89 lines
5.4 KiB
Markdown
89 lines
5.4 KiB
Markdown
---
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img: /img/monero.png
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title: Monero
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author: Jeff Russo
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pdate: Dec 1, 2019
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desc: This is why we accept crypto
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---
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Simple Systems will accept payment in
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[Monero](https://web.getmonero.org/),
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[Bitcoin](https://bitcoin.org/), or
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[Litecoin](https://litecoin.org/).
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## What is cryptocurrency?
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Cryptocurrency is a medium of exchange that uses cryptography to ensure the key [properties](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money#Properties) of money are fulfilled.
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It is decentralized, meaning no single entity controls it; all the regulations come from cryptography and consensus.
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## Centralized fiat currencies
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Today, governments across the world maintain different fiat currencies.
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Fiat has some advantages over its predecessor, precious metals.
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The government can control the supply, stabilizing the value.
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It is also more portable than precious metals.
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Carrying a bag of gold doesn't make sense when you can use Apple Pay or Google Pay.
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Unfortunately, fiat currencies always end in disaster.
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The longest lasting fiat currency was around for 325 years, but its value eventually went to zero.
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A currency which experiences hyperinflation eventually becomes worthless.
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Here are a few examples of this happening:
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* <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/may/14/zimbabwe-trillion-dollar-note-hyerinflation-investment" target="_blank">Z$100 trillion loaves of bread in Zimbabwe</a>
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* <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperinflation_in_the_Weimar_Republic" target="_blank">German Papiermark</a>: The currency was inflated to the point of people getting paid in wheelbarrows of cash.
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<p class="no-indent">
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<img alt="Wheelbarrow of Cash" src="/img/hyperinflation_wheelbarrow.jpg">
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</p>
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* <a href="https://fee.org/articles/venezuela-cant-afford-to-print-more-money/" target="_blank">Venezuela could not afford to print money</a>
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* <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwZ6B5kalbQ" target="_blank">This video</a> shows some recent history of inflation rates.
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The US Dollar is relatively strong, but its value has still been inflated away since its inception.
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If you saved a dollar in 1913, it only has about 4 cents worth of buying power now.
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## Bitcoin - A Major Breakthrough
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[Bitcoin](https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf) was a major breakthrough in both computing and money.
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Its Proof of Work consensus algorithm is the backbone of most cryptocurrencies.
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This method enables entities from around the world to agree on something.
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For cryptocurrencies, that something is the possession of money.
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An agreement on the ownership of about $150B has been reached every ten minutes for over a decade.
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Bitcoin's ledger is completely transparent.
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When a transaction is created, the sender, receiver, and amount is made public.
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This can be a problem for a few reasons.
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First, it allows anyone to see how much money anyone else has.
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If you get a cup of coffee, you most likely wouldn't advertise your bank account balance; why do this with crypto?
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Secondly, this allows entities to discriminate based on transaction history.
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Some bitcoin is considered tainted if it has been involved in illegal activities.
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Organizations can refuse to do business with certain tainted bitcoin addresses.
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By analogy, if you find a $10 bill on the ground and pick it up, should you be tied to its history?
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If that $10 was in a bank robbery last year, should it be deemed to have less than $10 in value?
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## Monero - Fungible
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[Monero](https://web.getmonero.org/) is cryptocurrency which was released a few years after Bitcoin.
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It is [fungible](https://web.getmonero.org/resources/moneropedia/fungibility.html), unlike Bitcoin, meaning each unit of currency is of equal value as the others.
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This is achieved by keeping the ledger private.
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Transactions are put out in the open like Bitcoin, but the details are encrypted.
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This means there is no way to discriminate against a user based on their financial history.
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Monero is private by default, but has the ability to reveal transactions at your discretion.
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In the case of a business, it may be required to show the "books".
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This is simple with a view key, which can be used to show incoming transactions.
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## Be your own bank
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One of the advantages to using cryptocurrency is that you are your own bank.
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As long as you hold your private keys, your funds are safe.
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With today's computing power, you will be long gone before [your key is guessed](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/2847/how-long-would-it-take-a-large-computer-to-crack-a-private-key).
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Credit card companies and banks get [hacked](https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/capital-one-data-breach-compromises-tens-of-millions-of-credit-card-applications-fbi-says/2019/07/29/72114cc2-b243-11e9-8f6c-7828e68cb15f_story.html), and when they do the consequences are serious.
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When you are your own bank, there is no middle man, and it is your responsibility to secure your finances.
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As mentioned earlier, the Bitcoin network has not gone down in over a decade. Monero has a similar track record.
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This 24/7 availability gives you 24/7 access.
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## Conclusion
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I think cryptocurrencies are the future of money.
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They are superior to fiat in so many ways.
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There are almost no barriers to entry; essentially anyone with internet access can use crypto.
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For myself and my company, this makes it very easy to be my own bank.
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We will accept crypto because we believe it is only a matter of time before the world starts converting from fiat to it.
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Our preference is Monero because we see it as technologically superior.
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