| Description |
1 online resource (xvi, 249 pages) : illustrations |
| Note |
Includes index. |
| Summary |
This book is about Bitcoin, the game-changing digital currency, used by millions worldwide. It isn't just another way to buy stuff, it's an anonymous, revolutionary, cryptographically secure currency that functions without the oversight of a central authority or government. Learn what Bitcoin is, how it works, and how to acquire, store, and spend bitcoins safely and securely. Readers also will learn Bitcoin's underlying cryptographic principles, and how bitcoins are created; the history of Bitcoin and its potential impact on trade and commerce; about the blockchain, the public ledger of Bitcoin transactions; how to choose a bitcoin wallet that's safe and easy to use; how to accept bitcoins as payment in a physical store or on a website; and advanced topics, including Bitcoin mining and Bitcoin programming. -- Edited summary from book. |
| Contents |
About the Authors; Brief Contents; Contents in Detail; Preface; Acknowledgements; Chapter 1: What Is Bitcoin?; Why Bitcoin Now?; The Benefits of Using Bitcoin; The Complexity and Confusion of Bitcoin; What's in This Book?; Chapter 2: Bitcoin Basics; How Bitcoin Works in Simple Terms; Bitcoin Units; The Bitcoin Address; The Private Key; The Bitcoin Wallet; Creating Your First Bitcoin Wallet with Electrum; Acquiring Bitcoins in Your Wallet; Spending Bitcoins with Your Wallet; Bitcoin Addresses Generated by Your Bitcoin Wallet Program; The Blockchain; The Blockchain Lottery; Blockchain Forking |
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Transaction Confirmations, Double Spending, and IrreversibilityMining Bitcoins; The Complexity of the Bitcoin System; Chapter 3: Storing Your Bitcoins Safely, Securely, and Conveniently; Storing Your Private Key(s); Hot Storage vs. Cold Storage; Personal vs. Hosted Wallets; Safety, Security, and Convenience; Storing Small Amounts of Bitcoins; Online Hosted Wallet Services; Online Personal Wallet Services; Personal Hot Wallet; Storing Large Amounts of Bitcoins; Paper Wallets; Encrypted Paper Wallets; Offline Transaction Signing; Fragmented Private Keys and Multi-Signature Addresses |
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Special Mention: The Bitcoin Hardware WalletSpecial Mention: The Bitcoin Brain Wallet; Choosing the Storage Method That's Right for You; Chapter 4: Buying Bitcoins ; Why Not Just Mine Bitcoins?; Ways to Buy Bitcoins; Buying Bitcoins the Easy Way; Authentication Factors; The Hassle of Converting Dollars (or Other Currencies) into Bitcoins; Buying Bitcoins with Coinbase; Buying Bitcoins the Efficient Way; Buying Bitcoins from a Currency Exchange; Buying Bitcoins the Fun and Futuristic Way; Step 1: Finding Someone to Buy From; Step 2: Deciding on a Meeting Place |
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Step 3: Handing Over the Money and Getting Your BitcoinsSatoshi Square; Still Don't See a Buying Option That Works for You?; Chapter 5: Lost at Sea: A Cryptographic Adventure; Chapter 6: Why Bitcoin Is a Big Deal; A Brief History of Digital Currencies; The Dawn of Bitcoin; Bitcoin's First Four Years; Bitcoin's Early Impact; The Future Potential of Bitcoin; What Are the Existential Risks to Bitcoin?; What Role Might Bitcoin Play in the Future?; The Dangers of Decentralized Digital Money ; Chapter 7: The Cryptography Behind Bitcoin; A Brief Cryptography Overview; One-Way Functions |
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Cryptographic Hash Functions Verify InformationPublic Key Cryptography; Digital Signatures; Using Digital Signatures; Why Bitcoin Needs Cryptography; Authorizing Transactions with Digital Signatures; Verifying the Validity of the Transaction History; Proof-of-Work in Bitcoin Mining; Extra Protection for Bitcoin Private Keys ; Cryptographic Methods Used in Bitcoin; Cryptographic Hash Functions: SHA256 and RIPEMD160 ; Crowley and the Unfortunate Jelly-Filled Donut Incident; Moving Around on a Line; Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) ; The Safety of Bitcoin's Cryptography |
| Subject |
Bitcoin.
|
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Electronic funds transfers.
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Electronic commerce.
|
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Money.
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Exchange.
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Bitcoin. |
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Transferts électroniques de fonds. |
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Commerce électronique. |
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Échange (Économie politique) |
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Bitcoin. |
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Bitcoin |
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Electronic commerce |
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Electronic funds transfers |
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Exchange |
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Money |
| Added Author |
Wilmer, Chris, author.
|
| ISBN |
9781593276539 (electronic bk.) |
|
1593276532 (electronic bk.) |
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