Topic: How to explain cryptos to the everyday (non-technical) users (Read 509 times)
What about Digital Cash or "Dash" for short? lol. DarkCoin already did that.
Very good discussion topic! IMO the word 'crypto' is a big negative. Nobody says "internal combustion vehicle", we just say 'car'. How things work is irrelevant to most users. I prefer 'digital money' to 'crypto currency'. Even the word 'currency' sounds too pompous. 99% of people refer to money as "money". Digital is associated with computers, so 'digital money' is the best generic term IMO.
We never use the term "Crypto". I think that is a scary word to everyday users. I like "digital currency", but "digital money" is good too. When you think about it in it's broadest sense, credit & debit cards are digital money.
This is such a clear explanation. I think comparing digital currencies (how they are created & distributed) compared to physical currencies makes it easy for newbies to relate to.
Very good discussion topic! IMO the word 'crypto' is a big negative. Nobody says "internal combustion vehicle", we just say 'car'. How things work is irrelevant to most users. I prefer 'digital money' to 'crypto currency'. Even the word 'currency' sounds too pompous. 99% of people refer to money as "money". Digital is associated with computers, so 'digital money' is the best generic term IMO.
People don't care about how cryptocoins work! They want to know "how" to use them and then they want to actually use them. Having a physcial store also gets rid of that "is this legal?" feeling some people have.
You are right that people don't care about the technical details (blockchain, cryptography, etc) but they always ask two questions:
1. How are they created? It's doesn't sound real.
2. How do I keep up with my balance & transactions compared to my bank account?
One of the best ways I have learnt to get people into cryptocoins is by giving them coins and installing a wallet on their phone. I then show them how to send coins back to me.
Take the persons phone and install the wallet for them otherwise the process takes too long.
People don't care about how cryptocoins work! They want to know "how" to use them and then they want to actually use them. Having a physcial store also gets rid of that "is this legal?" feeling some people have.
You are right that people don't care about the technical details (blockchain, cryptography, etc) but they always ask two questions:
1. How are they created? It's doesn't sound real.
2. How do I keep up with my balance & transactions compared to my bank account?
I think DAOs like #420AJF are going to be huge for user creation.
People don't care about how cryptocoins work! They want to know "how" to use them and then they want to actually use them. Having a physcial store also gets rid of that "is this legal?" feeling some people have.
#420AJF is going to be training users in store on how to get cryptocoins. They are then selling discounted merchandise exclusively for cryptocoins.
I think DAOs will be huge. I hope lots of cryptocoins can get them started.
A DApp/cryptocoin without a DAO is going to be hard pressed to create users. My investments are going into DAO ↔ DApp
As all of us cryptogeeks know, explaining digital currencies in a brief conversation is very difficult. There is so much to understand and it is wrapped in vocabulary the general public does not understand: wallet, blockchain, mining, faucets, pools, etc.
In almost a year of building a user community of over 57,000 in social media, we at AppleByte have used many different methods, some of which I have posted about. Recently we have hit on a method of explaining cryptos clearly enough that the everyday user can understand and take the first step to get started. Then over time, we can get more and more technical if the user is interested.
This method can work with all cryptos, except some of the new 2.0 ones. So I share it with everyone here.
You can see what we do on in our blog post How do digital currencies work
Or for convenience, I reproduce it below. Of course it is AppleByte centric, but you can see how to modify it to fit your needs.
As with any new technology, digital currencies like AppleByte can be hard to understand. Lets look at how AppleByte works.
How are digital currencies created?
Just like physical currencies, digital currencies (like AppleByte) don't just pop into existence, they have to be made. In physical currencies, paper bills are printed and coins are minted by government agencies, then distributed into the banking system. In the same way digital currencies must be created and distributed to users.
In a digital currency like AppleByte, the currency is created by a software application. This software runs on each computer connected to the AppleByte network. All of the computers connected to the network work together, sharing the complex calculations necessary to create each AppleByte, and a certain number of AppleBytes are created each day. This process is called mining, and is not free, as it costs computer power and electricity. To compensate computer owners for their work, AppleBytes are paid to the software users connected to the network. For more details on mining go here: Mining AppleBytes
How are balances kept and transactions processed?
Just like at your bank, your account balance and transactions are stored on a server. At your bank, the bank owns the server. But, as a digital currency, AppleByte’s account data resides on a peer-to-peer (computer-to-computer) network that consists of all the computers logged into the network. This allows for additional security as there is no single server that hackers can attack, and each transaction is verified by all the computers on the network. Just like logging into your bank account with your browser, you can see your AppleByte balance and spend them using the AppleByte Wallet App. The wallet gives you all the info you need, just like using your browser for banking transactions. The Wallet App is available in several versions: Online, MAC, Windows, Android, and IOS.
Since AppleByte was founded to support artists, what are the advantages vs cash?
AppleBytes can be given by any fan, anywhere in the world, to artists anywhere in the world.
Fans or artists don’t need credit cards or bank accounts to give and receive AppleBytes.
