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Hal Finney (computer scientist)

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142: 1452: 306:(ALS) in August 2009, and wrote: "I hope to be able to read, browse the net, and even participate in conversations by email and messaging (...) I may even still be able to write code, and my dream is to contribute to open source software projects even from within an immobile body. That will be a life very much worth living." Prior to his illness, Finney had been an active runner. Finney and his wife raised money for ALS research with the 1462: 927: 31: 288:– a hoax "where the perpetrator calls up emergency dispatch using a spoofed telephone number and pretends to have committed a heinous crime in the hopes of provoking an armed police response to the victim's home". Extortionists demanded fees of more bitcoins than Finney had left after using most of them to cover medical expenses in 2013. 216:
Finney was involved in the development of the first anonymous remailer, a tool for sending emails with the sender's identity concealed. He was one of the early contributors to this privacy-enhancing technology, which played a significant role in the cypherpunk movement and the broader field of online
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In March 2013, Finney posted on a Bitcoin forum, BitcoinTalk, a publication called "Bitcoin and Me (Hal Finney)" where he states he was essentially paralyzed. He recalls finding out that Bitcoin had gained monetary value in late 2010 and mentions that despite
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offers a completely different direction to go in, one which puts power into the hands of individuals rather than governments and corporations. The computer can be used as a tool to liberate and protect people, rather than to control
277:(ALS) disease causing his ability to code to be slower, he still loved programming and that it gave him goals. He continued to program until his death; he was working on experimental software called bcflick, which uses 587: 641: 433: 557: 351: 1506: 579: 671: 505: 804: 453:"For instance, many ACLU members do not share the generalized antipathy toward government that is a common premise of "cypherpunk" activists like Hal Finney and 217:
privacy. This work further demonstrated Finney's commitment to privacy and his significant contributions to the development of privacy-enhancing technologies.
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It seemed so obvious to me: "Here we are faced with the problems of loss of privacy, creeping computerization, massive databases, more centralization - and
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During the last year of his life, the Finneys received anonymous calls demanding an extortion fee of 1,000 bitcoin. They became victims of
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After graduation from Caltech, he went to work in the computer gaming field for a company that developed video games such as
502: 307: 153:, on May 4, 1956, to Virginia and Harold Thomas Finney. His father was a petroleum engineer. Harold Finney II attended the 808: 763: 909: 737: 154: 986: 1491: 1021: 527:
Levy, S. (2001). Crypto: How the Code Rebels Beat the Government Saving Privacy in the Digital Age. Penguin Books.
481: 331: 90: 1325: 269:), adding to speculation that he may have been Bitcoin's creator. Finney denied that he was Satoshi Nakamoto. 1168: 303: 274: 1342: 879: 1305: 938: 1320: 1158: 1465: 848: 262: 822: 550:"Here's The Problem with the New Theory That A Japanese Math Professor Is The Inventor of Bitcoin" 463: 266: 405: 257:
users and on January 12, 2009, he received the first bitcoin transaction from Bitcoin's creator
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contributor, and received the first Bitcoin transaction from the currency's creator
1455: 1378: 1122: 1082: 972: 319: 258: 130: 74: 1077: 30: 1394: 1350: 1189: 1097: 509: 437: 228:. In January 2009, Finney was the Bitcoin network's first transaction recipient. 188: 122: 1432: 1409: 1199: 1057: 1037: 902:"Bitcoin's Earliest Adopter Is Cryonically Freezing His Body to See the Future" 672:"Hal Finney received the first Bitcoin transaction. Here's how he describes it" 580:"Hal Finney received the first Bitcoin transaction. Here's how he describes it" 454: 352:"Hal Finney received the first Bitcoin transaction. Here's how he describes it" 198:
activist. During the early 1990s, in addition to being a regular poster on the
1480: 1229: 1142: 1102: 1087: 759: 729: 683: 118: 86: 901: 1437: 1285: 1280: 1224: 1132: 730:"An Extortionist Has Been Making Life Hell for Bitcoin's Earliest Adopters" 195: 173: 1427: 1209: 1112: 849:"After a Year of ALS, Reality Begins to Hit Home for Hal and Fran Finney" 245: 141: 1194: 1092: 1062: 458: 298: 237: 199: 179: 1107: 1052: 117:. In his early career, he was credited as lead developer on several 1404: 1399: 1137: 327: 285: 210: 1389: 1072: 995: 787:"In Finney home, Fran gives care, quality of life to husband Hal" 254: 225: 126: 101: 1234: 926: 1384: 1239: 536:
Hughes, E. (1993). A Cypherpunk's Manifesto. Retrieved from
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In October 2009, Finney announced in an essay on the blog
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Deaths from motor neuron disease in the United States
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with whom he remained until his retirement in 2011.
