Nostr notes by codearchy

Cake supports buying with fiat.

2026-01-09T21:58:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…elft
_________________________

Cake supports buying with fiat.

Worth installing @npub1lsr…m040, if you haven’t already. ...

2026-01-09T16:58:18Z

In reply to nevent1q…4tm3
_________________________

Worth installing Cake Wallet (npub1lsr…m040), if you haven’t already. Create a new #Monero wallet and click the Buy option to see what options are available.

Awkard truth #2: Layer 2's won't solve the problem of ...

2026-01-09T13:19:30Z

Awkard truth #2: Layer 2's won't solve the problem of high #Bitcoin transaction fees either.

*Somebody* has to keep fuelling the miners with economically inefficient fees, to keep the network secure.

But there's a name for businesses that dramatically raise their prices for the same offering, in a market full of battle-tested alternatives: bankrupt.

Awkward truth: A high-fee environment for #Bitcoin will be ...

2026-01-09T12:57:58Z

Awkward truth: A high-fee environment for #Bitcoin will be terrible for Bitcoin in the same way as a high-fee environment for anything else.

If you (inevitably, in Bitcoin's case) significantly raise your prices (transaction fees) without also offering significantly more value in return, users will flock to #Monero and other low-fee tools that already are way faster, way cheaper, and offer unparalleled privacy and sovereignty.

Will that persuade the maxis to change their minds?

Trick question. Nobody cares.

Thanks @nprofile…en87. And thanks for the zap. Your writing ...

2026-01-09T11:53:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…pdff
_________________________

Thanks Max (nprofile…en87). And thanks for the zap.

Your writing lately is absolutely excellent. I always look forward to new articles from you.

Onward! 🫡

I'll add: Decentralisation breaks the "Orient" part ...

2026-01-09T11:45:49Z

I'll add: Decentralisation breaks the "Orient" part of the OODA loop as well.

When, instead of a single server operator, you have hundreds, thousands - or even millions - which one do you target?

#cypherpunk #decentralised

quoting
naddr1qq…84dg

John Boyd spent his career studying why some fighters won and others died. The Air Force colonel, who earned the nickname "Forty Second Boyd" for defeating any opponent in simulated combat within forty seconds, distilled his insights into what became known as the OODA loop: Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. The pilot who cycled through this loop faster disrupted his enemy's decision-making, generating confusion and exploiting the resulting hesitation.

Boyd's framework found applications far beyond the cockpit. Business strategists adopted it for competitive positioning. Military planners used it to design doctrine around tempo and initiative. The common interpretation emphasizes speed: cycle faster than your opponent, get inside their loop, keep them perpetually reacting rather than acting.

But there is a more fundamental insight buried in Boyd's work, one that matters more than mere speed. The entire loop depends on the first step. Without observation, there is nothing to orient toward, no decision to make, no action to take. An enemy who cannot observe is not slow; he is paralyzed. The most devastating attack on an adversary's OODA loop is not outpacing him but blinding him entirely.

This is what privacy accomplishes. Encryption does not make you faster than your adversary. It makes your adversary unable to begin.

Consider the economics of surveillance. Mass observation works when data flows freely, when communications cross networks in plaintext and metadata accumulates in centralized databases. Under these conditions, watchers enjoy economies of scale. The marginal cost of adding one more target to the surveillance apparatus approaches zero. One analyst can monitor thousands; one algorithm can process millions.

Encryption shatters this economy. When communications are encrypted end-to-end, the watcher no longer observes content. He sees only ciphertext, indistinguishable from random noise without the key. The marginal cost of surveillance does not approach zero; it approaches infinity. Each target becomes a separate cryptographic problem, requiring either key compromise through targeted attack or computational resources that exceed what the universe will provide before heat death.

The numbers are stark. Encrypting a message costs a few milliseconds of computation, often hardware-accelerated to the point of invisibility. Breaking that encryption through brute force is not expensive; it is impossible. A 256-bit key represents more possible combinations than atoms in the observable universe. Clever attacks can reduce this margin, but they require specific conditions: known plaintext, implementation flaws, side-channel access. They require, in other words, targeting. And targeting is exactly what mass surveillance cannot afford.

Government programs designed around bulk collection have discovered this the hard way. The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board examined the NSA's phone metadata program and found it delivered little to no counterterrorism benefit. Congressional reviews of fusion centers concluded they produced no valuable intelligence. Post-mortems of attacks like Fort Hood revealed that threat information was buried in data floods, invisible not because of insufficient collection but because of insufficient filtering. Mass surveillance generates haystacks; it does not find needles.

The mathematics are worse than merely disappointing. When searching for rare events, even highly accurate detection systems drown in false positives. A test that correctly identifies 99.9 percent of threats, applied to 330 million people, generates 330,000 false alarms for every actual threat detected. The analysts who must investigate these leads are not merely inefficient; they are consumed by noise while signals slip past.

Meanwhile, the defender's economics improve with every adoption. VPN services cost a few dollars monthly. Signal protocol costs nothing. Full-disk encryption ships standard on modern devices. Each deployment raises the attacker's costs while keeping the defender's costs near zero. The asymmetry compounds.

The implications extend beyond frustrating intelligence agencies. Adversarial OODA loops are not limited to state surveillance. Commercial data harvesters build profiles for advertising, pricing discrimination, and influence operations. Criminal enterprises pursue financial fraud, identity theft, and ransomware deployment. Each adversary relies on observation as the foundation of their operations. Each faces the same wall when targets encrypt.