There are no governmental, corporate or regional restrictions, telling fans who they can support.
Artists receive and can spend donations of AppleBytes almost instantly.
There are no fees for giving artists AppleBytes, compared to credit cards, Paypal or bank transfer fees, etc.
To learn more about the advantages of AppleByte, go here: Why support artists with AppleBytes
To see places you place you can spend AppleBytes, go here: Places to spend AppleBytes
Ready to get started?
The first thing you need to do is get your AppleByte Wallet App (Online, MAC, Windows, Android, or IOS). The online wallet version is already connected to the network. If you download the MAC, Windows, or Android wallet, just open it and it will automatically connect to the AppleByte network. The first time your wallet connects, it will need to sync with the network (which could take 30 mins to a couple of hours, depending on your internet connection) After that it syncs in just minutes. Go here to get your wallet: Get Started
Earn your first AppleBytes, by helping to put them in circulation. Just copy your wallet receive address (found on the Receive Tab of the Wallet), and login to the AppleByte Orchard: AppleByte Orchard Post your AppleByte wallet address into the Orchard and you can earn 100 AppleBytes a day. You can spend them, save them, send them to friends or tip your favorite artists anywhere in the world with them, just by knowing their Twitter account. For how to tip, see: Tipping with AppleByte
More information on AppleByte is available at: AppleByte.me
And be sure to check out the AppleByte Music Store Music Store where you can download great music, paid for with AppleBytes!
In almost a year of building a user community of over 57,000 in social media, we at AppleByte have used many different methods, some of which I have posted about. Recently we have hit on a method of explaining cryptos clearly enough that the everyday user can understand and take the first step to get started. Then over time, we can get more and more technical if the user is interested.
This method can work with all cryptos, except some of the new 2.0 ones. So I share it with everyone here.
You can see what we do on in our blog post How do digital currencies work
Or for convenience, I reproduce it below. Of course it is AppleByte centric, but you can see how to modify it to fit your needs.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
As with any new technology, digital currencies like AppleByte can be hard to understand. Lets look at how AppleByte works.
How are digital currencies created?
Just like physical currencies, digital currencies (like AppleByte) don't just pop into existence, they have to be made. In physical currencies, paper bills are printed and coins are minted by government agencies, then distributed into the banking system. In the same way digital currencies must be created and distributed to users.
In a digital currency like AppleByte, the currency is created by a software application. This software runs on each computer connected to the AppleByte network. All of the computers connected to the network work together, sharing the complex calculations necessary to create each AppleByte, and a certain number of AppleBytes are created each day. This process is called mining, and is not free, as it costs computer power and electricity. To compensate computer owners for their work, AppleBytes are paid to the software users connected to the network. For more details on mining go here: Mining AppleBytes
How are balances kept and transactions processed?
Just like at your bank, your account balance and transactions are stored on a server. At your bank, the bank owns the server. But, as a digital currency, AppleByte’s account data resides on a peer-to-peer (computer-to-computer) network that consists of all the computers logged into the network. This allows for additional security as there is no single server that hackers can attack, and each transaction is verified by all the computers on the network. Just like logging into your bank account with your browser, you can see your AppleByte balance and spend them using the AppleByte Wallet App. The wallet gives you all the info you need, just like using your browser for banking transactions. The Wallet App is available in several versions: Online, MAC, Windows, Android, and IOS.
Since AppleByte was founded to support artists, what are the advantages vs cash?
AppleBytes can be given by any fan, anywhere in the world, to artists anywhere in the world.
Fans or artists don’t need credit cards or bank accounts to give and receive AppleBytes.
There are no governmental, corporate or regional restrictions, telling fans who they can support.
Artists receive and can spend donations of AppleBytes almost instantly.
There are no fees for giving artists AppleBytes, compared to credit cards, Paypal or bank transfer fees, etc.
To learn more about the advantages of AppleByte, go here: Why support artists with AppleBytes
To see places you place you can spend AppleBytes, go here: Places to spend AppleBytes
Ready to get started?
The first thing you need to do is get your AppleByte Wallet App (Online, MAC, Windows, Android, or IOS). The online wallet version is already connected to the network. If you download the MAC, Windows, or Android wallet, just open it and it will automatically connect to the AppleByte network. The first time your wallet connects, it will need to sync with the network (which could take 30 mins to a couple of hours, depending on your internet connection) After that it syncs in just minutes. Go here to get your wallet: Get Started
Earn your first AppleBytes, by helping to put them in circulation. Just copy your wallet receive address (found on the Receive Tab of the Wallet), and login to the AppleByte Orchard: AppleByte Orchard Post your AppleByte wallet address into the Orchard and you can earn 100 AppleBytes a day. You can spend them, save them, send them to friends or tip your favorite artists anywhere in the world with them, just by knowing their Twitter account. For how to tip, see: Tipping with AppleByte
More information on AppleByte is available at: AppleByte.me
And be sure to check out the AppleByte Music Store Music Store where you can download great music, paid for with AppleBytes!
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