Comments:"How the Internet Archive is having Great Time with Bitcoin | Internet Archive Blogs"
URL:http://blog.archive.org/2013/04/03/how-the-internet-archive-is-having-great-time-with-bitcoin/
The Internet Archive jumped into bitcoin in 2011 after many people asked to donate bitcoins– a non-techy set up our wallet (good sign), and we got about $2,000 worth of donations that first year. In 2012 we got about $6,000 worth– interesting.
I think of it as the local currency of the Internet. I figured out how to do it (then found an easier way), read the key paper, watched a good intro video, loved watching bitcoin in realtime avoid a financial crisis without a bailout. This is an “anti-fragile” system that is getting debugged. Feels like linux where exposing bugs are thought of a good thing rather than prosecuted as a crime.
Then the fun began! We offered employees to get partially paid in our donated bitcoins– 1/3 said yes, now we are buying sushi and beer. We were written up in Bitcoin Magazine, The Next Web, arstechnica.
We set up an honor based Bitcoin ATM to convert $ to Bitcoin and Bitcoin to $. Many people now use it. Hacker space at NY college following, maybe hacker space in SF.
We offer to take Bitcoin to see a movie about Anonymous at the Archive. 5 people pay with bitcoin.
Bitcoin is becoming a day-to-day currency of the Internet Archive with employees using it as a way to settle small debts, like for dinner.
If you want to try it then set up a “thin” bitcoin wallet on your phone or laptop, come to the Internet Archive, convert some money, then go out to lunch, drink beer and celebrate.
Completely fun, and very very interesting.