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> The guy claims that Bitcoin is "playing Numberwang", for christ's sake. Numberwang is an absurd game show featured in the sketch comedy series That Mitchell
by 0xcde4c3db 5y ago
> The guy claims that Bitcoin is "playing Numberwang", for christ's sake.
Numberwang is an absurd game show featured in the sketch comedy series That Mitchell and Webb Look. The basic "game" consists of the contestants repeatedly calling out numbers -- apparently at random most of the time -- until one of the numbers "is Numberwang", for which the contestant is (presumably) awarded points.
Aren't Bitcoin nodes also guessing numbers until one of them passes a meaningless test, for which the node is then rewarded? The metaphor is imperfect (like all metaphors), but I think this one is a better fit than you're giving it credit for.
- throwaway22032 5y agoYes, it's pub chat. I know what it is. Me writing this comment to you is playing snooker, because the protons are bouncing off each other and stuff. It's an attempt to discredit the network by using low-brow humour as a comparison.
- 0xcde4c3db 5y agoPeople in the tech world pretty regularly use expressions like "dead trees" for print and "spinning rust" for magnetic disks, both of which were undeniably revolutionary and whose modern embodiments are marvels of engineering and logistics. I guess we just have very different expectations about tone in the context of this particular article.
- throwaway22032 5y agoThose aren't taking the piss out of the topic.
- giaour 5y agoHave you ever heard the phrase "spinning rust" used with reverence? I can assure you that those phrases are indeed taking the piss out of the topic.