Boyd understood that victory came not from attrition but from collapsing the opponent's ability to function coherently. Deprived of observation, adversaries cannot orient to circumstances, cannot decide on courses of action, cannot act with purpose. They flail. They exhaust resources investigating noise. They reallocate effort toward softer targets.

This is the strategic logic of privacy: not hiding wrongdoing, but imposing costs so extreme that surveillance becomes economically irrational. The adversary who cannot afford to observe you is an adversary who will stop trying. Not because you convinced him you have nothing worth seeing, but because you made seeing you unprofitable.

The cypherpunks understood this thirty years ago when Eric Hughes wrote that the act of encryption removes information from the public realm. They built tools to make this removal routine, automatic, ubiquitous. They understood that code enforces in ways that law cannot, that mathematics does not bend to jurisdiction or warrant.

The fight is not won. Governments press for backdoors. Corporations resist encrypting by default. Most people still communicate in plaintext because convenience outweighs abstract threat assessment. But the economics have not changed. Defense through privacy remains the cheapest defense available, and attack through surveillance remains expensive, scaling poorly, and increasingly futile against populations that adopt the available tools.

Boyd's fighter pilots won not because their aircraft were superior, but because their cockpit visibility and control responsiveness let them cycle faster than opponents who were still orienting. Privacy offers something better than faster cycling. It offers the end of cycling entirely, for your adversary. Blinded, he can spend whatever he wishes on Orient, Decide, and Act. Without Observe, he will never reach them.

As importantly, #Nostr doesn't have the problem of pumping ...

2026-01-09T10:47:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…cg2t
_________________________

As importantly, #Nostr doesn't have the problem of pumping its users full of algorithmic content, designed by broligarchs trying to push their far-right agenda, and call that "free speech".

Nostr *is* free speech.

#freedom #permissionless

For self-hosting: If you don't use an #Umbrel or #Start9, ...

2026-01-09T09:50:46Z

For self-hosting: If you don't use an #Umbrel or #Start9, what is your preferred (DIY?) alternative?

#asknostr #selfhosted

We need to get him on Nostr! 😎

2026-01-09T09:21:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…txnn
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We need to get him on Nostr! 😎

Great info, thanks. I think based on everything that you (and ...

2026-01-08T19:49:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…swsp
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Great info, thanks. I think based on everything that you (and others in this discussion) have said, I'm probably leaning towards an umbrel (nprofile…mlyn).

Though I wouldn't be entirely surprised if I ended up getting both. 😎

As someone who primarily uses #Monero, I am slightly envious of ...

2026-01-08T15:39:41Z

As someone who primarily uses #Monero, I am slightly envious of all the #Bitcoin wallets, cold storage options, and integrations (eg. zaps) out there.

And some projects (like #cashu) are doing good work for #privacy in Bitcoin.

Still, those who chased fiat returns over decentralised, permissionless, digital cash ended up with neither.

Monero seems unstoppable and inevitable. With every delisting, its value in fiat terms increases (ironically). Its utility as a fast, low-fee, private, self-custodied way to buy and sell actual goods and services is proven.

Some paths on the journey to discovering #Monero are more ...

2026-01-08T15:01:28Z

Some paths on the journey to discovering #Monero are more expensive than others. 😎

quoting
nevent1q…dl9f
#ZCrash

https://news.bitcoin.com/zcash-development-team-resigns-en-masse-as-governance-dispute-rattles-zec-price/

When #writing non-fiction, remember: Most books can be reduced to ...

2026-01-08T13:53:57Z

When #writing non-fiction, remember:

Most books can be reduced to a blog article.

Most paragraphs can be reduced to a sentence.

Most words can be left out.

The less you say, the more you will be heard.

We don't live in a post-truth world. Reality exists, whether ...

2026-01-08T13:38:43Z

We don't live in a post-truth world.

Reality exists, whether you like or not.

The truth is out there, plain for all to see.

The problem comes when those who enforce the law are controlled by those who break the law.

When that happens, the rule of law is dictated by whatever laws the ruler makes.

Seek affinity over seeking to persuade. Energy wasted on trying ...

2026-01-08T12:30:14Z

Seek affinity over seeking to persuade.

Energy wasted on trying to make others "see the light" is energy you could have spent on building, collaborating with others who already share the same vision and ideals as you.

Arguing with your opposition merely amplifies their signal.

Persuasion pressures you to warp your message.

For every new "convert", you end up a little further away from where you started.

A tiny little cost paid, a small compromise made, for getting that next person onboard.

But small costs accumulate. Until one day even you forget what you were fighting for in the first place.

Instead:

Radiate your ideas.

Those who resonate will gravitate towards you. They're not necessarily even convinced yet, but at least they're paying attention. Maybe even starting to contribute to the discussion, the codebase, the community.

And those who aren't interested are no matter for you.

You can't please everyone. In fact, you shouldn't aim to please anyone.

Don't just speak in the language of your favorite influencer to fit in. Develop your own voice.

Don't try to be a better version of someone else. Focus on being the best version of you.

#anarchism #freedom #permissionless

Fun fact: Only 10% of Wikipedia is in English. And it lacks ...

2026-01-08T07:38:36Z

Fun fact: Only 10% of Wikipedia is in English. And it lacks millions of articles found in other editions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Wikipedia

Do you own an @npub1agh…mhct or @npub126n…e9ll? If so, which ...

