636: Engineering the Future

Congrats on the 100 Chris. How to celebrate? Do whatever you want Chris, just have some fun. A guest sounds like a good idea, or how about some listeners calling in? I’m surprised to hear you say that you’re thinking of stopping at 100. I hope you don’t and I will continue to listen and support as long as you keep going. But you gotta do what feels right for you and your family. May the force be with you.

Value boost to bump streaming contribution...

Add this to the previous boost. Got fat fingered in my rage! And while I’m at it, did Bitcoin maxi culture fail? 100%, yes. It failed. NVK and his mates personified it and look what happened.

If I think back to all the BS “podcasters” spouted about “don’t trust, verify” and all that crap, without doing it themselves, it makes me feel sick. V4V pods with zero paid ads is the only way we’ll get reliable information. As they say “show me the incentives and I’ll show you the outcome”. Turns out they were right. Keep it up Chris. Thanks.

Part 2: Do you see any opportunities in the Bitcoin education space through TWIB? Memberships and courses, educational content? And are there any ways to “open source” any of this via V4V community contributions or something like that? I see why you’ve done with Linux Unplugged and wonder if it’s possible to do a TWIB version of this. Anyway, some thoughts to ponder. Your show drops on Thursday in my part of the world, and I always look forward to “TWIB Thursdays” now.

Hey Chris It was interesting to hear you say that you look at each of your shows as businesses. Tell us more about the vision for TWIB. Do you see it following the same path as LUP, with V4V, memberships and bonus content, but no paid ads? Are there other unique things you’re considering for TWIB? TBC in the next boost.

Part 2… When sentiment is low (and fuck me, it is as low as I have ever seen it), my happy place is a deep technical rabbit hole. When the price is crashing or the sky falling in, work on your skills and learn new things. Like running your own node on a self hosted Linux server. This week I’m hardening my node and learning all about reverse proxies. It really is the gift that keeps on giving and if you don’t get rich off Bitcoin, you’ll have some valuable skills to hit the job market with!

Bitcoin meetups and events are the best. Meeting other Bitcoiners IRL is like being reunited with old friends. I attend all the meetups and events I can and even travel to some. I would definitely attend a TWIB event. Thanks for the quality content every week, and for the laughs too! Gotta keep smiling (and stacking) through the bear :)

I’d like to hear more about places to use Bitcoin as money. Especially any online services you use or are aware of. I know there are VPNs, Email services and AI aggregators who accept sats. Any more? I’ve always thought using sats to support Open Source projects and developers should be an easy win. Thanks

Part 2: A listener shared this website, which has some excellent explainers and guides on wallets, entropy, keys, seeds and more. Awesome resource, all tools are free to use under the MIT license. https://selfcustodylabs.com/

My question last week was more about generating the seed phrase and checksum in an offline way. I rolled the dice so can get the entropy offline, but wonder how to generate and verify the actual seed words and checksum. It seems like that part is harder to do in a truely offline way. Do you have any tips on that? Thanks.

I love video for technical tutorials but prefer audio for news and interviews. How about some detailed video content on a technical topic, perhaps available as bonus content? Video content would involve more effort for you, so putting that effort towards evergreen technical content would mean it sticks around longer. Thanks for the in depth content and the research you put into every show. (+1 vote for the Alby hub deep dive with Wes)

I vote for an audio format podcast. Video is HUGE data-wise. I download my queue of podcast content daily to the local storage on my #GrapheneOS phone. In this usage model I can stream content without a data connection, I never worry about storage, and my phone can stay in the cab of my truck while I walk around with bluetooth headphones enjoying TWIB and working at the same time! Thanks for producing the best podcast I've heard on the topic of Bitcoin and for doing it in a format focused on audio delivery.

What do I think of BIP444? If you’re interested, read the original BIP, understand it properly then make your own judgement. Too many Bitcoiners are just listening to their favorite influencer and picking a side to support. The BIP makes no reference to a decision being made to determine if arbitrary data is objectionable. The BIP lists 7 Op Codes or conditions which would further restrict arbitrary data at the consensus level. I think Matthew Kratter picked that ball up and ran with it himself for some shock value. This BIP seems unlikely to have legs, but if we’re going to debate it we should at least understand it properly. My 2 sats worth. (Bonus boost for “nose candy Mark” in the last ep. I approve!)

Here's an intetesting article I ran across on Nomadnet: 42bfb438810723c65fe196af59948600:/page/nip-05/kudzaikutukwa@freedom.tech/the-golden-encirclement.mu If you don't have Nomadnet, I think it is also posted here on Substack: https://kudzai.substack.com/p/the-golden-encirclement-how-c…

A question about nodes and one for Wes. What is Nix Bitcoin? I hear you talk about Nix on LUP, and as I understand it Nix is a distro, but maybe it’s not? And how does Nix Bitcoin fit in? Is it a node implementation? Or not? Help me out with this one please. For Wes: What would it take for more Open Source believers to get into Bitcoin more? I’d love to hear his thoughts on this, hopefully you have some time on the road for some Bitcoin chat. Safe travels.

