6 ms·

Bitcoin: A Proxy for Users

47 points by kushti 11y ago

Exuma 11y ago
You know you're on a programmer's blog when this is the site hero image they choose: http://www.ofnumbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/cropped-GWON-banner1.jpg http://www.ofnumbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/cropped-...
- volaski 11y ago
  I don't get it. What do you mean
  - Zikes 11y ago
    Just a guess, but the default image for a Wordpress template that's popular with coders?
    - lifeisstillgood 11y ago
      Blame Bootstrap - they called the big top third of the screen image a "hero" block from start of their docs. It was the first I had heard of it, but it made enough sense that it stuck. One assumes the history goes back further - one suspects a comic strip somewhere. But I don't know
      - lifeisstillgood 11y ago
        Weird - this was not one I expected to defend. Let me re-phrase: The first time I Heard of a hero block was in the Bootstrap Docs, and it was soon after that it became a phrase amount my colleagues. As to where Bootstrap got the idea from - one would assume it's a phrase from serialised graphic novel production
        Zikes 11y ago
        I think the issue might be that you replied to the wrong comment, so it didn't quite make sense in context.
- TeMPOraL 11y ago
  When did we start calling that "hero image" and why?
  - vdaniuk 11y ago
    Googling "hero image" yields the answer in less time than writing a comment on HN.
    - TeMPOraL 11y ago
      I was asking for etymology, not for the meaning (which I know).
      - deleted 11y ago
        [deleted]
      - vdaniuk 11y ago
        This google search: `"hero image" etymology ` provides results with a second link containing a thorough discussion on the origin of the word. https://www.designernews.co/stories/47337-why-is-the-hero-image-called-like-this https://www.designernews.co/stories/47337-why-is-the-hero-im...
        TeMPOraL 11y ago
        Thanks! As you guessed, I missed it because lack of "" in search string. I've learned to assume Google is pretty much ignoring quotes nowadays. Apparently they're not.
    - philh 11y ago
      I don't think that's true. Did you try googling that? It wouldn't have taken very long. I can't find a satisfactory answer. Wikipedia doesn't say. [1] says it comes from the print industry, but I can't find any indication that that's true (all the search results seem to be related to online, "hero image print industry" doesn't turn up anything useful). "Hero image etymology" isn't helpful either. [1] http://line25.com/articles/30-web-designs-that-fully-embrace-the-hero-image http://line25.com/articles/30-web-designs-that-fully-embrace...
- murbard2 11y ago
  Tim's a wonderful guy all around and is quite smart, but he is, in fact, not a programmer.
- philh 11y ago
  It's a photo of the great wall of china, referencing the blog title "great wall of numbers". I'm not sure what it has to do with programming? By default, I think I'd expect a blog with that hero image to be a travel blog.
  - Exuma 11y ago
    Because it's the most blurry, fuzzy, poorly framed and honestly ugly photo of the great wall of china you could ever pick for the huge prominent header image of your blog. It has to do with programming because most programmers have a terrible eye for design, although in this case I stand corrected because apparently he's not a programmer. And also, I said my original comment somewhat facetiously, it's not like it matters at all anyway, it was just a funny observation.
markkat 11y ago
Local bitcoins volume is a good resource. https://coin.dance/charts https://coin.dance/charts
siculars 11y ago
"Hodl" indeed. I'm more or less in the demographic mentioned in the article. I buy some tech gear from time to time on newegg but then just replenish on one of the exchanges. Other than that I rarely buy things with btc. A donation here and there. Are folks considering putting coins to work in a tumbler? Experience?
brighton36 11y ago
Last I checked Bitcoin is servicing a little under a million bucks a day in retail transactions, Swanson always conveniently leaves out the dark market - which is the target demographic for bitcoin, and puts into question the honesty of his write-ups.
- wmf 11y ago
  Is the dark market flat, growing linearly, or growing exponentially?
- bdcravens 11y ago
  > the dark market - which is the target demographic for bitcoin I missed that part of the white paper. There's a difference between a target demographic and a use case.
chintan 11y ago
I can add one data point. we recently launched this app - http://burningmanapp.co/ http://burningmanapp.co/ - it converts your steps into bitcoins. the usage is really off the charts >1000 users logging around million steps everyday. >50% have provided their Bitcoin address.

