitcoin shows new vulnerabilities in SHA256, says Absa information security researcher Frans Lategan.

Press Release Issued by: ITP Communications, Johannesburg
2012-03-26

http://www.itweb.co.za/office/securitysummit2012/PressRelease.php?StoryID=228225

I thought it notable that a security consultant who works for a bank should choose to mention Bitcoins out of all the usecases for SHA256...

Quote

Lategan says his findings nevertheless indicate that vulnerabilities can exist even in trusted algorithms in use to protect currency as valuable and widespread as Bitcoin.

...it makes more sense however when you see the brief bio for Frans Lategan here:

Quote

Frans Lategan is a security consultant with Absa Bank. His presentation, titled SHA256 vulnerabilities exposed by Bitcoin, will contextualise Bitcoin, discuss the technical workings of Bitcoin and SHA256, and look at divergences between expected and actual findings for SHA256.

(from http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=50468)

Discussion thread here: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/what-is-the-scratch-its-fud-or-truth-74122

julz

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A single mention of bitcoins in a Reuters blog post by Felix Salmon: "a financial journalist, formerly of Portfolio Magazine and Euromoney, and a blogging editor for Reuters"

Quote

The problem of fake gold bars

Felix Salmon
2012-03-26

http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/

Any store of value has problems, be it fiat currency or sovereign debt or bitcoins.

rjk

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1ngldh

Quote from: julz on March 24, 2012, 10:06:22 PM

The National is an 'Abu Dhabi Media company' English-language publication

Quote

Murder now comes as an online option

Tony Glover
2012-03-25

http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/industry-insights/technology/murder-now-comes-as-an-online-option

...
Crucially, the would-be assassin also requests payment in an experimental new internet-based currency called Bitcoin, which uses the same sort of peer-to-peer software employed by digital video pirates to manage transactions and issue payments away from the watchful eye of any central fiscal authority.
...

BMR has been around for a little while, and they only just noticed?

julz

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The National is an 'Abu Dhabi Media company' English-language publication

Quote

Murder now comes as an online option

Tony Glover
2012-03-25

http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/industry-insights/technology/murder-now-comes-as-an-online-option

...
Crucially, the would-be assassin also requests payment in an experimental new internet-based currency called Bitcoin, which uses the same sort of peer-to-peer software employed by digital video pirates to manage transactions and issue payments away from the watchful eye of any central fiscal authority.
...

hazek

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Quote from: julz on March 24, 2012, 10:31:28 AM

Looks like Jon Matonis's articles are a regular thing now in Forbes

Quote

Bitcoin Doesn't Need a Dongle

Jon Matonis
2012-03-24

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonmatonis/2012/03/24/bitcoin-doesnt-need-a-dongle/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

...dongles equip your mobile phone to accept and process credit cards securely by inserting the device into the smartphone’s 3.5mm audio input jack. Apparently, this passes for financial innovation in mobile payments but I file it under the ‘not-disruptive-enough’ category. Truly-disruptive financial innovation is already here with decentralized bitcoin. And, bitcoin doesn’t need a dongle!

...

The easiest way to circumvent the high-fee transaction networks is to utilize a different currency unit since it does not come with the same handicaps and legacy restrictions of a political currency unit. Erik Voorhees states that we need to advocate “the separation of money and state.”
..

Yep, and this is his blog page http://themonetaryfuture.blogspot.com/ where on the right side he has a Bitcoin address if you guys would like to show him some appreciation for his work.

cypherdoc

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Quote from: julz on March 24, 2012, 10:31:28 AM

Looks like Jon Matonis's articles are a regular thing now in Forbes

Quote

Bitcoin Doesn't Need a Dongle

Jon Matonis
2012-03-24

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonmatonis/2012/03/24/bitcoin-doesnt-need-a-dongle/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

...dongles equip your mobile phone to accept and process credit cards securely by inserting the device into the smartphone’s 3.5mm audio input jack. Apparently, this passes for financial innovation in mobile payments but I file it under the ‘not-disruptive-enough’ category. Truly-disruptive financial innovation is already here with decentralized bitcoin. And, bitcoin doesn’t need a dongle!

...

The easiest way to circumvent the high-fee transaction networks is to utilize a different currency unit since it does not come with the same handicaps and legacy restrictions of a political currency unit. Erik Voorhees states that we need to advocate “the separation of money and state.”
..

THIS is huge. Matonis a regular? Man oh man.

julz

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Looks like Jon Matonis's articles are a regular thing now in Forbes

Quote

Bitcoin Doesn't Need a Dongle

Jon Matonis
2012-03-24

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonmatonis/2012/03/24/bitcoin-doesnt-need-a-dongle/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

...dongles equip your mobile phone to accept and process credit cards securely by inserting the device into the smartphone’s 3.5mm audio input jack. Apparently, this passes for financial innovation in mobile payments but I file it under the ‘not-disruptive-enough’ category. Truly-disruptive financial innovation is already here with decentralized bitcoin. And, bitcoin doesn’t need a dongle!

...

The easiest way to circumvent the high-fee transaction networks is to utilize a different currency unit since it does not come with the same handicaps and legacy restrictions of a political currency unit. Erik Voorhees states that we need to advocate “the separation of money and state.”
..

julz

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Quote

Bitcoin May Find a Fulfilling Market in Africa

Kit Dotson
2012-03-22

http://siliconangle.com/blog/2012/03/22/bitcoin-may-find-a-fulfilling-market-in-africa/

julz

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Quote

Should Africa Adopt a Shared Currency? And Should It Be Bitcoin?

Megan Garber
2012-03-22

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/03/should-africa-adopt-a-shared-currency-and-should-it-be-bitcoin/254881/

Stephen Gornick

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"tremendous following"

Quote

In the United States, despite the high-profile prosecution of Liberty Dollar founder Bernard Von NotHaus, more than a few alternative currencies are already in circulation as well. Examples include Detroit “Cheers,” “BerkShares” in Massachusetts, and “Ithaca Hours” in New York. So-called digital gold currencies are also attracting more and more users. And an online currency system known as "BitCoin" has gained a tremendous following in a relatively short period of time.

And at the state level, even governments are taking action. Utah, for example, officially made gold and silver into legal tender last year. And several states are considering similar legislation as the Federal Reserve and the U.S. dollar come under increasing pressure.

- http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-mainmenu-26/europe-mainmenu-35/11265-greeks-adopt-alternative-currencies-as-economy-implodes

julz

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Another mention in a Slashdot summary.

Quote

Surviving the Cashless Cataclysm

2012-03-21

http://news.slashdot.org/story/12/03/21/2148243/surviving-the-cashless-cataclysm

MrSeb writes
"There's been a lot of noise about Sweden becoming a cashless economy, and the potential repercussions that it might cause, most notably the (apparent) annihilation of privacy. Really, though, I think this is a load of hot air. Physical money might be on the way out, but that doesn't mean the end of anonymous, untraceable cash — it'll just become digital. If Bitcoin has taught us anything, it's possible to create an irreversible, cryptographic currency — but so far it has failed because it doesn't have sovereign backing. What if the US or UK (or any other country for that matter) issued digital cash? We would suddenly have an anonymous currency that can be kept on credit chips (or smartphones) and traded, just like paper money. No longer would handling money require expensive cash registers, safes, and secure collections; your smartphone could be your point of sale. It won't be easy to get governments to pass digital cash into law, though, not with big banks and megacorps lobbying for centralized, electronic, traceable currency. Here's hoping Sweden makes the right choice when the referendum to retire physical money finally rolls around."

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