1: Yes it is :) The whole experience was eye-opening: coins transferred internationally within tens of minutes, then used for a Newegg purchase. This is a great

1: Yes it is :) The whole experience was eye-opening: coins transferred internationally within tens of minutes, then used for a Newegg purchase. This is a great example of real, concrete utility that I wish more people could experience on their own, before they criticize Bitcoin... 3 & 4: None of your complaints matter to most merchants who accept Bitcoin, because they do so through processors like BitPay/Coinbase. And processors completely remove the risk of volatility: they deposit the dollar amount the merchant requested directly in their bank account.