Is this possible? - page 2. | Bitcointalksearch.org

Astargath

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Quote from: kolloh on April 25, 2015, 02:54:24 PM

Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:47:44 PM

I never thought of that. Generating the same address as someone else. Is that theoretically possible? Or is there a mechanism in place to ensure that never happens?

I know that the odds make it almost impossible.

Yes, there is nothing in place to ensure the same address is not generated. However, the odds make it nearly impossible so you really don't have to worry about it.

What do you mean by the same address? Like you can have an address and someone may get the same address?? Or am i not understanding this correctly?

JackRipper

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I've wondered about that too. Thanks @DannyHamilton for your explaination.

sdmathis

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Quote from: DannyHamilton on April 25, 2015, 02:55:34 PM

Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:47:44 PM

I never thought of that. Generating the same address as someone else. Is that theoretically possible?

That depends on what you mean by "theoretically possible".

If the address is generate in a truly random way (as it should be), then it isn't possible by any reasonable sense of the word.

For example, all the air molecules are randomly moving around the room you are in. As such, any configuration of those molecules is "theoretically" possible. Perhaps the molecules will all randomly end up bunched up in one corner of the room, and you will suffocate. It's never going to happen, but would you consider that to be "theoretically possible"? Most reasonable people would not consider it possible at all and wouldn't spend any thought power on worrying about it.

Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:47:44 PM

Or is there a mechanism in place to ensure that never happens?

The only "mechanism" is the EXTREME odds against it as long as the addresses are generated randomly. If you use some non-random system to generate an address, then it becomes possible that someone else could figure out the same non-random system and generate the same address.

Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:47:44 PM

I know that the odds make it almost impossible.

Not "almost" impossible. The odds make it impossible. (by any reasonable use of the word as long as the addresses are generated in a truly random way).

That's exactly what I was wondering. Thanks.

DannyHamilton

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Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:47:44 PM

I never thought of that. Generating the same address as someone else. Is that theoretically possible?

That depends on what you mean by "theoretically possible".

If the address is generated in a truly random way (as it should be), then it isn't possible by any reasonable sense of the word.

For example, all the air molecules are randomly moving around the room you are in. As such, any configuration of those molecules is "theoretically" possible. Perhaps the molecules will all randomly end up bunched up in one corner of the room, and you will suffocate. It's never going to happen, but would you consider that to be "theoretically possible"? Most reasonable people would not consider it possible at all and wouldn't spend any thought power on worrying about it.

Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:47:44 PM

Or is there a mechanism in place to ensure that never happens?

The only "mechanism" is the EXTREME odds against it as long as the addresses are generated randomly. If you use some non-random system to generate an address, then it becomes possible that someone else could figure out the same non-random system and generate the same address.

Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:47:44 PM

I know that the odds make it almost impossible.

Not "almost" impossible. The odds make it impossible. (by any reasonable use of the word as long as the addresses are generated in a truly random way.)

Oh, and I see that you have a signature ad. I won't see anything else that you post, and therefore won't be sharing any additional knowledge with you.

Plonk!

kolloh

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Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:47:44 PM

I never thought of that. Generating the same address as someone else. Is that theoretically possible? Or is there a mechanism in place to ensure that never happens?

I know that the odds make it almost impossible.

Yes, there is nothing in place to ensure the same address is not generated. However, the odds make it nearly impossible so you really don't have to worry about it.

sdmathis

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AKA The Rubber Monkey

Quote from: DannyHamilton on April 25, 2015, 02:41:47 PM

Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:29:39 PM

Once when I first started getting into crypto, I accidentally sent sone altcoins to the wrong address and of course, that was that. The coins were gone.

That made me wonder if the following scenario is possible: Could someone create a brand new Bitcoin address and find Bitcoin sitting in his wallet if someone accidentally sent coins to that address a year or so ago? Or will coins only show up if someone sends them to the wrong address and that address already exists.

I was just curious.

If you were lucky enough to generate the address that had the bitcoins, then yes you would find bitcoins just sitting in the wallet.

However:

Quote from: molecular on November 03, 2012, 02:45:18 PM

Ok, new data, will recalc everything:

probability of getting struck by lightning in any given year: 1/280000.
probability of taking a shit at any given point in time: 1/(60*24) = 1/1440 (assuming you take a crap every day and the actual process takes 1 minute)
probability of getting struck by lightning while taking a crap in any given year: 1/(280000*1440) = 1/1.47E11 = 2.48E-9
probability of taking a crap while being in a situation where being struck by lightning can actually occur = 1/1440 = 0.25 = 1.74E-4
probability of finding a collision: 1E-65
getting hit by lightning while taking a crap for how many years in a row is equally probable as finding a collision: log(1E-65) / log(1.74E-4) = 17.3

is my math roughly correct now?

If so, I can say: "Finding a collision is about as likely as being struck by lightning while taking a crap every year for 17 years in a row".

For any reasonable understanding of the word "possible", it is not possible to find bitcoins in a truly random newly created address.

Now, if you can figure out some non-random system that someone else used to create a bitcoin address, then you could generate the same address and gain access to their bitcoins. Of course, that would be theft, and you're not a thief, are you?

Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:38:27 PM

What I mean is it theoretically possible, or is there something in the code that prevents it.

No, the only thing that prevents it is the EXTREME odds against it happening.

I never thought of that. Generating the same address as someone else. Is that theoretically possible? Or is there a mechanism in place to ensure that never happens?