2026-01-07T22:27:02Z

Do you own an umbrel (npub1agh…mhct) or Start9 (npub126n…e9ll)?

If so, which one?

What are your primary use cases?

#asknostr

Sounds good, I'll hold out for the final release of 1.0. 😎

2026-01-07T19:23:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…2zfs
_________________________

Sounds good, I'll hold out for the final release of 1.0. 😎

Public Nostr relays make sense for data you want to be public. ...

2026-01-07T16:22:55Z

Public Nostr relays make sense for data you want to be public.

Using public relays for private, sensitive data is a recipe for disaster, regardless of how well the encryption of $new_fangled_thing seems to work currently.

Giving birth to new software is painful.

It's only a matter of time until someone finds a bug and all your data is leaked.

Especially because, with Nostr data stored in a relay, there's nothing you can do to replay those artifacts to strengthen their encryption when a weakness is found.

Agree or disagree?

#asknostr #privacy

When I switched from NymVPN to Mullvad it worked.

2026-01-07T13:57:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…f7gn
_________________________

When I switched from NymVPN to Mullvad it worked.

@nprofile…kwak Now I'm getting the same error trying to ...

2026-01-07T13:36:29Z

Zapstore (nprofile…kwak) Now I'm getting the same error trying to install FUTO. Seems very unlikely to be a deleted release, IMHO.

quoting
nevent1q…5xgm
Zapstore (nprofile…p4dj) I'm trying to install #bitchat 1.6.0 and keeping getting an error, "App did not fully download." Happens repeatedly.

AFAICS, it at least allows viewing and modifying the source, ...

2026-01-07T13:20:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…472q
_________________________

AFAICS, it at least allows viewing and modifying the source, albeit for non-commercial purposes.

Probably good enough for me, thanks for the recommendation!

What's your favourite keyboard for #GrapheneOS? I'm ...

2026-01-07T13:11:17Z

What's your favourite keyboard for #GrapheneOS? I'm hoping for decent voice-to-text.

Must be open source, of course. 😎

#asknostr

To improve your Nostr data sovereignty, install Citrine via the ...

2026-01-07T10:12:19Z

To improve your Nostr data sovereignty, install Citrine via the Zapstore.

It's a Nostr relay for Android.

Why?

* It ensures that you always have a local copy of your Nostr data, independent of third-party relays.

* It works as a private relay so that eg. your drafts, lists, and settings are seen by only you.

* It supports broadcasting events after you come back online.

* It's easy to fetch all your existing data into it after installation.

So:

1. Go to https://github.com/greenart7c3/Citrine for info on how to install it.

2. Run it and fetch all your existing events into it (the UI is self-explanatory).

3. Add ws://localhost:4869 as both a local and private relay in Amethyst.

That's all. Enjoy!

(P.S. If you found this post useful, please consider zapping it. Thank you!)

#Zapstore #privacy #nostr #Amethyst

Agreed, I come back to it again and again.

2026-01-07T09:00:06Z

In reply to nevent1q…ms42
_________________________

Agreed, I come back to it again and again.

Zaps make people and communities smarter, more efficient. The ...

2026-01-06T15:04:33Z

Zaps make people and communities smarter, more efficient.

The scarce, physical energy transferred by a zap amplifies the signal on what a group finds truly valuable, what it wants more of.

It’s the most efficient way to convey that a need has been met, a problem solved, a new insight gained - from producer to producer.

Social media doesn't suck. Closed networks suck. Closed ...

2026-01-06T14:42:24Z

Social media doesn't suck.

Closed networks suck.

Closed protocols suck.

Algorithmic feeds, architected by those who wish to control you, suck.

Providing your passport/phone number/photo/credit card in the hopes you'll be allowed to participate sucks.

With Nostr, you choose exactly what you want to see.

With Nostr, you decide who is "your people", rather than being bombarded with connections some billionaire wants you to make, masked as serendipity.

With Nostr, you don't need an "account" to participate. You just download a client and start participating.

With Nostr, you own the keys to your kingdom.

#grownostr

Agreed. I love the Swiss army chainsaw approach that Zeus takes.

2026-01-06T13:49:14Z

In reply to nevent1q…7fm9
_________________________

Agreed. I love the Swiss army chainsaw approach that Zeus takes.

Thanks for the zap! ⚡️

2026-01-06T13:02:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…08es
_________________________

Thanks for the zap! ⚡️

Interesting on the choice of WoS. I take it you’re aware of the ...

2026-01-06T11:59:06Z

In reply to nevent1q…0hy6
_________________________

Interesting on the choice of WoS. I take it you’re aware of the fact that they control your keys, and can see your TX metadata and just accept that tradeoff because of the lower fees?

(Fair enough if so, btw. I’m interested in understanding what people actually want from wallets.)

Have you looked at #cashu (Minibits (npub1kva…tkzv)) or ZEUS (npub1xnf…lpr5) ?

In closed systems that rely on network effects, as adoption ...

2026-01-06T11:48:50Z

In closed systems that rely on network effects, as adoption increases, innovation decreases.

With every order-of-magnitude jump in network size, the cost of competing goes up exponentially.

In open systems - with open protocols - that rely on network effects, as adoption increases, innovation accelerates.

Every order of magnitude increase in network size *incentivises* competition.

A larger (open) network unlocks fundamentally new ways to generate wealth.

