8 ms·

Bitcoin and me (Hal Finney) (2013)

94 points by jc123 13y ago

KhalPanda 13y ago
I got curious when he said he mined block 70-something. Block #78 is the only one (in the 70's) that was transferred to a wallet with any activity - I followed said activity for a little bit, and it looks like he had 2,000 BTC strewn across a bunch of wallets that he moved to one wallet in 2011. Not too shabby for an accidental nest-egg! :-)
- jebus989 13y ago
  Did you miss the poignant and moving story of the onset of a terminal illness, christ.
  - KhalPanda 13y ago
    Of course not. I just didn't have anything to add that wasn't already said perfectly by the users in that thread.
  - sspiff 13y ago
    Why does that make his comment less relevant or correct? Should we all just comment "so sad, he's way to young/talented/... to die"? Illness and death are just as ubiquitous and universal as they are sad. People get sick and die. Young people die. Talented people die. I fail to understand how people make such a big deal out of developers dieing.
    - jebus989 13y ago
      It makes it less pertinent, I didn't comment on its correctness. Reading the post it starts off as standard HN bitcoin fodder and then takes a surprising turn into, what I found to be, a personal and touching story. Hence my knee-jerk response wouldn't be: "to the blockchain! :-)".
      - sspiff 13y ago
        I understand. I wasn't as touched by this plot twist of sorts (partly because I read your comment prior to reading the article, so I knew what to expect). I've seen quite a few dieing developer stories over the past few months, so I've got a similar fealing towards "death of a developer" sob-stories as you have to BC fodder: I've read it too often before :) The "christ" at the end makes it seem like you pass judgement on the top comment, while I thought it added some value to the discussion.
        deleted 13y ago
        [deleted]
        jnbiche 13y ago
        >I've seen quite a few dieing developer stories over the past few months, so I've got a similar fealing towards "death of a developer" sob-stories as you have to BC fodder: I've read it too often before :) Jesus, what does it feel like to be you? If you're hoping to add value to the discussion, I don't think telling the world in a crude and thoughtless manner ("sob-stories") how jaded you are about the tragic illness of a fellow human passes the bar. Many of us know this man, did you think about that before you wrote this remark? But I'm doubting that would make a difference for you. Man, I'm off the forums for a while, Reddit, HN, this whole bunch. This stuff is getting to me (which I'm sure some rejoice in).
        sspiff 13y ago
        While I doubt many here really know the person in question personally (having read about him doesn't qualify), I'm sorry if you do (for both his illness and having offended you), and it's not as if I'm devoid of emotions. I just don't think this is the forum to discuss such topics/stories, and I don't get emotionally attached to every bad news story that comes around. If I did, I'd be a very depressed person. Regardless, we're getting way off track from the discussion now.
verroq 13y ago
Sorry all I got out was "I participated in a Ponzi scheme early and benefited".
- davidw 13y ago
  That's really cold, even though I'm not much of a bitcoin believer either. And actually, it seems he hasn't necessarily benefited yet, because he's going to hold on to his bitcoins for the future. I would urge him to sell, say, half of them, at the very least and put those in more conventional investments, for his kids' sakes.
  - DanBC 13y ago
    At the very least make sure the important passwords he wants to pass on are kept securely and kept accessible.
    - DennisP 13y ago
      He did mention the bitcoins are in a safe deposit box, and his kids are tech-savvy. With a paper wallet, instructions, and a proper will, they'll do just fine.
      - davidw 13y ago
        Yes, so the problem is more one of "all your eggs in one basket", unless he just left that out of the story. Sounds like a good guy in any case, who worked on a lot of neat things, I wish him all the best.
- clarkm 13y ago
  It has a lot more in common with "I was an early employee in a successful startup" than "I participated in a Ponzi scheme early". I like to think of the Bitcoin protocol as a transaction service and the coins as shares of equity.
  - verroq 13y ago
nly 13y ago
March 2013. Anyone know how Hal is doing now? Still coding?
- KhalPanda 13y ago
  All I know is that his account on Bitcointalk was last active yesterday. https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=2436 https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=2436
  - nly 13y ago
    Good sign I guess, he hasn't posted in a long time though. Not that I can blame him, the SNR on that forum is appalling.
acjohnson55 13y ago
Wow, really touching. It's amazing to read his optimism about life and the Bitcoin project even after all he's going through. Here's hoping he continues to defy the odds, like Stephen Hawking has. Before yesterday, I thought Hal Finney was probably the leading candidate for being Satoshi. Him, Nick Szabo, Wei Dai, or some combination thereof. But now it seems far more likely that Satoshi is Satoshi.
- sillysaurus3 13y ago
  now it seems far more likely that Satoshi is Satoshi. Actually, Satoshi Nakamoto denied being Dorian Nakamoto. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7358150 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7358150
  - acjohnson55 13y ago
    That's why I said "far more likely" and not "certain". I commented on that article, if you check my history.
christiangenco 13y ago
Wow, that ending hit me like a ton of bricks. I certainly have sympathy for those who invested their life savings into the Mt Gox crash and lost everything, but I doubt I could find a single one of them that could trade places with Hal and have half of his positive attitude. Really helps put things in perspective.