I know that the odds make it almost impossible.

DannyHamilton

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Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:29:39 PM

Once when I first started getting into crypto, I accidentally sent sone altcoins to the wrong address and of course, that was that. The coins were gone.

That made me wonder if the following scenario is possible: Could someone create a brand new Bitcoin address and find Bitcoin sitting in his wallet if someone accidentally sent coins to that address a year or so ago? Or will coins only show up if someone sends them to the wrong address and that address already exists.

I was just curious.

If you were lucky enough to generate the address that had the bitcoins, then yes you would find bitcoins just sitting in the wallet.

However:

Quote from: molecular on November 03, 2012, 02:45:18 PM

Ok, new data, will recalc everything:

probability of getting struck by lightning in any given year: 1/280000.
probability of taking a shit at any given point in time: 1/(60*24) = 1/1440 (assuming you take a crap every day and the actual process takes 1 minute)
probability of getting struck by lightning while taking a crap in any given year: 1/(280000*1440) = 1/1.47E11 = 2.48E-9
probability of taking a crap while being in a situation where being struck by lightning can actually occur = 1/1440 = 0.25 = 1.74E-4
probability of finding a collision: 1E-65
getting hit by lightning while taking a crap for how many years in a row is equally probable as finding a collision: log(1E-65) / log(1.74E-4) = 17.3

is my math roughly correct now?

If so, I can say: "Finding a collision is about as likely as being struck by lightning while taking a crap every year for 17 years in a row".

For any reasonable understanding of the word "possible", it is not possible to find bitcoins in a truly random newly created address.

Now, if you can figure out some non-random system that someone else used to create a bitcoin address, then you could generate the same address and gain access to their bitcoins. Of course, that would be theft, and you're not a thief, are you?

Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:38:27 PM

What I mean is it theoretically possible, or is there something in the code that prevents it.

No, the only thing that prevents it is the EXTREME odds against it happening.

Quote from: Don007 on April 25, 2015, 02:40:07 PM

- snip -
(a bunch of silly nonsense)
- snip -

Quote from: Amph on April 25, 2015, 02:41:42 PM

- snip -
(a bunch of silly nonsense)
- snip -

Quote

You would do well not to take advice from anybody that has an advertisement in their signature space on this forum.

The vast majority of those are people that are being paid per post to advertise with those signatures. Therefore, they'll say just about anything in a discussion thread just to increase their post count (and therefore increase their income). Generally, they know less about the topic they are discussing than the person asking the questions.

Amph

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if you sent it to that address, then that address exist in the first place, it make no sense that someone receives those coins with a new address created in the future, because otherwise you wasn't able to send it

p.s. again with this, it wasn't for increasing my posts counts, simply i didn't understand what he was saying(i thought about collision at first)

Don007

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Live like there is no tomorrow!

Quote from: redsn0w on April 25, 2015, 02:33:42 PM

Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:29:39 PM

Once when I first started getting into crypto, I accidentally sent sone altcoins to the wrong address and of course, that was that. The coins were gone.

That made me wonder if the following scenario is possible: Could someone create a brand new Bitcoin address and find Bitcoin sitting in his wallet if someone accidentally sent coins to that address a year or so ago? Or will coins only show up if someone sends them to the wrong address and that address already exists.

I was just curious.

Hmmm it will be extremely difficult (to find an address with some deposited bitcoins) or maybe I don't understand your 'question'.

I think you do understand the question.

I'm curious about this too. I think it actually is possible that you become an address which were coins sent to earlier (by accidence). I don't think you can only send coins to addresses that do already exist.

However, I think this is only theoretically possible in that case.

sdmathis

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AKA The Rubber Monkey

Quote from: redsn0w on April 25, 2015, 02:33:42 PM

Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:29:39 PM

Once when I first started getting into crypto, I accidentally sent sone altcoins to the wrong address and of course, that was that. The coins were gone.

That made me wonder if the following scenario is possible: Could someone create a brand new Bitcoin address and find Bitcoin sitting in his wallet if someone accidentally sent coins to that address a year or so ago? Or will coins only show up if someone sends them to the wrong address and that address already exists.

I was just curious.

Hmmm it will be extremely difficult (to find an address with some deposited bitcoins) or maybe I don't understand your 'question'.

What I mean is it theoretically possible, or is there something in the code that prevents it.

redsn0w

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#Free market

Quote from: sdmathis on April 25, 2015, 02:29:39 PM

Once when I first started getting into crypto, I accidentally sent sone altcoins to the wrong address and of course, that was that. The coins were gone.

That made me wonder if the following scenario is possible: Could someone create a brand new Bitcoin address and find Bitcoin sitting in his wallet if someone accidentally sent coins to that address a year or so ago? Or will coins only show up if someone sends them to the wrong address and that address already exists.

I was just curious.

Hmmm it will be extremely difficult (to find an address with some deposited bitcoins) or maybe I don't understand your 'question'.

sdmathis

hero member

Activity: 546

Merit: 500

AKA The Rubber Monkey

Once when I first started getting into crypto, I accidentally sent sone altcoins to the wrong address and of course, that was that. The coins were gone.

That made me wonder if the following scenario is possible: Could someone create a brand new Bitcoin address and find Bitcoin sitting in his wallet if someone accidentally sent coins to that address a year or so ago? Or will coins only show up if someone sends them to the wrong address and that address already exists.

I was just curious.

Topic: Is this possible? - page 2. (Read 1862 times)