1/25 I've always thought that Hal Finney was the main person behind...
Adam Cochran (adamscochran.eth)@adamscochran
44 views
Feb 25, 2024
~8 min read
Advertisement
1
1/25
I've always thought that Hal Finney was the main person behind Satoshi Nakamoto (Supported by 1 or 2 other minor characters)
And I think the new emails help back that up overwhelmingly:
I've always thought that Hal Finney was the main person behind Satoshi Nakamoto (Supported by 1 or 2 other minor characters)
And I think the new emails help back that up overwhelmingly:
2
2/25
-First, we learn that in July 2009 Satoshi did have another job.
-This is at the same time as Hal was working at the PGP Corporation.
-For the past few months Hal has had declining health and in Aug gets diagnosed with ALS.
-Satoshi notes he'll be busy.
-First, we learn that in July 2009 Satoshi did have another job.
-This is at the same time as Hal was working at the PGP Corporation.
-For the past few months Hal has had declining health and in Aug gets diagnosed with ALS.
-Satoshi notes he'll be busy.
3
3/25
-Sometime between March 7th of 2010 and May 16th 2010 Satoshi disappears for a bit noting he was busy with other things.
-This was both when PGP Corporation was being sold to Symantec, and when Hal was starting to experience health decline.
-Sometime between March 7th of 2010 and May 16th 2010 Satoshi disappears for a bit noting he was busy with other things.
-This was both when PGP Corporation was being sold to Symantec, and when Hal was starting to experience health decline.
4
4/25
-In November of 2010 Hal "rediscovers" Bitcoin after not making many contributions under his name for a while.
-He joins Bitcointalk and becomes active, including working on proposals for faster Bitcoin signatures that he'd release a few months later.
-In November of 2010 Hal "rediscovers" Bitcoin after not making many contributions under his name for a while.
-He joins Bitcointalk and becomes active, including working on proposals for faster Bitcoin signatures that he'd release a few months later.
5
5/25
-On December 5th, Satoshi encouraged Wikileaks not to use Bitcoin concerned about reprisals.
-On the 11th and 12th we get his last public messages about Wikileaks kicking the hornets nest, and DDoS defense.
-On December 5th, Satoshi encouraged Wikileaks not to use Bitcoin concerned about reprisals.
-On the 11th and 12th we get his last public messages about Wikileaks kicking the hornets nest, and DDoS defense.
6
6/25
-On the 7th of December 2010, Satoshi sent out an email to all the main contributors asking to list them on the website.
-At this time he also removed himself from the website, clearly knowing he was going to step back, but he mentioned that to no one.
-On the 7th of December 2010, Satoshi sent out an email to all the main contributors asking to list them on the website.
-At this time he also removed himself from the website, clearly knowing he was going to step back, but he mentioned that to no one.
7
7/25
-Between 2010-2011 a large number of the top Bitcoin holder wallets are created, and never withdrawn from (this becomes important later)
-On Feb 22nd 2011, sends his last email to Martti Malmi with PGP signatures providing the sites admin passwords.
-Between 2010-2011 a large number of the top Bitcoin holder wallets are created, and never withdrawn from (this becomes important later)
-On Feb 22nd 2011, sends his last email to Martti Malmi with PGP signatures providing the sites admin passwords.
8
8/25
-On April 26th, 2011, Satoshi's last known private email goes to Andresen noting he has "moved on to other things"
-This is after Hal starts contributing and working on signature verification.
-On April 26th, 2011, Satoshi's last known private email goes to Andresen noting he has "moved on to other things"
-This is after Hal starts contributing and working on signature verification.
9
9/25
-Around September of 2012 Hal starts exploring the idea of TPMs.
-In March of 2013 his uploads commits of a branch for his BFlick Bitcoin Flicker
-He announces it March 17th, 2013.
-Around September of 2012 Hal starts exploring the idea of TPMs.
-In March of 2013 his uploads commits of a branch for his BFlick Bitcoin Flicker
-He announces it March 17th, 2013.
10
10/25
-On March 19th, 2013 Hal Finney releases a post called "Bitcoin and Me".
