The God-Tweet from 15 years ago, #Runningbitcoin:

On January 11, 2009, a computer programmer named Hal Finney posted a simple message on Twitter: “Running bitcoin”. Little did he know that he was making history as the first person to publicly announce running a Bitcoin node, just a few days after the launch of the Bitcoin network.

Hal Finney was not only an early adopter of #Bitcoin, but also a pioneer and a visionary. He was the first recipient of a Bitcoin transaction, when Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious creator of Bitcoin, sent him 10 BTC as a test. He was also a developer and a #cryptographer, who contributed to the Bitcoin code and the development of cryptographic tools and protocols.

But what does it mean to run Bitcoin? And why is it important for the robustness of the network?

Running Bitcoin means running a #software program that validates transactions and maintains a copy of the distributed ledger, or the blockchain, that records all the transactions that ever happened on the network. By running Bitcoin, one becomes a node, or a participant, in the network, and helps to secure it from attacks and disruptions.

The more nodes there are, the more decentralized and robust the network becomes. #Decentralization means that there is no single point of failure or control in the network, and that anyone can join and leave without permission. Robustness means that the network can withstand and recover from various kinds of shocks, such as technical glitches, #securitybreaches, or #regulatory interventions.

Since Hal Finney’s tweet, the Bitcoin network has grown exponentially, both in terms of the number of nodes and the value of transactions. According to Bitnodes, there are currently over 10,000 #nodes running Bitcoin, distributed across the globe.

The Bitcoin network has also proven its robustness over the years, surviving multiple challenges and crises, such as hacking attempts, forks, bans, and crashes. Despite these adversities, the network has continued to operate without interruption, following the rules and incentives set by its protocol.

#HalFinney passed away in 2014, after battling with a degenerative disease called ALS. He left behind a legacy of innovation and inspiration for the Bitcoin community and beyond. His tweet, “Running bitcoin”, has become a symbol of the spirit and the potential of Bitcoin, as well as a challenge for the future.