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Finney reviewing mathematics at high school in 1972
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Finney lived in the same town for 10 years that 478:"Prospects for remailers - Parekh - First Monday" 1478: 113:(May 4, 1956 – August 28, 2014) was an American 805:"Fight for a Cure for ALS: A Marathoners Story" 727: 157:, graduating with a BS in engineering in 1979. 899: 980: 823:"Hal and Fran Finney Are Running for a Cause" 425: 423: 636: 634: 632: 630: 136: 987: 973: 420: 29: 1497:California Institute of Technology alumni 627: 873: 503:"Give Us Some Credit: Your Card is Safe" 349: 140: 1174:List of people in blockchain technology 960:Hal Finney's profile in Forbes Magazine 1512:Neurological disease deaths in Arizona 1479: 784: 375: 231: 968: 766:from the original on 28 February 2015 721: 590:from the original on 27 February 2015 1461: 876:"Hal Finney being cryopreserved now" 728:Robert McMillan (29 December 2014). 376:Popper, Nathaniel (30 August 2014). 350:Peterson, Andrea (January 3, 2014). 308:Santa Barbara International Marathon 950:Review: Vernor Vinge’s ‘Fast Times’ 740:from the original on 3 January 2015 560:from the original on 4 January 2015 13: 807:. October 13, 2010. Archived from 220:In 2004, Finney created the first 155:California Institute of Technology 14: 1543: 919: 855:from the original on 25 June 2013 829:from the original on 8 March 2012 1532:People from Coalinga, California 1460: 1451: 1450: 925: 912:from the original on 2017-04-07. 785:Punzal, Barry (March 21, 2013). 610:"First bitcoin transaction ever" 302:that he had been diagnosed with 291: 187:. He later went to work for the 932:Hal Finney (computer scientist) 893: 867: 841: 815: 797: 778: 752: 696: 664: 602: 572: 542: 332:Alcor Life Extension Foundation 281:to strengthen Bitcoin wallets. 91:Alcor Life Extension Foundation 1487:People associated with Bitcoin 1326:2020 Twitter account hijacking 530: 521: 496: 470: 447: 394: 369: 343: 1: 1169:List of bitcoin organizations 900:Andy Greenberg (2014-08-28). 337: 304:amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 275:amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 222:reusable proof-of-work system 1527:Cryonically preserved people 1343:The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin 7: 1306:Bitcoin scalability problem 994: 10: 1548: 16:Cryptograph and cypherpunk 1446: 1418: 1361: 1334: 1321:2018 Bitcoin bomb threats 1316:2018 cryptocurrency crash 1298: 1273: 1257: 1248: 1182: 1159:List of bitcoin companies 1151: 1030: 1002: 202:listserv, Finney ran two 160: 96: 82: 63: 37: 28: 21: 313: 253:He was one of the first 137:Early life and education 1492:American transhumanists 874:Max More (2014-08-28). 554:San Francisco Chronicle 464:The Transparent Society 267:Temple City, California 263:Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto 208:export-grade encryption 111:Harold Thomas Finney II 42:Harold Thomas Finney II 1420:Bitcoin in El Salvador 939:"Hal Finney home page" 251: 146: 121:. He later worked for 1205:Cryptocurrency wallet 1164:List of bitcoin forks 1022:Environmental effects 952:(review by Finney in 242: 144: 1043:Andreas Antonopoulos 934:at Wikimedia Commons 811:on October 13, 2010. 