-He talks about his ALS diagnosis on 2009, and how it was before his diagnosis that he noticed his body starting to fail (around the same time as Satoshi's 2009 disappearance)
-On March 19th, 2013 Hal Finney releases a post called "Bitcoin and Me".
-He talks about his ALS diagnosis on 2009, and how it was before his diagnosis that he noticed his body starting to fail (around the same time as Satoshi's 2009 disappearance)
11
11/25
-He notes that he was forced to "retire in early 2011" the same time that Satoshi handed over the reigns on Bitcoin to others.
-However, Hal Finney left PGP Corporation during the acquisition by Symantec in April of 2010.
-He had no known employer in early 2011.
-He notes that he was forced to "retire in early 2011" the same time that Satoshi handed over the reigns on Bitcoin to others.
-However, Hal Finney left PGP Corporation during the acquisition by Symantec in April of 2010.
-He had no known employer in early 2011.
12
12/25
-He also clearly wasn't talking about working for himself at this time, as he continued to code things like BFlick until March 2013.
-He also said in this post that he still codes, just slowly, and that programming gives him goals.
-So what did he retire from in 2011?
-He also clearly wasn't talking about working for himself at this time, as he continued to code things like BFlick until March 2013.
-He also said in this post that he still codes, just slowly, and that programming gives him goals.
-So what did he retire from in 2011?
13
13/25
-He also claims that in 2010 when he "rediscovered" Bitcoin he transferred most of his coins to offline wallets for his heirs.
-This could explain large batches of wallets funded from late 2010-mid 2011 that lack outflow, and why so little has been spent.
-He also claims that in 2010 when he "rediscovered" Bitcoin he transferred most of his coins to offline wallets for his heirs.
-This could explain large batches of wallets funded from late 2010-mid 2011 that lack outflow, and why so little has been spent.
14
14/25
-As for the initial Satoshi wallets, we learned from a post in 2012, that the key to the wallet Hal first received a Bitcoin tx on was on an old computer.
-As for the initial Satoshi wallets, we learned from a post in 2012, that the key to the wallet Hal first received a Bitcoin tx on was on an old computer.
15
15/25
-Based on the disease progression he's given, we know that Hal likely made the switch to alternative interface computers sometime in late 2009 - early 2010.
-The last outbound tx from the Satoshi sender wallet was Jan 2009.
-Based on the disease progression he's given, we know that Hal likely made the switch to alternative interface computers sometime in late 2009 - early 2010.
-The last outbound tx from the Satoshi sender wallet was Jan 2009.
16
16/25
On March 22nd 2013, Hal praises Satoshi's decision to "disappear gracefully" from the project. Which is odd because Satoshi hadn't explained leaving to anyone.
He vanished, and so many people had the opposite decision.
On March 22nd 2013, Hal praises Satoshi's decision to "disappear gracefully" from the project. Which is odd because Satoshi hadn't explained leaving to anyone.
He vanished, and so many people had the opposite decision.
17
17/25
-We then learn in a 2014 interview, that Hal's condition deteriorated to only being able to handle yes/no questions.
-But also that according to his former boss at PGP he is actually responsible for ghostwriting most of PGP 2.0
-We then learn in a 2014 interview, that Hal's condition deteriorated to only being able to handle yes/no questions.
-But also that according to his former boss at PGP he is actually responsible for ghostwriting most of PGP 2.0
18
18/25
-The fact that Zimmerman was nearly indicted on arms export controls violations around the encryption tool is why Finney wanted his roll downplayed.
-It may also explain why Satoshi feared the Wikileaks controversy. He may have seen his old boss take similar heat.
-The fact that Zimmerman was nearly indicted on arms export controls violations around the encryption tool is why Finney wanted his roll downplayed.
-It may also explain why Satoshi feared the Wikileaks controversy. He may have seen his old boss take similar heat.
19
19/25
-The interview takes place about 20 days after the P2P foundation account posted "I am not Dorian Nakamoto"
-A simple statement that could be done via family member as its an easy login without needing PGP keys.
-Hal passes in August of this year.
-The interview takes place about 20 days after the P2P foundation account posted "I am not Dorian Nakamoto"
-A simple statement that could be done via family member as its an easy login without needing PGP keys.
