P2P Research List Emails
SNI adds previously missing emails
It was brought to our attention that the Complete Satoshi archive of Satoshi's public writings was, in fact, incomplete and missing Satoshi's emails from the P2P Research List.
These emails are now available online on our website.
We would like to thank John Dexter of The Hard Money Project for bringing this to our attention, and Bryan Bishop for providing the archive backup.
Here are some notable quotes from these emails:
On the biggest difference between bitcoin and previous digital cash systems:
Of course, the biggest difference is the lack of a central server. That was the Achilles heel of Chaumian systems; when the central company shut down, so did the currency.
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On proof-of-work obviating the need for reputation:
[…] Bitcoin does not use reputation at all. It sees the network as just a big crowd and doesn't much care who it talks to or who tells it something, as long as at least one of them relays the information being broadcast around the network. It doesn't care because there's no way to lie to it. Either you tell it crypto proof of something, or it ignores you.
[Link]
And a comment on other “social currencies” that many bitcoiners might not agree with Satoshi about:
I see Bitcoin as a foundation and first step if you want to implement programmable P2P social currencies like Marc's ideas and others discussed here. First you need normal, basic P2P currency working. Once that is established and proven out, dynamic smart money is an easy next step.
I love the idea of virtual, non-geographic communities experimenting with new economic paradigms.
[Link]
We can all certainly share an excitement in the ability for communities to gain financial sovereignty through peer-to-peer electronic cash, and be grateful to Satoshi for building an extraordinary new monetary base layer for the global economy.
We hope you enjoy reading these overlooked emails. If there is other content that you believe is missing or should have its place on the Satoshi Nakamoto Institute, please get in touch. You can also help us continue to expand our website by making a tax-deductible donation to our 501(c)(3) organization.