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An underrated guy in the web3 world
Good morning, readers. Web3 Dot is back with a special story. Today we’ll introduce an underrated guy in the web3 world named Hal Finney.
Hal Finney, a crypto legend, who
Was the first person to download Bitcoin software
Was the first recipient of a Bitcoin transaction.
Was a co-developer of the first anonymous remailer and so on…
In today’s story:
📑Hal Finney’s life-story recap.
👨💻Hal Finney’s contribution to Web3 world.
🔍️Was Hal Finney is real Satoshi?
— Kamruzzaman Sagor, Editor
In This Story 📖
📑Hal Finney’s life-story recap:
Finney was born in 1956. He graduated from Caltech University. After graduation, he was involved in many console game development projects.
In early 1991, he joined the Cypherpunks movement. The main goal of this movement is to decentralize power from government. It would be done by using a system that enables anonymous communication and untraceable financial transactions.
Later, he joined PGP Corporation, which was founded by Phil Zimmermann, where he worked until his retirement in 2011.
During those years, he contributed to the development of the first anonymous remailer. This tool helps users communicate with each other by hiding their identities.
That’s not the end…
in 2004, he created the Reusable Proof-of-work(RPoW) system. In early 2009, he received the first Bitcoin transaction from its creator. Later, this year, he was diagnosed with ALS.
Which led him to die on August 28, 2014. Now, his body is preserved by the Alcone Life Extension Foundation.
👨💻Hal Fineey’s contribution to the Web3 world:
Fineey is mostly known for receiving 10 Bitcoins from Satoshi Nakamoto.
This is the only contribution he’d made?
Nope!
He created Reusable Proof-of-Work (RPoW), which inspired Bitcoin’s decentralized consensus mechanism that requires solving cryptographic puzzles.
When Satoshi exposed his idea for Bitcoin in a cryptography mailing, Finney showed his enthusiasm for this technology.
After the official Bitcoin launch, Finney was the first to install and run the software. He was also able to mine 50 BTC.
He also assisted Satoshi in finding bugs and suggested where he could make the code better.
Finney is also the first person who posted on Twitter/X about Bitcoin.
During his ALS period, he worked on an experimental software called beflick. It uses trusted computing to strengthen Bitcoin wallets.
Besides, he also shared his thoughts about Bitcoin in a forum named BitcoinTalk.
🔍️ Was Hal Finney is real Satoshi?
The simple answer is NO.
Finney’s son told in a Forbes report:
My father is an honest guy. […] He would have loved to have been part of creating Bitcoin, and he wouldn’t have hidden it. But he wasn’t involved.
Any imagination of how Satoshi might look?
A young man of Japanese ancestry who was very smart and sincere.
It doesn't carry any value that Finney is a real Satoshi or not. Throughout his life, his countless contributions to technology made him a legend.
🔥Dot Special
Satoshi Institute: Enrich your Bitcoin knowledge.
River Learn: Learn Bitcoin basics, mining, and so on.
RPoW: In a brief way.
Finney’s interview with Forbes.
That’s it for today!
For more, check out our other story covers.
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