Has AI affected my job? Yes, in a positive way. I am self employed and take care of clients’ website and e-commerce infrastructure. AI allows me to do way more than before. An example is testing, I use AI to write scripts to automate testing, saves me hours each time. AI helps me troubleshoot issues on tools I have very little experience with. And this is just the beginning, I haven’t even gone deep into the Agent world yet. AI is going to disrupt and create opportunities at the same time. It’s up to all of us to make sure we’re in the right place to benefit.

Hey Chris. I want to echo some of the other comments here and say that TWIB is a highlight of my week and that the signal and value you provide is awesome. The fact that you live and breathe Open Source and live off V4V means the content is of the highest quality. It seems like all the other Bitcoin pods have either lost their values, sold out to advertisers or just gone bat shit crazy, so we need you here buddy. I’d like to see more of the membership for TWIB and think there must be opportunities there for you. An Open Source Bitcoin community centered around TWIB, learning new skills and helping each other out, I’d be a part of that. Over and out.

TIMETRAVEL BOOST EP56! Currently in the Hospital after a small nose surgery, so more time to catch up on JB :) In the episode you asked about hoarding, for me it's mostly non perishable foods, like pasta, soy sauce,... Can't pass a good deal when there is one for things I need to buy again anyway!

TIMETRAVEL BOOST, EP56! Currently in the Hospital after a small nose surgery, so more time to catch up on JB :) In the episode you asked about hoarding, for me it's mostly non perishable foods like pasta, soy sauce,... Can't pass a good deal when there is one for things I need to buy again anyway!

Belated boost for this, and other episodes. So much of what Dash talked about resonated with me. Running multiple nodes, disappointment in Bitcoiners and looking for answers somewhere else. Thanks for the thought provoking conversations Cody.

Belated boost for the last few episodes. Thanks for the useful and thought provoking content. Where else can I find Mishima Yukio, Taiwan and Bitcoin Policy in NZ on the same stream!

In anticipation of your deep dive on AlbyHub, let me say that AlbyHub is a growing disappointment for me. I tried to create two self-hosted docker AlbyHub instances with the idea that I would experiment with custom channels between the two instances (to avoid the expensive/limited LSP's baked into AlbyHub). Wrong! It seems at every turn AlbyHub hides key technical details and config options from the UI in the name of "security/ease of use". Overiding the default web address for the web admin console with a secure tailnet IP address seems to break AlbyhHub's interaction with the external internet. AlbyHub is not an experimenter's dream, but more of a nightmare.

Every month I add a little extra to my regular DCA and keep it in a mobile wallet for spending. I want Bitcoin to be money, so want to make that a reality. There aren’t too many merchants who accept Bitcoin around me, but not zero. I pay for my haircuts and always support cafes and restaurants who accept it. If I find a merchant who accepts Sats in a place I visit, I make a point of going there and spending sats. I also pay for as many online services as I can in Sats: Proton, Mullvad and ppq.ai are examples. And boosts of course! This is how I do it.

Thanks for the update on this Chris. Keep ‘em coming, people are afraid and a bit freaked out so some calm words and solid advice from an OG like you will be really helpful. Interesting spin on random numbers on LUP too, seems like this is not the first time generating random numbers has led to problems.

I think you did have a technical problem last week, I could see more sats in the fountain stream alone than the total you read out on the show. So here’s a double for this week. Stick to the signal and leave the $1 million dollar price talk for the other B grade podcasters.

About node setups and security: I started with a Raspiblitz about 3 years ago, this was a great first node if you want to learn the more technical side of running a node as it packages everything up and has a very simple GUI but also allows you to use the command line as well. It runs over Tor by default, so gives you that extra layer of privacy. Two years in I started running Bitcoin Core directly on an Ubuntu server, which in many ways is simpler than the Raspiblitz once you get used to doing everything in the command line. You’re running way less services, just what you need: Bitcoin Core, Fulcrum Server, Mempool.space and Tor. I went on to run a Lightning Node a year later and am still going strong, using that to route all my payments. Both my Bitcoin node and LND run over Tor, which for personal use (not routing on Lightning) has been good for me. I followed the guides on the Ministry of Nodes You Tube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@MinistryofNodes) , Ketan is a well known Aussie Bitcoiner and a big open source and Linux guy. His guides are excellent. Next step is to connect Alby Hub to my LND node, so I can route my own boosts on Fountain.

Part 2: I’d love to hear more about your node config on Bitcoin Core and what version you’re running. I’ve been holding off upgrading and am still running v28 but as v31 is coming out soon I think I need to upgrade to keep within the maintenance window. What configuration changes have you made to the defaults and what do you suggest for version updates and basic config changes?

