bitcoin – Page 2 – Stilgherrian

02 April 2015

Talking Bitcoin’s blockchain on 2SER’s The Wire

The Wire logo On Monday I recorded an interview on Bitcoin’s secret sauce, the blockchain, with The Wire, the current affairs program for Australia’s community radio network produced by 2SER in Sydney. It went to air that night as past their story Blockchains to the rescue?

It was only a couple of years ago that Bitcoin was taking the world by storm — the price rocketing by hundreds of percent. Since then, however, it has fallen into obscurity, with less and less companies accepting it as payment. But even if Bitcoin does not make it as a full fledged currency, the technology behind it may find a place elsewhere.

Journalist Josh Nicholas also spoke with Professor David Glance, Director of University of Western Australia’s Centre for Software Practice. The narrative contrasts my enthusiasm, for want of a better work, with Glance’s scepticism. That’s probably down to the questions asked and the editing, because I suspect our views are actually much the same.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (2.6MB)

The audio is Â©2015 2SER-FM 107.3. It’s also available at The Wire program website — that’s exactly the same as what you can hear here, it’s just that the audio file here has my branding — and you can also listen to the entire episode.

01 March 2014

Weekly Wrap 194: Brandis, Bitcoin and many medias

My week of Monday 17 to Sunday 23 February 2014 began with a busy time on the Gold Coast at the Tech Leaders Forum, but when I returned to Wentworth Falls mid-week I descended into food poisoning and related depths. I shall not be drawing a diagram. You shall be grateful.

Nevertheless I got quite a bit done, and I shall now list some of it. But I won’t say much more, because this week ended almost a week ago and I’m moving on.

Articles

I deliberately cut back on the number of written pieces I produced this month, their place in the budget having been filled by the discussion on digital privacy for Hitachi Data Systems. But I’m happy with what I wrote, including this column.

And the digital Antoinettes cried ‘Unemployed? Let them cut code’, ZDNet Australia, 21 February 2014. Contains the line: “the usual-suspect digital libertarian princesses — in the non-gender-specific sense — flouncing around as if they’re Marie Antoinette”.

Media Appearances

This was a ridiculous week for media spots. I did a total of seven radio interviews — and that’s after I’d turned down a couple of others, as well as a TV spot.

On Monday I spoke about Bitcoin on ABC 666 Canberra, but I screwed up the recording. Sorry.
On Tuesday I spoke about digital copyright on Spoke, the weekly social issues program on 3RRR.
That evening I spoke about digital copyright with Dom Knight on ABC Radio 702 Sydney, but I didn’t manage to get a recording of that one either.
Wednesday was the big day. First up, at around lunchtime, I spoke about the Internet of Things on ABC Gold Coast.
In the middle of Wednesday afternoon I spoke about the rumours of an Apple Car on 1395 FIVEaa Adelaide, which led to another lightheartedly cynical discussion of the Internet of Things.
On Wednesday afternoon I spoke about digital copyright on ABC 105.7 Darwin.
And later on Wednesday afternoon I spoke about Bitcoin again, this time on ABC Sunshine Coast.

5at5

Oh dear. It seems that 5at5, the “email letter” that I started three weeks ago, has started to get a bit wobbly. I only managed three issues this week. Sorry.

5at5 number 11, 17 February 2014.
5at5 number 12, 20 February 2014.
5at5 number 13, 21 February 2014.

Corporate Largesse

The Tech Leaders Forum 2014, formerly known as Kickstart Forum, on the Gold Coast ran from Sunday to Tuesday. The organisers, Media Connect, covered my flights from Sydney, airport transfers, and two nights accommodation at the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove. Then there were various freebies. Avaya: a 4GB USB key containing media assets. Emerson Network Power: a combination max-min thermometer-hygrometer; and an 8GB USB key containing media assets. NEC: an 8GB USB key; and a little battery-powered Bluetooth audio speaker. Riverbed: a Power Bank model A5 2600mAh external battery with all the connectors; and a 4GB USB key containing media assets, on a bright orange lanyard. Symantec: two bottles of orange juice.

[Photo: Stilgherrian juggling the invisible things at Tech Leaders Forum, 16 February 2014, with freelance journalist Claire Porter on the right. Photograph by Munir Kotadia. This is just crying out for some Photoshop work.]

01 March 2014

Talking Bitcoin on ABC Sunshine Coast

ABC logo I did two radio interviews about Bitcoin last week, but unfortunately only one survives. This one, the poorer of the two.

The first one, on Monday 17 February for ABC 666 Canberra, was sharp, and I pulled off what I remember as being good impromptu explanations. But I stuffed up the recording. This second one, for ABC Sunshine Coast on Wednesday 19 February, was done ~~after I’d followed the bottle of Sangiovese Barbera with a couple pints of cider~~ after a long day of work. It’s less focussed.

This conversation with presenter Mary-Lou Stephens includes the word “cryptolibertarian”. It’s all a bit much. I even squeeze in a mention of Honest Beef.

The audio is also presented here without an introduction or a back-announce, because that’s how it was posted on SoundCloud.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.4MB)

16 February 201401 March 2014

Weekly Wrap 193: Mid-month surge, then rain and planes

My week of Monday 10 to Sunday 16 February 2014 isn’t quite finished, but today is effectively the start of a new working week so… well, here we are. Before breakfast at Sydney Airport. Or right next to it. Call it a wrap of Monday to Saturday.

It seems that I switched from early-month torpor to late-month productivity around mid-week. We’ll see how that pans out over the next few days. But I do think I’m starting to identity a clear pattern here.