Rather than just improving unit economics for those willing to pay the gatekeeper for access to “their” network in very limited ways (usually advertising), creators are free to build something fundamentally new.

New marketplaces.

New communities.

New platforms for people to share their art, or promote their ideas.

It’s entirely possible that Nostr will deliver the most value to people who don’t even realise they’re using it. That the amazing app they use for livestreaming their concerts emerged from a radically open and #permissionless protocol with a funny, five-letter name.

And it all happened while the gatekeepers didn’t even notice. Or, maybe they were watching, but could do nothing to stop it.

#grownostr

#Monero users would strongly agree. 😎 #nevent1q…6k3u

2026-01-06T09:59:35Z

#Monero users would strongly agree. 😎

quoting
nevent1q…6k3u
Prohibiting a tool is just a very loud way of telling people it works.

nevent1q…pqs8

What's your go-to #Bitcoin wallet for day-to-day spending? ...

2026-01-06T09:35:19Z

What's your go-to #Bitcoin wallet for day-to-day spending? What are its killer features for you?

#asknostr

Cypherpunk Bitstream: ...

2026-01-06T09:07:19Z

In reply to nevent1q…dhad
_________________________

Cypherpunk Bitstream:

https://antennapod.org/deeplink/subscribe/?url=%68%74%74ps%3A%2F%2Ftaz0.org%2Fbitstream%2Findex.xml&title=Cypherpunk+Bitstream

Timeless #cypherpunk philosophy, insight, and strategy.

@nprofile…p4dj I'm trying to install #bitchat 1.6.0 and ...

2026-01-06T00:29:46Z

Zapstore (nprofile…p4dj) I'm trying to install #bitchat 1.6.0 and keeping getting an error, "App did not fully download." Happens repeatedly.

Credit where credit is due: #CoveWallet is slick. And offers key ...

2026-01-05T14:09:35Z

Credit where credit is due: #CoveWallet is slick. And offers key features needed for those who actually use #Bitcoin day-to-day:

* hot and cold wallet support

* beautiful UI

* transaction exports

* shows the transaction memo inline in the listing (small, crucial detail for making sense of transactions)

We need more wallet developers (especially in #Monero) that obsess over #ux like this.

ColdCard + Cove + #Cashu feels like a very sweet combo (though I’ve not tried Cove with a hardware wallet yet.)

What’s the cheapest path from on-chain #Bitcoin to a #cashu ...

2026-01-05T10:32:45Z

What’s the cheapest path from on-chain #Bitcoin to a #cashu wallet?

@npub1j9q…s2yg I love Cake, but wondering: when can we expect ...

2026-01-05T10:10:40Z

cakewallet (npub1j9q…s2yg) I love Cake, but wondering: when can we expect to see support for transaction exports?

The lack of this feature makes it borderline unusable for me for day-to-day use. (Manually capturing transactions in a spreadsheet is agonisingly painful. 😎)

Programmers have a saying: Don't Repeat Yourself. (Duplicate ...

2026-01-04T18:31:41Z

Programmers have a saying: Don't Repeat Yourself. (Duplicate code is a maintenance burden.)

But when it comes to spreading a message, here's a better version: Repeat Yourself.

State your message, clearly and concisely. Over and over.

When you think you've made your point loudly and clearly, make it again.

Say it one way. Say it another way.

If you're worried about sounding like a broken record, don't be.

Spaced repetition isn't just a trick for learning languages or chess openings. It's a tool for amplifying your signal. Use it.

Appreciate the scale of the challenge. It'll be a boon for ...

2026-01-04T16:58:18Z

In reply to nevent1q…9mu3
_________________________

Appreciate the scale of the challenge. It'll be a boon for #Amethyst users if you can crack it. 😎

Also, resist the temptation to think that your users should ...

2026-01-04T16:51:09Z

Also, resist the temptation to think that your users *should* care about #privacy and #freedom.

A chef thinks that people should care about how food is made and where it comes from.

A vegan thinks you should care about animal welfare.

A doctor thinks you should care about eating healthier and exercising more.

A (naive) programmer thinks that you should educate yourself more about technology.

An environmental activist thinks you should focus on reducing consumption.

A politician thinks you should get more involved in democracy.

Our attention radius is limited.

You can try to bonk people over the head convincing them to care about something they don't.

Or you can tap into a problem they *do* care about and bundle the payload of your real mission alongside a solution so good they can't ignore it.

Cool, thanks for the explanation! 💡

2026-01-04T16:38:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…9p4t
_________________________

Cool, thanks for the explanation! 💡

How to sell people on the value of #freedomtech? Sometimes the ...

2026-01-04T16:35:39Z

How to sell people on the value of #freedomtech?

Sometimes the best way to win people to cause X is to win them to cause Y - which is a much more compelling cause to them - knowing that more people doing Y ultimately means more people doing X.

For example, Jacob Lund Fisker created an amazing site and community called Early Retirement Extreme:

https://earlyretirementextreme.com/

It offers a revolutionary approach to achieving financial independence early in life. It focuses on radical anti-consumerism and a Thoreau-like self-reliance.

Many people followed his advice and retired in their 20s and 30s.

But: Fisker openly acknowledged that his real motives were ecological. He just shrinkwrapped the push for lower consumption in the incentive of financial freedom, to appeal to a much wider audience.

He embraced their self interest to further his own.

So:

For those seeking to attract users to their #private/#decentralised/#permissionless freedom tech app, maybe the killer feature for those who want what you're building is none of those things at all.