+1 for ppq.ai This has been my go to AI for about a year now. It’s built by a Bitcoiner, you get discount when you pay in Sats and if you pay over LN, there’s zero KYC and the built in privacy of Lightning. Use it with a VPN (like Mullvad, also paid for in Sats) and offers pretty good privacy for general use. You can connect via a browser or with API keys. I use it for general topics or learning, not for anything private is sensitive. You can connect to all the latest models and it’s really good value as you pay per query (PPQ). There are more and more online services like this that accept sats and if we’re going to get the world using Bitcoin as money, these are great places to support the global P2P Bitcoin economy.

As soon as it's double digits °C my goto is homemade cold brew iced latte. Caffeine is really interesting though, doesn't seem to affect me at all, even right before sleep. Tried a 3 month caffeine break, didn't make a difference either.

TIMETRAVEL BOOOOST (EP 81, almost done!) I wouldn't count watching TV as a Hobby. I have to many already anyway, don't want to add that to the list :D Reading a book totally counts though in my view.

TIMETRAVEL BOOOOST! EP 77 in Vacuums: Shortly after getting cats we got a (now two) Roborock Vacuums. Would'nt go back, they are so great. One of the few pieces of I buy tech where there are still very meaningful generational improvements.

Another TIMETRAVEL BOOOOST for fireworks in EP 73 Have not been setting off any myself for years, but like watching them. Luckily we have a nice view from our roof terrace and can just watch everything the neighbors/city is setting off on New Years :)

TIMETRAVEL BOOST! EP 63 about Monitor Setups: I use an ultrawide 34" 1440p QD-OLED and a 27" 1440p on the side, both for gaming and work. Fair warning though, once you go OLED / good HDR you can't go back, even had to switch my TV as well😅

TIMETRAVEL BOOST! In EP61 you talked about the iPhone fold. I wouldn't switch to apple, but been using a pixel fold for two generations. Great experience, especially for multitasking (scrolling reddit while watching YouTube 😜). But it's a company phone and I wouldn't buy it myself for the price, the inner screen is just way to flimsy. My first generation Pixel had screen issues three times, luckily warranty each time.

TIMETRAVEL BOOOOST, slowly catching up! In LUP652 you talked about still considering yourself a gamer although barely gaming currently. I had waves of the same, to many hobbies! But we still have an in person LAN weekend with ~20 people every January, going for 20+years. Also PoE2 has caught me this last year and I've been sinking 1k+hours there😅

TIMETRAVEL BOOOOST! Catching up on The Lunch/LUP after a busy time. Currently in last year Dcember, so a Lot of good stuff ahead of me :) Membership kept running of course ;)

I also have a serious question for you. I recently listened to an interview with the Samurai wallet dev who has been sentenced to 5 years prison for writing open source software. In the interview he talked about how his constitutional rights were not respected and how hostile the judge was. They had no evidence of an actual crime being committed, so the charges are for “conspiracy” to commit crimes. Basically, as they were “aware” that their software could be used for illegal purposes, they’re guilty of conspiring to commit that crime. This is pretty scary, does this mean any open source dev could be guilty of a similar crime? With your background in FOSS and Linux, I’d like to hear what you think about this? https://fountain.fm/episode/GgxUJOIxjJ96e0YFuVO2 Here’s the interview for anyone interested. Also a V4V pod with no ads.

Yes, my nephew did complete his sats quest. I made it easy for him by loading up a Lightning wallet and telling him about a bar where he lives which accepts sats. Told him he has to take some friends and shout them a drink with the Sats. And offered some additional cold storage sats as a “reward” once the quest was completed. Incentives at work :)

Double boost for this and the episode with Oscar. Conversations with people like Oscar who are creating real use cases for Bitcoin are great. Is there a way to connect my LND node to Fountain? Can I do this with Alby hub? I’d love to connect directly and not have to manually top up my Fountain wallet if I could. Keep the signal coming, thanks.

Now that we’re all entropy enthusiasts, can you share some tips on how to create a seed 100% offline. The best method I found was to roll dice and then create the seed phrase offline on Tails, which is then wiped after shutdown. But I still wonder how “offline” that could be? I saw another boost here talking about using a NixOS offline to do it. Do you have any tips or shared experience in this area? Thanks

Thanks for the signal Chris, as always. Can you help us understand the game theory for BIP110 in relation to mining. If they have very low hashrate (<10%) can this still cause a disruption and potential chain split? My initial thoughts were that they won’t get a significant amount of hash so it will just die on the vine. But the proponents of 110 are talking like they can still force a counter fork if they have minority hash. Maybe I’ve got this wrong so can you talk us through this pls.

The bear market getting you down? BIP110 doing your head in? Well here’s just what you need, all of you! A Bitcoin meetup in New Zealand. We run these really relaxed and friendly meetups, called Bitkiwi, three times a year and all Bitcoiners are welcome. We often have overseas Bitcoiners come along too. The next one is real soon, we’ll let you off Chris cos I know you’re at Planet Nix. But next time. Everyone welcome! https://kiwibitcoinguide.org/home/bitkiwi-meetups/bitkiwi-x…