Bitcoin Course Textbook

In the previous post, Bitcoin Course on Youtube, I noted,

'If you just want the lectures, simply subscribe to this channel. In this lecture (click the time to jump to the section): [...]' The 'jump to sections' correspond to the section headings of the first chapter of the course textbook.

The course textbook, 'Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies' by Arvind Narayanan et al (Draft — Feb 9, 2016), doesn't include a table of contents, so I created one myself. It can also be used as a general guide to the Youtube lectures, to locate the lecture on a a specific section.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Cryptography & Cryptocurrencies
1.1 Cryptographic Hash Functions
1.2 Hash Pointers and Data Structures
1.3 Digital Signatures
1.4 Public Keys as Identities
1.5 A Simple Cryptocurrency [GoofyCoin]

Chapter 2: How Bitcoin Achieves Decentralization
2.1 Centralization vs. Decentralization
2.2 Distributed consensus
2.3 Consensus without identity using a block chain
2.4 Incentives and proof of work
2.5 Putting it all together [Cost of mining; Getting a cryptocurrency off the ground; 51-percent attack]

Chapter 3: Mechanics of Bitcoin
3.1 Bitcoin transactions
3.2 Bitcoin Scripts
3.3 Applications of Bitcoin scripts
3.4 Bitcoin blocks
3.5 The Bitcoin network
3.6 Limitations and improvements

Chapter 4: How to Store and Use Bitcoins
4.1 Simple Local Storage
4.2 Hot and Cold Storage
4.3 Splitting and Sharing Keys
4.4 Online Wallets and Exchanges
4.5 Payment Services
4.6 Transaction Fees
4.7 Currency Exchange Markets

Chapter 5: Bitcoin Mining
5.1 The task of Bitcoin miners
5.2 Mining Hardware
5.3 Energy consumption and ecology
5.4 Mining pools

Chapter 6: Bitcoin and Anonymity
6.1 Anonymity Basics
6.2 How to De-anonymize Bitcoin
6.3 Mixing
6.4 Decentralized Mixing
6.5 Zerocoin and Zerocash

Chapter 7: Community, Politics, and Regulation
7.1: Consensus in Bitcoin
7.2: Bitcoin Core Software
7.3: Stakeholders: Who's in Charge?
7.4: Roots of Bitcoin [Cypherpunk and digital cash; Satoshi Nakamoto]
7.5: Governments Notice Bitcoin
7.6: Anti Money-Laundering
7.7: Regulation
7.8: New York's BitLicense Proposal

Chapter 8: Alternative Mining Puzzles
8.1 Essential Puzzle Requirements
8.2 ASIC-resistant puzzles
8.3 Proof-Of-Useful-Work
8.4 Nonoutsourceable Puzzles
8.5 Proof-of-Stake and Virtual Mining

Chapter 9: Bitcoin as a Platform
9.1 Bitcoin as an Append-Only Log
9.2 Bitcoins as “Smart Property”
9.3 Secure Multi-Party Lotteries in Bitcoin
9.4 Bitcoin as Public Randomness Source
9.5 Prediction Markets and Real World Data Feeds

Chapter 10: Altcoins and the Cryptocurrency Ecosystem
10.1 Altcoins: History and Motivation
10.2 A Few Altcoins in Detail [Namecoin; Litecoin; Peercoin; Dogecoin]
10.3 Relationship Between Bitcoin and Altcoins
10.4 Merge Mining
10.5 Atomic Cross-chain Swaps
10.6 Bitcoin-Backed Altcoins, “Side Chains”
10.7 Ethereum and Smart Contracts

Chapter 11: Decentralized Institutions: The Future of Bitcoin?
11.1 The Block Chain as a Vehicle for Decentralization
11.2 Routes to Block Chain Integration
11.3 Template for Decentralization
11.4 When is Decentralization a Good Idea?

Many chapters also have an additional section for 'Further Reading' and/or 'Exercises'. Some months after I first posted about the Online Bitcoin Course (March 2016), the course textbook appeared on Amazon.com: Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies: A Comprehensive Introduction, (Hardcover - 19 July 2016). Recommended!