94 points by jc123 13y ago

I got curious when he said he mined block 70-something. Block #78 is the only one (in the 70's) that was transferred to a wallet with any activity - I followed said activity for a little bit, and it looks like he had 2,000 BTC strewn across a bunch of wallets that he moved to one wallet in 2011. Not too shabby for an accidental nest-egg! :-)

jebus989 13y ago
Did you miss the poignant and moving story of the onset of a terminal illness, christ.
- KhalPanda 13y ago
  Of course not. I just didn't have anything to add that wasn't already said perfectly by the users in that thread.
- sspiff 13y ago
  Why does that make his comment less relevant or correct? Should we all just comment "so sad, he's way to young/talented/... to die"? Illness and death are just as ubiquitous and universal as they are sad. People get sick and die. Young people die. Talented people die. I fail to understand how people make such a big deal out of developers dieing.
  - jebus989 13y ago
    It makes it less pertinent, I didn't comment on its correctness. Reading the post it starts off as standard HN bitcoin fodder and then takes a surprising turn into, what I found to be, a personal and touching story. Hence my knee-jerk response wouldn't be: "to the blockchain! :-)".
    - sspiff 13y ago
      I understand. I wasn't as touched by this plot twist of sorts (partly because I read your comment prior to reading the article, so I knew what to expect). I've seen quite a few dieing developer stories over the past few months, so I've got a similar fealing towards "death of a developer" sob-stories as you have to BC fodder: I've read it too often before :) The "christ" at the end makes it seem like you pass judgement on the top comment, while I thought it added some value to the discussion.
      - deleted 13y ago
        [deleted]
      - jnbiche 13y ago
        >I've seen quite a few dieing developer stories over the past few months, so I've got a similar fealing towards "death of a developer" sob-stories as you have to BC fodder: I've read it too often before :) Jesus, what does it feel like to be you? If you're hoping to add value to the discussion, I don't think telling the world in a crude and thoughtless manner ("sob-stories") how jaded you are about the tragic illness of a fellow human passes the bar. Many of us know this man, did you think about that before you wrote this remark? But I'm doubting that would make a difference for you. Man, I'm off the forums for a while, Reddit, HN, this whole bunch. This stuff is getting to me (which I'm sure some rejoice in).
        sspiff 13y ago
        While I doubt many here really know the person in question personally (having read about him doesn't qualify), I'm sorry if you do (for both his illness and having offended you), and it's not as if I'm devoid of emotions. I just don't think this is the forum to discuss such topics/stories, and I don't get emotionally attached to every bad news story that comes around. If I did, I'd be a very depressed person. Regardless, we're getting way off track from the discussion now.

verroq 13y ago

Sorry all I got out was "I participated in a Ponzi scheme early and benefited".

davidw 13y ago
That's really cold, even though I'm not much of a bitcoin believer either. And actually, it seems he hasn't necessarily benefited yet, because he's going to hold on to his bitcoins for the future. I would urge him to sell, say, half of them, at the very least and put those in more conventional investments, for his kids' sakes.
- DanBC 13y ago
  At the very least make sure the important passwords he wants to pass on are kept securely and kept accessible.
  - DennisP 13y ago
    He did mention the bitcoins are in a safe deposit box, and his kids are tech-savvy. With a paper wallet, instructions, and a proper will, they'll do just fine.
    - davidw 13y ago
      Yes, so the problem is more one of "all your eggs in one basket", unless he just left that out of the story. Sounds like a good guy in any case, who worked on a lot of neat things, I wish him all the best.
clarkm 13y ago
It has a lot more in common with "I was an early employee in a successful startup" than "I participated in a Ponzi scheme early". I like to think of the Bitcoin protocol as a transaction service and the coins as shares of equity.
- verroq 13y ago

nly 13y ago

March 2013. Anyone know how Hal is doing now? Still coding?

KhalPanda 13y ago
All I know is that his account on Bitcointalk was last active yesterday. https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=2436 https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=2436
- nly 13y ago
  Good sign I guess, he hasn't posted in a long time though. Not that I can blame him, the SNR on that forum is appalling.

acjohnson55 13y ago

Wow, really touching. It's amazing to read his optimism about life and the Bitcoin project even after all he's going through. Here's hoping he continues to defy the odds, like Stephen Hawking has. Before yesterday, I thought Hal Finney was probably the leading candidate for being Satoshi. Him, Nick Szabo, Wei Dai, or some combination thereof. But now it seems far more likely that Satoshi is Satoshi.

sillysaurus3 13y ago
now it seems far more likely that Satoshi is Satoshi. Actually, Satoshi Nakamoto denied being Dorian Nakamoto. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7358150 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7358150
- acjohnson55 13y ago
  That's why I said "far more likely" and not "certain". I commented on that article, if you check my history.

christiangenco 13y ago

Wow, that ending hit me like a ton of bricks. I certainly have sympathy for those who invested their life savings into the Mt Gox crash and lost everything, but I doubt I could find a single one of them that could trade places with Hal and have half of his positive attitude. Really helps put things in perspective.