Re:Ask HN: For Bitcoin to be ubiquitous, what must happen?
by wcoenen on Sunday November 17, 2013 @04:45PM
(#6751076)
Bitcoin addresses do have a checksum[1]. And for most payments in person, people will just scan a QR code[2].
[1] https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1026.0
[2] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.schildbach....
Re:Ask HN: For Bitcoin to be ubiquitous, what must happen?
by jerguismi on Sunday November 17, 2013 @04:50PM
(#6751104)
There are checksums, fairly good actually. If I remember right, about 4 bytes of checksum, so the change to mistype is fairly low.
There have been some solution proposals to the problems you describe, firstbits comes to mind: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Firstbits
Re:Ask HN: For Bitcoin to be ubiquitous, what must happen?
by natrius on Sunday November 17, 2013 @04:58PM
(#6751149)
PayPal-style sending money to an email address can easily work with Bitcoin the same way it does with bank accounts, though sending payments would presumably require that web service to manage a Bitcoin wallet for you. Receiving should be easy.
Re:Ask HN: For Bitcoin to be ubiquitous, what must happen?
by celticninja on Sunday November 17, 2013 @04:36PM
(#6751026)
there are first bits and they easily convert to a QR code which can be emailed or sent via sms.
For something like PayPal, I can send money to an email address. For M-Pesa countries, I can send money to a phone number. If I'm in the UK, I can send money to a sort code (12-34-56) and account number (98765432). For international payments, I can send money to an IBAN (GB29 NWBK 6016 1331 9268 19)
For BitCoin? I have to send payment to "FHTbTN7omGUchDpmuHumii"
I can't read that out over the phone or easily copy type it - I certainly can't remember it. There are no checksums, and no routing information.
So, for me, there's a high barrier to entry for doing something as simple as paying someone back for a meal.