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Re:Why Bitcoin Matters by atmosx on Tuesday January 21, 2014 @04:09PM (#7098392)
> [...] But once Bitcoin penetration is significant [...]

I think we passed that point, there is an adoption of bitcoin, but it will NEVER be used as a currency IMHO.

I really hope the price stops fluctuating so we can use it as a value storage medium, but even that can be disputed.

Re:Why Bitcoin Matters by reqres on Tuesday January 21, 2014 @05:20PM (#7098973)
I hope so too - but I think it's unlikely because Bitcoin is decentralised by design.

When money supply is controlled by central authority, it can be used as a tool to control prices and volatility. It's still early days but the inflation-targeting independent monetary policy experiment happening in some developed economies over the last 2 decades seems promising.

I'd be interested if anyone were willing to start a "centralised" Bitcoin governed by benevolent dictators for life. I'd rather put my savings with people who understand monetary theory and how to use big data to inform supply decisions than a system prone to cycles.

Re:Why Bitcoin Matters by ftwinnovations on Tuesday January 21, 2014 @11:57PM (#7100823)
There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home. - Ken Olsen, 1977

I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won’t last out the year. - Editor of Prentice Hall business books, 1957

There's no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. - Steve Ballmer, USA Today, April 30, 2007

I think there is a world market for maybe five computers. -- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

Re:Why Bitcoin Matters by haberman on Wednesday January 22, 2014 @06:27AM (#7101980)
I do not hesitate to forecast that atomic batteries will be commonplace long before 1980. - David Sarnoff, chairman of the Radio Corporation of America, 1955

Machines will be capable, within twenty years, of doing any work a man can do. - Nobel Prize winner Herbert Simon, 1956

By the turn of this century, we will live in a paperless society. - Roger Smith, chairman of General Motors, 1986

I believe OS/2 is destined to be the most important operating system, and possibly program, of all time. - Bill Gates, Foreword to the OS/2 Programmer's Guide, 1987

Segway will be to the car what the car was to the horse and buggy. - Dean Kamen, December 2, 2001

Also see: http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Galileo_gambit

Re:Why Bitcoin Matters by bushido on Wednesday January 22, 2014 @08:50AM (#7102483)
Quoting these statements are a little absurd. More so, when you consider that all of these statements are in the [their respective] present tense, and not making a declaration or prophecy of any kind.

Let me rephrase some of these for you to illustrate:

- There is no reason [in present time, that I know of as to why] anyone would want a computer in their home. - Ken Olsen, 1977

- I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that [from their current understanding of current applications of data processing that] data processing is a fad that won’t last out the year. - Editor of Prentice Hall business books, 1957

- There's no chance [that I am going to admit to my share holders] that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. - Steve Ballmer, USA Today, April 30, 2007

- I think there is a world market for maybe five computers [currently/at this time]. -- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

Re:Why Bitcoin Matters by pbreit on Tuesday January 21, 2014 @10:03PM (#7100436)
I could see the opposite: use of bitcoins for transacting and some of the other interesting applications Marc mentions. But it strikes as being a horrible value store given the volatility and lack of any underlying value.
Re:Why Bitcoin Matters by arthurcolle on Tuesday January 21, 2014 @10:36PM (#7100521)
There is value in the network of people already using bitcoin, as well as the six years of existence backing up the fact that it works.
Re:Why Bitcoin Matters by smtddr on Tuesday January 21, 2014 @04:35PM (#7098595)
This might be me being hyper-pedantic, but I'd argue that not even USD is a particularly good store of value. If you have a significant amount of money it should probably be in at least low-risk stocks or re-estate. Not just sitting in a regular savings account in a regular bank.

But, I do get the point that at least the USD dollar doesn't lose/gain 50% value in a few hours by wild speculation every month.

Re:Why Bitcoin Matters by atmosx on Tuesday January 21, 2014 @05:34PM (#7099087)
I wasn't thinking of USD, I was thinking more about something used for a couple of millenia as a value storage, but yes sure... Compared to today's BTC even the USD seems okay.
Re:Why Bitcoin Matters by XorNot on Tuesday January 21, 2014 @11:26PM (#7100717)
People do not live for millennia.

Like, you do realize that no one in the history of mankind has a use for something which "stores value" for millennia right?

And that timescale is so ridiculously huge that gold, silver and everything else does inflate away. We might be a type II Kardashev civilization in 1000 years. The volume of gold available will be absurdly large by then either way.

Re:Why Bitcoin Matters by atmosx on Wednesday January 22, 2014 @10:53AM (#7103304)
I wrote 2 paragraphs but I erased them, I'm sure you understood what my exact point was, but since your comment is not constructive at all, making stupid assumptions, comparing possible Kardashev civilizations with history, I will just post a link[1]. If you care follow it, if not, I don't have anything more to add.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold#Cultural_history

Re:Why Bitcoin Matters by seabee on Tuesday January 21, 2014 @06:25PM (#7099417)
USD fluctuates a lot less than silver/gold, in case you are implying the opposite.
Re:Why Bitcoin Matters by atmosx on Wednesday January 22, 2014 @10:55AM (#7103321)
Did the USD exist in 4th century BC[1]? Oh, sorry. I missed that one in the history course.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold#Cultural_history