Bitcoin Course on Youtube

While waiting for the New Online Bitcoin Course to start, I discovered the old course on Youtube.

Lecture 1 — Intro to Crypto and Cryptocurrencies (58:41) • 'First lecture of the Bitcoin and cryptocurrency technologies online course.'

The description continued,

Published on Feb 16, 2015 • Course website:
https://piazza.com/princeton/spring2015/btctech/home

For the full experience, sign up via the link on that page. If you just want the lectures, simply subscribe to this channel. In this lecture (click the time to jump to the section): [...]

The 'jump to sections' correspond to the section headings of the first chapter of the course textbook. This first lecture and subsequent lectures are on the Youtube channel, Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies Online Course, which is dedicated to the course. My guess is that this is the first incarnation of the course that eventually appeared on Coursera.

New Online Bitcoin Course?

In last week's post, Bitcoin in the News : 2016-08, I wrote,

One of the few 'fortunately' stories harks back to 'Online Bitcoin Course' (March 2016), which was taken down at the end of June. Is that the same course or a new course? I'll find out in a future post.

I signed up for the new course and was informed via email,

You’re enrolled in Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies. We’ll let you know the moment the course opens for learners. For now, we’re busy putting the final touches on things. See you soon!

The email pointed to another page, Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies - Princeton University (coursera.org), that starts,

About this course: To really understand what is special about Bitcoin, we need to understand how it works at a technical level. We’ll address the important questions about Bitcoin, such as: How does Bitcoin work? [...] After this course, you’ll know everything you need to be able to separate fact from fiction when reading claims about Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

That leads to the same final question as my previous post: 'Is that the same course or a new course? I'll find out in a future post.' Title this current post; 'Kicking the Can'...

Bitcoin in the News : 2016-08

August was not a good month for bitcoin. Even though I lost five days of Google news alerts (11-15 August; see Site Available Again), I can't imagine that the missing days would have changed the month's tone significantly. The first story of note, a continuation from July's Bitcoin in the News : 2016-07 More++: 'Bitcoin not money Miami judge rules', sounds like an unfortunately/fortunately scenario.

• 2016-07-31: Florida Judge Deals a Blow to Bitcoin's Legitimacy (financemagnates.com) • 'Another tough development for those who advocate the spread of Bitcoin as an alternative currency'
• 2016-08-02: A Victory for Bitcoin Users (cato.org) • 'Miami-Dade Florida circuit judge Teresa Pooler dismissed money-laundering charges'

There was nothing unfortunately/fortunately about the next story. It was 'unfortunately' from start to finish.

• 2016-08-03: Bitcoin Worth $72M Was Stolen in Bitfinex Exchange Hack in Hong Kong (fortune.com)
• 2016-08-08: Bitfinex users to share 36% of bitcoin losses after hack (bbc.com)
• 2016-08-17: The Wretched, Endless Cycle of Bitcoin Hacks (bloomberg.com) • Good explanation of how the theft was orchestrated.

That story says 'hack', the next says 'attack'. When all is said and done, what's the difference?

• 2016-08-18: Bitcoin 'targeted by state sponsored attackers' says Bitcoin.org (theregister.co.uk) • '"Bitcoin.org has reason to suspect that the binaries for the upcoming Bitcoin Core release will likely be targeted by state sponsored attackers," the organisation says'
• 2016-08-18: Bitcoin.org warns of potential attack by 'state-sponsored hackers' (uk.businessinsider.com) • 'Users are being warned that an upcoming release of digital currency could be targeted by "state-sponsored hackers."'

In August, the word 'attack' was frequently associated with bitcoin.

• 2016-08-22: How Bitcoin helped fuel an explosion in ransomware attacks (zdnet.com)

One of the few 'fortunately' stories harks back to Online Bitcoin Course (March 2016), which was taken down at the end of June.

• 2016-08-07: Coursera Course on Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Begins Soon (themerkle.com)

Is that the same course or a new course? I'll find out in a future post.