151:Coalinga, California 56:Coalinga, California 708:halvingbitcoins.com 584:The Washington Post 515:The Washington Post 429:Popper, Nathaniel, 408:on 25 February 2015 356:The Washington Post 232:Bitcoin involvement 204:anonymous remailers 194:Finney was a noted 149:Finney was born in 1373:Bitcoin Foundation 1311:History of bitcoin 1118:Cameron Winklevoss 704:"Satoshi Nakamoto" 508:2015-02-25 at the 442:The New York Times 436:2017-09-15 at the 382:The New York Times 168:Adventures of Tron 147: 125:. He was an early 115:software developer 1474: 1473: 1366: 1294: 1293: 1265:Bitcoin Unlimited 1220:Lightning Network 930:Media related to 444:, August 30, 2014 279:Trusted Computing 108: 107: 1539: 1464: 1463: 1454: 1453: 1379:Bitcoin Magazine 1364: 1255: 1254: 1123:Tyler Winklevoss 1083:Satoshi Nakamoto 989: 982: 975: 966: 965: 946: 941:. Archived from 929: 914: 913: 897: 891: 890: 888: 887: 878:. Archived from 871: 865: 864: 862: 860: 845: 839: 838: 836: 834: 819: 813: 812: 801: 795: 794: 782: 776: 775: 773: 771: 756: 750: 749: 747: 745: 725: 719: 718: 716: 715: 700: 694: 693: 691: 690: 668: 662: 661: 659: 657: 648:. Archived from 638: 625: 624: 622: 621: 606: 600: 599: 597: 595: 576: 570: 569: 567: 565: 546: 540: 534: 528: 525: 519: 500: 494: 493: 491: 489: 480:. Archived from 474: 468: 451: 445: 427: 418: 417: 415: 413: 404:. Archived from 398: 392: 391: 389: 388: 373: 367: 366: 364: 362: 347: 320:Phoenix, Arizona 259:Satoshi Nakamoto 131:Satoshi Nakamoto 75:Phoenix, Arizona 70: 51: 49: 33: 19: 18: 1547: 1546: 1542: 1541: 1540: 1538: 1537: 1536: 1477: 1476: 1475: 1470: 1442: 1414: 1395:Canaan Creative 1365:(not exchanges) 1363: 1357: 1330: 1290: 1269: 1244: 1190:Bitcoin network 1178: 1147: 1098:Vitalik Buterin 1048:Brian Armstrong 1026: 998: 993: 937: 922: 917: 898: 894: 885: 883: 872: 868: 858: 856: 847: 846: 842: 832: 830: 821: 820: 816: 803: 802: 798: 791:Presidio Sports 783: 779: 769: 767: 760:"Dying Outside" 758: 757: 753: 743: 741: 726: 722: 713: 711: 702: 701: 697: 688: 686: 676:Washington Post 670: 669: 665: 655: 653: 640: 639: 628: 619: 617: 608: 607: 603: 593: 591: 578: 577: 573: 563: 561: 548: 547: 543: 535: 531: 526: 522: 510:Wayback Machine 501: 497: 487: 485: 484:on 9 April 2013 476: 475: 471: 452: 448: 438:Wayback Machine 428: 421: 411: 409: 400: 399: 395: 386: 384: 374: 370: 360: 358: 348: 344: 340: 318:Finney died in 316: 294: 234: 189:PGP Corporation 163: 139: 123:PGP Corporation 78: 72: 68: 67:August 28, 2014 59: 53: 47: 45: 44: 43: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1545: 1535: 1534: 1529: 1524: 1519: 1514: 1509: 1504: 1499: 1494: 1489: 1472: 1471: 1469: 1468: 1458: 1447: 1444: 1443: 1441: 1440: 1435: 1430: 1424: 1422: 1416: 1415: 1413: 1412: 1407: 1402: 1397: 1392: 1387: 1382: 1375: 1369: 1367: 1362:Legal entities 1359: 1358: 1356: 1355: 1347: 1338: 1336: 1332: 1331: 1329: 1328: 1323: 1318: 1313: 1308: 1302: 1300: 1296: 1295: 1292: 1291: 1289: 1288: 1283: 1277: 1275: 1271: 1270: 1268: 1267: 1261: 1259: 1252: 1246: 1245: 1243: 1242: 1237: 1232: 1227: 1222: 1217: 1212: 1207: 1202: 1200:Cryptocurrency 1197: 1192: 1186: 1184: 1180: 1179: 1177: 1176: 1171: 1166: 1161: 1155: 1153: 1149: 1148: 1146: 1145: 1140: 1135: 1130: 1125: 1120: 1115: 1110: 1105: 1100: 1095: 1090: 1085: 1080: 1075: 1070: 1065: 1060: 1058:Wences Casares 1055: 1050: 1045: 1040: 1038:Gavin Andresen 1034: 1032: 1028: 1027: 1025: 1024: 1019: 1014: 1009: 1003: 1000: 999: 992: 991: 984: 977: 969: 963: 962: 957: 947: 945:on 2014-04-03. 935: 921: 920:External links 918: 916: 915: 892: 866: 840: 814: 796: 777: 751: 720: 710:. 