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Not really prescient. Cryptographic cash has been something that people have been talking about for a while, and there have even been startups trying to commerc
by lambda 11y ago
Not really prescient. Cryptographic cash has been something that people have been talking about for a while, and there have even been startups trying to commercialize it. Chaum's ecash was invented in 1983, and he was in the process of trying to commercialize it when this was written (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecash https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecash).
Bitcoin is just the first cryptocurrency that has actually managed to take off, but it's been a problem that cryptographers, and in particular cypherpunks (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypherpunk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypherpunk), have been working on for a while.
Basically, what's happened is that this stuff that was kind of fringe and crazy back in the day, but people who were into it were really sure was the future, has actually made a major impact on the world.
- mirimir 11y agoWithout mixing, Bitcoin is neither untraceable nor anonymous.
- nabla9 11y agoBitcoin without mixing is nice open ledger where everyone can follow transactions. Openness might be good or bad thing. Bitcoin with mixing is subject to many laws against money laundering (anti-smurfing laws for example). Mixing is not new innovation that came with cryptocurrency.
- mirimir 11y agoLaws that compromise privacy are irrelevant.