• BlackLaZoR@fedia.io
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    2 days ago

    Well, you take their address, sign a message with your private key saying .001 bitcoin goes there and propagate it over the network. But in very simple terms yep, bitcoins magically land on their address. Whole thing sustains itself on economic incentives and cryptography, without any central authority

    • Zorque@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      So there is a network and backbone to it. And you need to do something more than “I give this person a bitcoins for my game” especially when working through a separate storefront. Both to ensure that the person receives their game and you receive their currency.

      The problem with current transactions isn’t the money itself, it’s the services that use that currency.

      • Sonalder@lemmy.ml
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        2 days ago

        So there is a network and backbone to it.

        Yes, Bitcoin is not a currency, it’s an open permissionless network of trust secured not by access right managment and opacity but game theory and past energy. Very useful to build currencies. I recommend you Andreas Antonopoulos work, his content age very well and everything is under CreativeCommons. A great video to start is : What is Bitcoin and why does it matters?

        The problem with current transactions isn’t the money itself, it’s the services that use that currency.

        It really depend where you live. For Venezualian, Lebanese, Turkish and many more people there is huge problem with their currencies and banking services. Also in Africa many ex-french colonies are forced to use Franc CFA which is basically an economic-leash by the french government. We can debate on the many issues with the USD currency but these are little (for now at least) compared to others.

      • BlackLaZoR@fedia.io
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        2 days ago

        So there is a network and backbone to it

        Yes, it’s a permissionless P2P network.

        And you need to do something more than “I give this person a bitcoins for my game”

        Signing and sending transaction is exactly it. Transaction says that you send your bitcoins to an address controlled by the other person.

        especially when working through a separate storefront. Both to ensure that the person receives their game and you receive their currency.

        Crypto doesn’t ensure you get the product. Like with real cash, other party might just run away with money

        • Zorque@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          Crypto doesn’t ensure you get the product. Like with real cash, other party might just run away with money

          Which is why intermediaries exist and why crypto isn’t in any way a solution for the problem this entire post is about. And why bringing it up randomly is complete tech bro wankery.

            • boonhet@sopuli.xyz
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              2 days ago

              Valve? Not concerned. Random company selling something I need for a good price? Sure.

              The intermediaries are useful when dealing with less trustworthy merchants.

          • Sonalder@lemmy.ml
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            2 days ago

            You know you can build an escrow out of a smart-contract (even on Bitcoin) using multi-sig to ensure both parties are satisfied ?