are there any community needs not currently filled by an existing project?
there are at least two areas that need work
1.) bitcoin data reporting in aggregate
this would be things like reporting transaction data including per-day summaries and charts
like this, only real-time
http://bitcoinreport.blogspot.com/2011/05/updated-transactions-per-day.htmlinclude a plot with the value of the rate from the exchange for the day as well, so it is not just a chart of bitcoins themselves.
the same need exists for charting bitcoindays destroyed. there is the need for a real-time report with charts:
http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=9300.02.) integrate bitcoin with open transactions
bitcoin was not meant to provide instant confirmation. For use at the point of sale that is a requirement though.
there is talk of ways that bitcoin could still accommodate this, for lower valued transactions. if that can be done, then it would likely help the retail merchants who currently are unserved by bitcoin. if that approach turns out to not be viable, then perhaps the integration of bitcoin with open transactions is another way
Hey, BTW, integration of bitcoin with OT is exactly what we intend to do.
So I guess if someone is willing to participate in that particular type of project, we would best coordinate efforts
Now, as for what bitcoin per se needs, imho...
methinks that it would be quite handy (and relatively easy) to add some fine-tuning options to the classical client, connection options, that kind of thing, for those who fail at command line (I run into a lot of people who read bitcoin doc and then ask me do command line stuff for them...) and make it more portable, perhaps make an Official Portable App release (see, current default windows install makes it cumbersome to back up...And bitcoin can be made portable fairly easy)
BTW, it works with portable apps wrapper out of the box with only a few minor glitches...
)