Maybe it's something else your product offers that you aren't bigging up enough, such as:

* Low fees
* Low/no server/licensing costs
* Speed of getting up and running
* Beautiful UI
* Similar to another product in that space - but blazing fast
* Seamless integration with XYZ

In fact, maybe the best way to win people over to freedom tech is to ship a thing that solves the user's problem so well that the fact that it *also* offers tremendous freedom/privacy/sovereignty benefits can be enjoyed without distracting from their focus on the problem at hand.

@npub1xts…kk5s What’s the magic that makes @npub18m7…q955 ...

2026-01-04T11:12:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…m9da
_________________________

jb55 (npub1xts…kk5s) What’s the magic that makes damus (npub18m7…q955) so good at autocompleting usernames compared to Amethyst (npub142g…xrj0) ?

Good to know it’s not just me. 😎

2026-01-04T10:41:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…xs6w
_________________________

Good to know it’s not just me. 😎

I love #Amethyst, but it seems really bad at completing ...

2026-01-04T10:28:26Z

I love #Amethyst, but it seems really bad at completing usernames. Eg. When I type "@Kag..." it doesn't find Kagi, but #Damus does.

Likewise in the search box.

What am I doing wrong?

Cc VitorPamplona (nprofile…2lxp)

@npub1xsg…zazx How is support for accepting #Monero coming ...

2026-01-04T10:23:05Z

Kagi (npub1xsg…zazx) How is support for accepting #Monero coming along?

#privacy

So many ways to contribute to #freedomtech without writing code: ...

2026-01-04T10:09:58Z

So many ways to contribute to #freedomtech without writing code:

File a bug report.

Zap a creator you like.

That cool app you heard about on that freedom tech podcast? Install and run it. You add value by participating.

Send feedback to the builders: What confused you? What's missing? What feature would make it more useful to you?

Help others by documenting your experience (in a note, blog post, video, whatever).

Answer questions.

Accept freedom money for your product or service. Contact a merchant you like and ask if they'll do the same.

Pick one proprietary thing you currently use and migrate to an open source alternative instead.

Code is only one tiny piece of the puzzle. It's often just a crystallisation of the knowledge gained from one or more of the above.

The question is not if you can be helpful, but how soon you'll get started.

#privacy #permissionless #v4v #freedom

Ready and waiting to switch to @nprofile…am06 as soon as ...

2026-01-04T09:51:16Z

Ready and waiting to switch to fountain_app (nprofile…am06) as soon as Oscar Merry (nprofile…ssmk) open sources it.

Who's with me? 😎

#v4v #valueforvalue #asknostr #podcasts

@nprofile…gy93 Posting feedback here because I got an error ...

2026-01-03T23:51:00Z

Zapstore (nprofile…gy93) Posting feedback here because I got an error trying to submit it as me in the app:

It's not clear to me when it says "Gigi picked this app". What does it mean to "pick" an app? Is that why it's on the Zapstore? How is Gigi connected to my network?

I often see only single messages like this, when surely others in my Nostr network recommend the app, etc. Might be worth figuring out how to better capture and surface that.

Also, I'd like everywhere that I see Nostr usernames in the app, I can click through to their profile, otherwise these types of messages are even more opaque, IMHO.

#zapstore

“Don’t worry, we won’t share your phone number with ...

2026-01-03T10:22:18Z

“Don’t worry, we won’t share your phone number with anyone.”

Don’t worry, I won’t share my phone number with you.

#grownostr #privacy

Another argument against #cashu for me used to be "ugh, ...

2026-01-03T09:39:06Z

Another argument against #cashu for me used to be "ugh, it's just like reimplementing the banking system on #Bitcoin!"

It's not.

First, cashu offers extreme privacy guarantees. Possibly even better than #Monero. (Side note: I love Monero.)

Second, it's #permissionless.

Third, cashu bearer tokens can be passed as data, allowing all sorts of programmable money use cases.

Banking will never be any of this.

I'm more impressed by #cashu than I expected. I used to be ...

2026-01-03T09:24:42Z

I'm more impressed by #cashu than I expected. I used to be really turned off by the tradeoff of relying on custodial mints, but:

I value the high speed, low fees, and privacy benefits. (The custodian themselves has zero visibility into your activity.)

Offline-capable lightning addresses is absolutely killer. As is the ease with which you can make lightning payments from a cashu wallet like Minibits.

The speed with which you can start accepting lightning payments through Nostr using npub.cash is insane.

It makes a lot more sense when you think of cashu as a spending wallet. Indeed it should probably warn on larger amounts (maybe it already does.)

Sure, you can get rugged and lose some pocket change. But as webs of trust grow - and surface - around mints, I don't see this being a major issue.

So, we'll see how this goes. 😎

#bitcoin

@nprofile…49js I'm not convinced by your reasoning for ...

2026-01-03T09:00:58Z

vexl (nprofile…49js) I'm not convinced by your reasoning for requiring phone numbers. It seems to wholly undermine the no-KYC claim, regardless of what promises you make about who can and can't see it. (And requiring an anonymous SIM to preserve privacy is a hassle.)

Have you considered, eg charging 5-10k sats or something, as an alternative to providing a phone number?

#bitcoin #privacy

Any #NanoGPT users out there? Can I ask a favour? They're not ...

2026-01-03T08:05:54Z

Any #NanoGPT users out there? Can I ask a favour?