-Hal passes in August of this year.
20
20/25
What about when Hal was running?
-April 18th 2009, Hal Finney ran a 10mi race ending at 9:18AM PST.
-During that time Satoshi sent emails and BTC.
What about when Hal was running?
-April 18th 2009, Hal Finney ran a 10mi race ending at 9:18AM PST.
-During that time Satoshi sent emails and BTC.
21
21/25
In both the Bitcoin whitepaper and early emails to Adam Back, the abstract for Bitcoin says "we present"
People have also often mentioned that parts of Bitcoin didn't match Finney's style and covered many disciplines.
In both the Bitcoin whitepaper and early emails to Adam Back, the abstract for Bitcoin says "we present"
People have also often mentioned that parts of Bitcoin didn't match Finney's style and covered many disciplines.
22
22/25
But as we can see from his emails with other contributors, Satoshi frequently sought out support and involvement of others.
And all his communication times fell in the PST timezone rage.
But some of his emails still have commonwealth spellings.
But as we can see from his emails with other contributors, Satoshi frequently sought out support and involvement of others.
And all his communication times fell in the PST timezone rage.
But some of his emails still have commonwealth spellings.
23
23/25
Despite using the word "cheque" in a 2010 email, he had to ask Martti Malmi about payment options in Europe.
The UK was part of the EU/EEA something a Brit would know.
In 2009, he also said "realize" the US/Canadian spelling that rules out AUS/UK.
Despite using the word "cheque" in a 2010 email, he had to ask Martti Malmi about payment options in Europe.
The UK was part of the EU/EEA something a Brit would know.
In 2009, he also said "realize" the US/Canadian spelling that rules out AUS/UK.
24
24/25
But, by 2010, after his sudden return he wrote "realise"
Many English speakers around the world mix and match American and British spellings - but they tend to be consistent in which they choose.
Switching suggests other people or an attempt to hide your writing.
But, by 2010, after his sudden return he wrote "realise"
Many English speakers around the world mix and match American and British spellings - but they tend to be consistent in which they choose.
Switching suggests other people or an attempt to hide your writing.
25
25/25
At the end of the day, I think Hal had some other small contributor early on who left the project. But the bulk of Satoshi was him.
By 2010 he knew he was dying and "Bitcoin dev" dies would kill his beloved project.
So Satoshi disappeared, and Hal rejoined, contributing as much as he could in his deteriorating state.
He transferred his coins to cold wallets, set aside for his kids and future generations, and let others take up the mantle of being Bitcoin, and in a way being Satoshi.
He fiercely hid his identity, after seeing his old boss Zimmerman almost charged with arms dealing charges, over encryption code that Finney himself wrote.
So from the start he changed his writing style, referenced British things, but still couldn't hide his lack of knowledge of the EEA/EU in private conversations.
Maybe Dorian was the early contributor that send BTC while Hal was out for a run. Or maybe he was just a local name Hal chose to use thinking Bitcoin would never be at this scale.
In one of his last ever posts, Hal himself says of Satoshi "How do you find someone who has spent a lifetime covering his tracks"
It wasn't until 2014 that we knew just how big a part Hal had played in PGP 2.0 after all. Even by comparing code, many wouldn't have guessed how much of it was Hal.
Maxi's don't like the narrative that Hal was Satoshi; because Hal was progressive in what Bitcoin could become.
He wanted it to be greener, he was supportive of forks, of a BitDNS, zerocoins, and using the OP_PUSHDATA for other protocols on top of Bitcoin.
That doesn't fit with the never change Bitcoin maxi narrative.
But Hal was a big dreamer and a smart guy, who saw what this could be, rather than what it is.
While some people never want to know Satoshi is, and think it ruins the "We are all Satoshi" messaging, I disagree.
Satoshi is less interesting to me if he is an anonymous persona who died, or got captured, or a shutdown government program. Leaving Bitcoin to rust and it only being saved by others.
Satoshi is very interesting to me, if he had the foresight and humility to kill off his persona so that it could live.
I think its the latter, and I think it's all because of Hal.