47 points by kushti 11y ago

Exuma 11y ago

You know you're on a programmer's blog when this is the site hero image they choose: http://www.ofnumbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/cropped-GWON-banner1.jpg http://www.ofnumbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/cropped-...

volaski 11y ago
I don't get it. What do you mean
- Zikes 11y ago
  Just a guess, but the default image for a Wordpress template that's popular with coders?
  - lifeisstillgood 11y ago
    Blame Bootstrap - they called the big top third of the screen image a "hero" block from start of their docs. It was the first I had heard of it, but it made enough sense that it stuck. One assumes the history goes back further - one suspects a comic strip somewhere. But I don't know
    - lifeisstillgood 11y ago
      Weird - this was not one I expected to defend. Let me re-phrase: The first time I Heard of a hero block was in the Bootstrap Docs, and it was soon after that it became a phrase amount my colleagues. As to where Bootstrap got the idea from - one would assume it's a phrase from serialised graphic novel production
      - Zikes 11y ago
        I think the issue might be that you replied to the wrong comment, so it didn't quite make sense in context.
TeMPOraL 11y ago
When did we start calling that "hero image" and why?
- vdaniuk 11y ago
  Googling "hero image" yields the answer in less time than writing a comment on HN.
  - TeMPOraL 11y ago
    I was asking for etymology, not for the meaning (which I know).
    - deleted 11y ago
      [deleted]
    - vdaniuk 11y ago
      This google search: `"hero image" etymology ` provides results with a second link containing a thorough discussion on the origin of the word. https://www.designernews.co/stories/47337-why-is-the-hero-image-called-like-this https://www.designernews.co/stories/47337-why-is-the-hero-im...
      - TeMPOraL 11y ago
        Thanks! As you guessed, I missed it because lack of "" in search string. I've learned to assume Google is pretty much ignoring quotes nowadays. Apparently they're not.
  - philh 11y ago
    I don't think that's true. Did you try googling that? It wouldn't have taken very long. I can't find a satisfactory answer. Wikipedia doesn't say. [1] says it comes from the print industry, but I can't find any indication that that's true (all the search results seem to be related to online, "hero image print industry" doesn't turn up anything useful). "Hero image etymology" isn't helpful either. [1] http://line25.com/articles/30-web-designs-that-fully-embrace-the-hero-image http://line25.com/articles/30-web-designs-that-fully-embrace...
murbard2 11y ago
Tim's a wonderful guy all around and is quite smart, but he is, in fact, not a programmer.
philh 11y ago
It's a photo of the great wall of china, referencing the blog title "great wall of numbers". I'm not sure what it has to do with programming? By default, I think I'd expect a blog with that hero image to be a travel blog.
- Exuma 11y ago
  Because it's the most blurry, fuzzy, poorly framed and honestly ugly photo of the great wall of china you could ever pick for the huge prominent header image of your blog. It has to do with programming because most programmers have a terrible eye for design, although in this case I stand corrected because apparently he's not a programmer. And also, I said my original comment somewhat facetiously, it's not like it matters at all anyway, it was just a funny observation.

markkat 11y ago

Local bitcoins volume is a good resource. https://coin.dance/charts https://coin.dance/charts

siculars 11y ago

"Hodl" indeed. I'm more or less in the demographic mentioned in the article. I buy some tech gear from time to time on newegg but then just replenish on one of the exchanges. Other than that I rarely buy things with btc. A donation here and there. Are folks considering putting coins to work in a tumbler? Experience?

brighton36 11y ago

Last I checked Bitcoin is servicing a little under a million bucks a day in retail transactions, Swanson always conveniently leaves out the dark market - which is the target demographic for bitcoin, and puts into question the honesty of his write-ups.

wmf 11y ago
Is the dark market flat, growing linearly, or growing exponentially?
bdcravens 11y ago
> the dark market - which is the target demographic for bitcoin I missed that part of the white paper. There's a difference between a target demographic and a use case.

chintan 11y ago

I can add one data point. we recently launched this app - http://burningmanapp.co/ http://burningmanapp.co/ - it converts your steps into bitcoins. the usage is really off the charts >1000 users logging around million steps everyday. >50% have provided their Bitcoin address.