They're not yet on Nostr AFAICS. Please consider using their "Suggestions and bugs" to request that they join Nostr.

I've run into an issue where not having them accessible here is making me consider MapleAI (nprofile…0qzz) or PPQdotAI (nprofile…qagl).

#ssknostr #grownostr #ai

To answer my own question: @nprofile…ejeg. One of the most ...

2026-01-03T07:58:02Z

To answer my own question: Plebchain Radio (nprofile…ejeg). One of the most #cypherpunk podcasts I've listened to in a while. Highly recommended.

quoting
nevent1q…nc5a
What’s your favourite Nostr podcast?

#asknostr

Finally tried @nprofile…gy93 for the first time today. Very ...

2026-01-02T22:25:12Z

Finally tried Zapstore (nprofile…gy93) for the first time today.

Very cool. The way an app store should be:

#permissionless

Powered by your social graph.

Supports making direct payments to developers, with zero fees taken by the app store.

Some days (most days?) using Nostr feels like living 10-20 years in the future.

#grownostr

Looking for a phenomenal "Cypherpunk 101" while you wash ...

2026-01-02T19:56:30Z

Looking for a phenomenal "Cypherpunk 101" while you wash the dishes, to help you build (or rebuild) a solid #freedomtech stack? Look no further than this episode of Plebchain Radio (nprofile…ejeg). Amazing work Max (nprofile…ne3x) and AviBurra (nprofile…rmdr)!

#cypherpunk

quoting
nevent1q…zmqt
It was a real pleasure to have Max (nprofile…xtmh) return to Plebchain Radio (nprofile…fzm9) and go over his list of most existing cypherpunk projects (hint: we barely scratched the surface in almost two hours)

There is so much exciting building happening!

https://fountain.fm/episode/z7iQeMd9BwUvyLMbuP54

Have you ever bought or sold something for #cashu ecash? ...

2026-01-02T17:46:51Z

Have you ever bought or sold something for #cashu ecash?

#asknostr

You could ask a broligarch for permission to speak. Or not. ...

2026-01-02T17:00:01Z

You could ask a broligarch for permission to speak.

Or not.

#grownostr

I might be missing something, but all of these seem like solvable ...

2026-01-02T14:25:09Z

In reply to nevent1q…6r7z
_________________________

I might be missing something, but all of these seem like solvable problems. They are mostly data transformation problems, AFAICS.

For example, it seems fairly trivial (especially relative to the payoff of doing so) to map a Bluesky feed to a key pair in Nostr to make it easy to consume that way.

Indeed, this could be a monetisation vector for relays able to offer more advanced interoperability features.

It’s not like the problems of integrating with, say, Twitter, Reddit, or Facebook. There are far more obstacles to that than merely transforming data from one shape into another: violating terms of service, lack of APIs, KYCing, etc.

Not your keys, not your voice. #grownostr

2026-01-02T14:06:12Z

Not your keys, not your voice.

#grownostr

The way to offer your customers robust #privacy is not by ...

2026-01-02T12:27:35Z

The way to offer your customers robust #privacy is not by promising to protect their data, but by proving to them that you don’t - or even better, can’t - collect it.

No accounts.

No centralised servers.

No pixels.

No secretive, proprietary code.

Allow self hosting.

Accept private payment methods (like #Monero).

No I would not like to sign up for an account, thanks. #privacy ...

2026-01-02T12:19:02Z

No I would *not* like to sign up for an account, thanks.

#privacy #freedom #grownostr

Talk is cheap. So is code. Nice rant you did there. Nobody cares. ...

2026-01-02T11:39:16Z

Talk is cheap. So is code.

Nice rant you did there. Nobody cares.

Congrats on all that code you “shipped.” Nobody cares.

Identifying valuable problems to solve and solving them requires much talking and much coding.

So:

Spend twice as much time listening as you do building.

Invest more time in writing shorter, clearer messages.

Quit being the devil’s advocate and start being your user’s advocate.

Your customers and your community will thank you for it.

#grownostr #ux

If you get value from my posts, please consider: * reposting my ...

2026-01-02T10:52:13Z

If you get value from my posts, please consider:

* reposting my notes
* sending me a zap
* sending me #Monero (see profile for address)
* following me

Any of the above are greatly appreciated, and show me that I’m delivering something useful to you.

Thank you! 🫡

#v4v #valueforvalue #grownostr

A great example of how to leverage network effects when building ...

2026-01-02T10:44:15Z

A great example of how to leverage network effects when building something new is the Kotlin programming language.

It was a new programming language, with a clean, simple syntax, and an elegant programming model.

And it’s 100% interoperable with Java. Even if you are the only person on Earth using Kotlin, you immediately get access to the most industrial strength programming tools that exist - any Java library, build tools, profiling tools, etc. - while gaining the advantages of cleanliness and simplicity offered by Kotlin.

If Kotlin were an island, instead of fully interoperable by design, it would have remained a marginal curiosity.

Instead it has become the preferred language for Android applications.

All because it used the network effect to its own advantage, rather than fighting against it.

#grownostr

quoting
note18mp…7xpm
Nostr won't win by being an island paradise trying to convince others to join us doing pushups in the jungle.

Nostr will win by the degree to which it can seamlessly plug into and expand the already-existing constellations of the #fediverse.

Nostr will win if it offers value to you, even if you're the only person on earth who uses it.

Why?

