Blockstream co-founder Alex Fowler sent a private message to me asking me to remove the Public Service Announcement on NodeCounter.com. I am making this public, as well as my response.

7a11l409b1d3c65 · 2時間前

At least he admits that Lightning for Bitcoin doesn't exist, and might never exist in the forseeable future.

We have no business plans today to launch a LN for Bitcoin, and in fact, we are more likely to start experimenting with LNs in sidechains than we are for Bitcoin any time soon.

satoshis_sockpuppet · 1時間前

Our future is in no way dependent on Bitcoin

We know. This is why you are destroying it. Cypherpunks my ass.

paoloaga · 1時間前

Is he claiming that investors funded $75M+ without a plan? ROFL!

arnili · 2時間前

He might have realised after all, that the community won't be tolerating his shit.

theonetruesexmachine · 2時間前

Our future is in no way dependent on Bitcoin

Doesn't this contradict previous statements by Blockstream employees that Blockstream is highly invested in the success of Bitcoin? I'd think the demise of Bitcoin would have a pretty big impact on their future if their previous statements were true?

Also, both /u/nullc and /u/luke-jr have publicly denied the existence of censorship in r/Bitcoin. This is addressed nowhere in the message to you.

Manipulating public opinion is not censorship.

(Source, /u/luke-jr)

cryptonaut420 · 2時間前

You know, I think one of Blockstream's big problems is ironically their lack of control. More specifically, lack of control over their own employees. They seem to all just do whatever they want, constantly contradict eachother and continue to say and reveal things which just dig their holes even deeper. Acting on their own accord for the good of the company, under the guise of being the protectors of bitcoin instead..

BitttBurger · 2時間前

Thank you for doing this. And thank you for posting this. This thread needs to go to the top of this sub and sit there.

In fact why don't you sticky it?

3h7rt6 · 1時間前

Thank you for keeping the discussion in the public realm.

silver_sean · 2時間前

"We want Bitcoin to succeed.

Then fucking prove it. You're nothing without the users, and they are placing the blame on you (for good reason).

Nutomic · 1時間前

They start to sound rather desperate with their co-founder messaging website owners, and their ceo posting on /r/btc.

Maybe they're starting to realize that they're losing grip of the community (and also the miners?).

Richy_T · 1時間前

blockstreamcoin · 1時間前

My suggestion is that everyone copy/paste nodecounter.com Public Service Announcement everywhere.

thezerg1 · 1時間前

Since the average web page is over 2mb and people don't wait 10 seconds forget 10 minutes per load you are either stupid or have an ulterior motive. Since you are a VC I'm guessing that you are smart.

Meanwhile Microsoft is dropping BTC... you still have a chance to rethink this. Threaten to withdraw your funding if BS does not make a compromise that shows industry that Bitcoin will scale. If we move to 2m or even 8mb and Lightning or sidechains work then great we'll never use that capacity.

But I think you are betting that if you burn Bitcoin down companies will be driven to proprietary solutions and you'll be there with them. But I think you are wrong. If the btc experiment fails other nonblockchain solutions will be deployed based on the negative experience with btc.

__add__ · 35分前

Sounds like Blockstream is about to implode.

todu · 1時間前

This is Alex Fowler according to Blockstream's own web page:

"Alex Fowler
SVP, Business Affairs

Alex is responsible for overseeing the company’s external affairs, including business development, communications, public policy and community outreach. With almost twenty-five years of experience, Alex is a dedicated professional focused on open source technologies, data security, Internet policy and user rights, and he advances those interests with technology, business and government leaders around the world. Alex’s past experience includes roles with PwC, Zero-Knowledge Systems, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Most recently, Alex served as Mozilla’s Chief Privacy Officer and head of public policy, leading strategic and operational initiatives on privacy, trust and security, as well as the independent organization’s public policy activities. Alex holds degrees from Brown University and George Washington University. He’s also a professionally trained cellist and avid surfer, activities he rarely engages in at the same time.

Twitter Linkedin"

Source: https://blockstream.com/team/

I bet his job is as impossibly difficult as that of a cat herder.

zuji1022 · 46分前

Thanks for posting this up. I really enjoyed seeing the PSA at NodeCounter and glad you called it out like it is

loveforyouandme · 37分前

Dude, you are handling yourself and these situations with integrity, transparency, and direct, simple truths. I respect you and your contributions quite a lot.

bitterschweet · 33分前

Too funny that he mentions IRC. They kick you out of the IRC channel too and block your ip address if you go against Blockstream.

ferretinjapan · 41分前

I want to share this with the community, because it seems like a behind-the-back way of trying to quiet my message from reaching the community, under the guise of "cypherpunk code of conduct".

Yeah, the second i read that my blood was boiling too. Fucking hiding behind cypherpunks to elevate himself as better and automatically qualifying himself is incredibly underhanded. This guy gives cypherpunks a bad name.

Fuck this back room underhanded BS. If it's wrong then HE can go public with his so-called facts. The message is already public after all, there is zero reason to "settle this in private" as the word is already out about how morally bankrupt they are. No-one's protected by PM's, only Blockstream is "protected" as it protects them from embarrassment if their "getting the facts straight" discussion blows up in their faces.

Underhanded dipshits.

himself_v · 39分前

I'm sorry, I side with Classic, but in this conversation he scores one point and again reminds us why, although being rude makes you feel powerful, they who remain polite are the victors.

There's an upside for all of this, and that is that he states in writing some of the things he would not tolerate. Use this chance to establish positive communication and encourage him to loudly advocate against censorship and one-core ecosystem. If Blockstream encourages people to be open-minded, try different solutions and listen to everyone, this whole landscape of opposition can change.

superhash · 20分前

I'm curious to know wtf Alex was thinking sending you a direct message.

My only guess is damage control, trying to keep this from blowing up across all the other forums. I'm sure he would love to have Blockstream being trashed on the front of r/technology for the 3rd time in weeks.

blessedbt · 1時間前

There are plenty of independent psychos who you can pin most of the strife on. They have precisely zero to do with Blockstream itself.

If this sub can't make that distinction then that doesn't reflect too well on it. He seems pretty reasonable to me despite whatever position he's taking.

btc

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