Topic: First try with Ripple (Read 413 times)

Hey all,

here's my first experience with Ripple... All I want is to start using it. So I create an account on Ripple. I have already a fully verified account on Bitstamp with money on it.

I want to send 0.5 BTC to Ripple or so from Bitstamp. And there I learn that I need to "Trust Bitstamp" and that it's going to cost one XRP (maybe I misread but still). I ask on IRC and someone helps me and lends me 20 XRP.

Going back to Ripple, I want to trust Bitstamp: sorry, you need 25 XRP for that (I think it's the first time I read about 25 but anyway...). So I explain that and ask for 5 more: at this point the person thinks I'm trying to scam him from 5 more XRP.

He sends me 5 more and I trust Bitstamp. Good. I can send some BTC to my Ripple wallet.

Now before giving back the 25 XRP to the person who helped me, I think "oh oh, wait: if I sent you the 25 back now, I may not be able to do anything more on Ripple, because XRPs are apparently needed for nearly everything". So we agree that I'll first transform some of my BTC into XRP and then sent him back his 25.

I place an order to get 398 XRP for 0.01 BTC or something like that and then...

"You need 30 XRP to do place an order"

The "word" that comes to mind is "Catch-22".

Creating an account and not being to establish trust with one the biggest bitcoin exchange is weird. Not being able to trade for 300 XRPs because you don't have 30 XRPs is even weirder.

I'm sure there are lots of goods reason for this and lots of free XRPs around but making feel newcomers who like beggars ain't nice.

I'm not even asking for the 5 XRP that would allow me to reach 30 and hence place that order to trade BTC for XRPs... I'm pissed off.

I really think that this thing should be made more friendly to newcomers. Why not give the first 25 XRPs you need to establish your first trust to a known exchange and then take them back later?

Same for the first trade to XRPs.

Maybe I missed the obvious way to do this but all in all a pretty bad experience.

Too bad because the site looks kinda good and Ripple seems convenient once you're set up.

EDIT: apparently you can buy XRPs directly on Bitstamp then send them to Ripple but... On Bistamp it says: "We have no Ripples at the moment. Please try later"... Then, still in Bitstamp, I don't see the option to send Ripples to Ripple (but maybe it's because I've got zero of them).