Because it offers something most of that existing infrastructure can't: full data sovereignty, free speech, a platform through which to communicate ideas across multiple channels - without asking for permission to do so.

Nostr will win if plugging into it immediately gives you the entire fediverse (Bluesky, Lemmy, etc.) *plus* all the insanely cool benefits that come from an open protocol driven by a relay-based architecture.

It needs to leverage an existing network effect, not work against it and try to win people away from the #freedom tools they already use and enjoy, or hope they'll walk away from communities they are already part of.

Am I suggesting that you, dear Nostr developer, should keep this organising principle (expand the fediverse, don't try to out-compete it) in mind when building?

Yes and no. It's your time and your energy. Do what you want.

But if you care deeply about expanding Nostr's reach, don't fight the network effect. Leverage it.

#grownostr

Thank you, and thanks for the zaps! 🫡

2026-01-02T10:28:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…re6h
_________________________

Thank you, and thanks for the zaps! 🫡

I agree that the tweet format and the Lemmy format are somewhat ...

2026-01-02T10:03:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…nj0a
_________________________

I agree that the tweet format and the Lemmy format are somewhat incompatible. I think a bridge from like to like (eg Nostr tweets to Mastodon) is where much value is added, rather than crossing streams. (Attempts have been made, none that I’ve found that work.)

And within the Nostr-verse, there should be ways to readily repurpose and syndicate the subset of tweets that I do want to appear on my blog, for example, or perhaps certain hashtags that could automatically also post to the relevant Lemmy community.

Freedom of speech cannot be protected by law. Indeed, those who ...

2026-01-02T09:53:54Z

Freedom of speech cannot be protected by law. Indeed, those who claim to protect your freedom of speech will be the first ones to take it away when you say something they don't like.

Freedom of speech is an engineering problem. Only technology - open source, decentralised, supported by a strong community - can protect it.

#freedom #privacy #opensource #fediverse #community

Nostr won't win by being an island paradise trying to ...

2026-01-02T09:10:43Z

Nostr won't win by being an island paradise trying to convince others to join us doing pushups in the jungle.

Nostr will win by the degree to which it can seamlessly plug into and expand the already-existing constellations of the #fediverse.

Nostr will win if it offers value to you, even if you're the only person on earth who uses it.

Why?

Because it offers something most of that existing infrastructure can't: full data sovereignty, free speech, a platform through which to communicate ideas across multiple channels - without asking for permission to do so.

Nostr will win if plugging into it immediately gives you the entire fediverse (Bluesky, Lemmy, etc.) *plus* all the insanely cool benefits that come from an open protocol driven by a relay-based architecture.

It needs to leverage an existing network effect, not work against it and try to win people away from the #freedom tools they already use and enjoy, or hope they'll walk away from communities they are already part of.

Am I suggesting that you, dear Nostr developer, should keep this organising principle (expand the fediverse, don't try to out-compete it) in mind when building?

Yes and no. It's your time and your energy. Do what you want.

But if you care deeply about expanding Nostr's reach, don't fight the network effect. Leverage it.

#grownostr

What are your favourite news sources? Npubs, fediverse ...

2026-01-02T08:35:05Z

What are your favourite news sources? Npubs, fediverse communities, traditional media outlets, and any other ways you stay informed.

I prefer these, to cover a reasonably broad spectrum of left and right viewpoints:

- FT
- Economist
- Guardian
- Spectator
- flash (nprofile…pj6m)

#asknostr

Predicitions for 2026: The fragility of centralised systems (not ...

2026-01-01T10:01:50Z

Predicitions for 2026:

The fragility of centralised systems (not only tech-wise, but NATO, USD reserve currency, etc.) will continue to rear its ugly head. The participants in those systems will either reconfigure themselves to decentralise, or accelerate their already rapid decline.

#Bitcoin maxis will get even more wrecked this year than last.

So many pinned their hopes of orange-coloured fiat riches on an orange-coloured president.

That was their touch-the-stove moment. Some learned. Some didn't. Nobody cares. The market is a harsh mistress.

Finally: Economic energy will continue to flow towards #freedom, #privacy, ease-of-use, low fees. #Monero merchant adoption will continue to expand. Other community-driven privacy projects will continue to grow.

It will be a very bumpy ride, but we've got better tools than ever to weather the storm.

It amazes me how much money services like @npub10hp…dxkr are ...

2025-12-30T18:24:46Z

It amazes me how much money services like MapleAI (npub10hp…dxkr) are willing to leave on the table by not accepting #Monero.

Over 50% of #NanoGPT’s revenue comes from Monero, in spite of choosing their name after the currency they love most (Nano). And #Bitcoin usage continues to plummet.

The market wants private, cheap, fast, easy payments. Monero listened.

https://nano-gpt.com/blog/november-2025-payment-stats

Fuck their “privacy policy”. It’s time to update your ...

2025-12-30T16:34:44Z

Fuck their “privacy policy”.

It’s time to update *your* #privacy policy.

quoting
note1pfc…7v27
In times like these, I'm incredibly grateful we have:

#Monero - digital cash
#GrapheneOS - mobile freedom
#Nostr - social freedom
#NymVPN - truly private VPN
#KeePassXC - open source password management
#Lemmy - federated communities
#SimpleX - truly private chat
#NanoGPT - access to the best AI models, without needing an account (and payment with Monero)

In a world where governments are doing everything they can to command and control, free software developers are building and shipping tools that offer us unparalleled freedom.