In his act of stepping back, he made Bitcoin something everyone owns. He made everyone Satoshi.
That little decision, is something no other pure PoW coin could ever duplicate.
That moment defined Bitcoin.
Not by giving it a leader.
But by giving it a soul.
The soul of a ghost, who never quite fit in.
At the end of the day, I think Hal had some other small contributor early on who left the project. But the bulk of Satoshi was him.
By 2010 he knew he was dying and "Bitcoin dev" dies would kill his beloved project.
So Satoshi disappeared, and Hal rejoined, contributing as much as he could in his deteriorating state.
He transferred his coins to cold wallets, set aside for his kids and future generations, and let others take up the mantle of being Bitcoin, and in a way being Satoshi.
He fiercely hid his identity, after seeing his old boss Zimmerman almost charged with arms dealing charges, over encryption code that Finney himself wrote.
So from the start he changed his writing style, referenced British things, but still couldn't hide his lack of knowledge of the EEA/EU in private conversations.
Maybe Dorian was the early contributor that send BTC while Hal was out for a run. Or maybe he was just a local name Hal chose to use thinking Bitcoin would never be at this scale.
In one of his last ever posts, Hal himself says of Satoshi "How do you find someone who has spent a lifetime covering his tracks"
It wasn't until 2014 that we knew just how big a part Hal had played in PGP 2.0 after all. Even by comparing code, many wouldn't have guessed how much of it was Hal.
Maxi's don't like the narrative that Hal was Satoshi; because Hal was progressive in what Bitcoin could become.
He wanted it to be greener, he was supportive of forks, of a BitDNS, zerocoins, and using the OP_PUSHDATA for other protocols on top of Bitcoin.
That doesn't fit with the never change Bitcoin maxi narrative.
But Hal was a big dreamer and a smart guy, who saw what this could be, rather than what it is.
While some people never want to know Satoshi is, and think it ruins the "We are all Satoshi" messaging, I disagree.
Satoshi is less interesting to me if he is an anonymous persona who died, or got captured, or a shutdown government program. Leaving Bitcoin to rust and it only being saved by others.
Satoshi is very interesting to me, if he had the foresight and humility to kill off his persona so that it could live.
I think its the latter, and I think it's all because of Hal.
In his act of stepping back, he made Bitcoin something everyone owns. He made everyone Satoshi.
That little decision, is something no other pure PoW coin could ever duplicate.
That moment defined Bitcoin.
Not by giving it a leader.
But by giving it a soul.
The soul of a ghost, who never quite fit in.
26
What a nonsense community note.
Some of Hal’s own posts directly contest the article cited in the note.
Lopps main proof is about Hal’s 2009 run (which my thread addresses)
And a claim that Satoshi coding in 2010 proves it wasn’t Hal because Hal could “barely type” at this time.
In 2013, Hal himself was still writing code with his eyes.
Hal being Satoshi places no more extortion risk on Hal’s relatives than the fact that Hal was the second BTC transaction, and that they publicly relate themselves to Bitcoin all the time (also a community note with some odd appeal to emotion, really?) people would sadly and wrongly target them regardless.
Especially since there is no reason to believe Satoshi would have still had access to every single wallet.
And that sucks, it’s part of the nasty reality of this space and of humanity; and it’s something I’ve experienced over the past decade myself.
But it doesn’t likely change if Hal is Satoshi.
Some of Hal’s own posts directly contest the article cited in the note.
Lopps main proof is about Hal’s 2009 run (which my thread addresses)
And a claim that Satoshi coding in 2010 proves it wasn’t Hal because Hal could “barely type” at this time.
In 2013, Hal himself was still writing code with his eyes.
Hal being Satoshi places no more extortion risk on Hal’s relatives than the fact that Hal was the second BTC transaction, and that they publicly relate themselves to Bitcoin all the time (also a community note with some odd appeal to emotion, really?) people would sadly and wrongly target them regardless.
Especially since there is no reason to believe Satoshi would have still had access to every single wallet.
And that sucks, it’s part of the nasty reality of this space and of humanity; and it’s something I’ve experienced over the past decade myself.
But it doesn’t likely change if Hal is Satoshi.
27
Community note defeated.