2 March 2023 695: 663: 626: 601: 571: 541: 529: 520: 495: 469: 446: 419: 393: 368: 341: 339: 336: 315: 312: 293: 290: 233: 230: 162: 159: 138: 135: 106: 105: 98: 97:Known for 94: 93: 84: 80: 79: 73: 71:(aged 58) 65: 61: 60: 54: 41: 39: 35: 34: 26: 25: 22: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1544: 1533: 1530: 1528: 1525: 1523: 1520: 1518: 1515: 1513: 1510: 1508: 1505: 1503: 1500: 1498: 1495: 1493: 1490: 1488: 1485: 1484: 1482: 1467: 1459: 1457: 1449: 1448: 1445: 1439: 1436: 1434: 1433:Bitcoin Beach 1431: 1429: 1426: 1425: 1423: 1421: 1417: 1411: 1408: 1406: 1403: 1401: 1398: 1396: 1393: 1391: 1388: 1386: 1383: 1381: 1380: 1376: 1374: 1371: 1370: 1368: 1360: 1353: 1352: 1348: 1345: 1344: 1340: 1339: 1337: 1333: 1327: 1324: 1322: 1319: 1317: 1314: 1312: 1309: 1307: 1304: 1303: 1301: 1297: 1287: 1284: 1282: 1279: 1278: 1276: 1272: 1266: 1263: 1262: 1260: 1256: 1253: 1251: 1247: 1241: 1238: 1236: 1233: 1231: 1230:Proof of work 1228: 1226: 1223: 1221: 1218: 1216: 1213: 1211: 1208: 1206: 1203: 1201: 1198: 1196: 1193: 1191: 1188: 1187: 1185: 1181: 1175: 1172: 1170: 1167: 1165: 1162: 1160: 1157: 1156: 1154: 1150: 1144: 1143:Erik Voorhees 1141: 1139: 1136: 1134: 1131: 1129: 1126: 1124: 1121: 1119: 1116: 1114: 1111: 1109: 1106: 1104: 1103:Ross Ulbricht 1101: 1099: 1096: 1094: 1091: 1089: 1088:Charlie Shrem 1086: 1084: 1081: 1079: 1078:Mark Karpelès 1076: 1074: 1071: 1069: 1066: 1064: 1061: 1059: 1056: 1054: 1051: 1049: 1046: 1044: 1041: 1039: 1036: 1035: 1033: 1029: 1023: 1020: 1018: 1015: 1013: 1010: 1008: 1005: 1004: 1001: 997: 990: 985: 983: 978: 976: 971: 970: 967: 961: 958: 955: 951: 948: 944: 940: 936: 933: 928: 924: 923: 911: 907: 903: 896: 882:on 2015-02-12 881: 877: 870: 854: 850: 844: 828: 824: 818: 810: 806: 800: 792: 788: 781: 765: 761: 755: 739: 735: 731: 724: 709: 705: 699: 685: 681: 677: 673: 667: 652:on 2014-03-26 651: 647: 643: 637: 635: 633: 631: 615: 611: 605: 589: 585: 581: 575: 559: 555: 551: 545: 539: 533: 524: 517: 516: 511: 507: 504: 499: 483: 479: 473: 466: 465: 460: 456: 450: 443: 439: 435: 432: 426: 424: 407: 403: 397: 383: 379: 372: 357: 353: 346: 342: 335: 333: 329: 328:cryopreserved 325: 321: 311: 309: 305: 301: 300: 292:Personal life 289: 287: 282: 280: 276: 270: 268: 264: 260: 256: 250: 247: 241: 239: 236:Finney was a 229: 227: 223: 218: 214: 212: 209: 205: 201: 197: 196:cryptographic 192: 190: 186: 182: 181: 176: 175: 170: 169: 158: 156: 152: 143: 134: 132: 128: 124: 120: 119:console games 116: 112: 103: 99: 95: 92: 88: 87:Cryopreserved 85: 83:Resting place 81: 76: 66: 62: 57: 40: 36: 32: 27: 20: 1438:Bitcoin City 1377: 1349: 1341: 1286:Bitcoin Gold 1281:Bitcoin Cash 1183:Technologies 1133:Dave Kleiman 1128:Craig Wright 1067: 1017:Legal status 953: 943:the original 905: 895: 884:. 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Index


Coalinga, California
Phoenix, Arizona
Cryopreserved
Alcor Life Extension Foundation
Bitcoin
software developer
console games
PGP Corporation
Bitcoin
Satoshi Nakamoto

Coalinga, California
California Institute of Technology
Adventures of Tron
Armor Ambush
Astrosmash
PGP Corporation
cryptographic
cypherpunks
anonymous remailers
export-grade encryption
Netscape
reusable proof-of-work system
Bitcoin
cypherpunk
Chaum
Bitcoin
Satoshi Nakamoto
Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto

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