If you haven't tried some of these tools, let today be the day you choose one to explore. And if you use and love some of these tools, consider making a donation to one today!

What’s your favourite Nostr podcast? #asknostr

2025-12-30T13:11:22Z

What’s your favourite Nostr podcast?

#asknostr

To write better Nostr posts: Ask: What do I want the reader of ...

2025-12-29T14:32:47Z

To write better Nostr posts:

Ask: What do I want the reader of this post to get out of it? Your message must deliver that.

Be helpful. Nobody cares what you ate for brunch. Leave the reader slightly better off than before they read your post. Teach in the direction you want to move the world.

Be concise. Make every word essential to your point.

Use hashtags so your target audience can find it.

Take responsibility. Unlike centralised, algorithmic platforms, you own your Nostr presence 100%. Say what you feel moved to say, unapologetically.

Of course, you can just shitpost. But remember: Nostr gives you a voice - your voice. If you’ve got something to say, don’t waste this opportunity.

#grownostr #freedom #sovereignty #writing

For those who seek #freedom, #privacy, and #sovereignty, #Monero ...

2025-12-29T14:05:44Z

For those who seek #freedom, #privacy, and #sovereignty, #Monero is inevitable.

If you can’t be bothered, don’t.

2025-12-29T00:52:41Z

In reply to nevent1q…u8dt
_________________________

If you can’t be bothered, don’t.

Every media source is heavily biased. Every podcaster. Every news ...

2025-12-28T19:16:54Z

Every media source is heavily biased.

Every podcaster.

Every news outlet.

Every algorithmic feed.

Every “content creator”. (Fuck “content creators”.)

Every journalist.

Every influencer.

There’s no avoiding bias. MAGA bias. Liberal bias. Centrist bias. Radical left/right bias.

To say that XYZ source is biased is to say nothing at all. Of course it is.

Every perspective comes prepackaged with a set of beliefs about right and wrong, good and evil.

The key is to ensure you consume a range of biases - especially those you disagree with - and use your own senses, your own knowledge, your own mind to triangulate the truth.

What are your #freedom-related goals in 2026? Mine: Onboard one ...

2025-12-28T15:12:14Z

What are your #freedom-related goals in 2026?

Mine: Onboard one merchant to #Monero every month. Brick and mortar, local, or online.

If we use it, we win.

#asknostr

#Bitcoin and #Lightning is a hard dealbreaker. It’s like KYC++ ...

2025-12-27T21:07:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…2ftr
_________________________

#Bitcoin and #Lightning is a hard dealbreaker. It’s like KYC++ with terrible usability, high fees, and wild volatility.

#Monero offers the following benefits to merchants:

* easy to set up and use

* low fees (much lower than legacy bank/credit cards, Stripe, etc.)

* low volatility (its price is not driven by the hollow promises of orange-coloured presidents and laser-eyed ETF hodlers hoping to make easy money)

* battle tested, strong privacy for buyer and seller

* marketing, i.e. some buyers actively choose merchants because they accept Monero

Of course, a merchant still needs to care enough about the freedom, privacy, and cost benefits to accept the tradeoffs of a more complicated tax return - but thankfully many already do.

I think online merchants are an easier sell than brick and mortar for now. Indeed I already pay for most of my core (digital) services with it.

Regardless of the hurdles to overcome, merchant adoption is everything.

I won’t either unless it’s on your profile. But it’s your ...

2025-12-27T14:57:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…g9te
_________________________

I won’t either unless it’s on your profile. But it’s your profile of course.

It would be amazing if the greatest obstacle to freedom was not ...

2025-12-27T14:34:42Z

It would be *amazing* if the greatest obstacle to freedom was not enough wallets, nodes, DEX’s, E2EE messengers, digital cash options.

It’s not.

The greatest obstacle now is merchant adoption. A marketplace of buyers and sellers that wears its desire for free speech and free trade on its sleeve.

Accept #Monero. Spend Monero. Put some of your savings in Monero.

If we use it, we win.

#freedom #freedomtech

Freedom doesn’t need yet another wallet, yet another ...

2025-12-27T14:26:41Z

Freedom doesn’t need yet another wallet, yet another decentralised way to communicate, or yet another DEX.

The greatest contribution you can make to #Monero in 2026 is to provide your good or your service in exchange for it.

#freedom #freedomtech #privacy

As an aside, I get #Monero donations to the address on my profile ...

2025-12-27T14:16:16Z

In reply to nevent1q…0387
_________________________

As an aside, I get #Monero donations to the address on my profile with a fraction of the follower count you have. 😎

Not to belabour the point, but: how will you get more people ...

2025-12-27T14:14:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…0387
_________________________

Not to belabour the point, but: how will you get more people sending you #Monero when there’s no way to do so on your profile?

Can you add accepting #Monero to your profile as well? It’d be ...

2025-12-27T14:11:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…ydd6
_________________________

Can you add accepting #Monero to your profile as well? It’d be great for this option to be readily visible to others too! 😎

I like your feed, but I don’t do Bitcoin. When will you accept ...

2025-12-27T13:55:15Z

In reply to nevent1q…dswz
_________________________

I like your feed, but I don’t do Bitcoin. When will you accept #Monero donations?

Murphy’s Law, applied to freedom: If it can be surveilled, it ...

2025-12-27T13:40:54Z

Murphy’s Law, applied to freedom:

If it can be surveilled, it will be surveilled.

If it can be controlled by a single, centralised entity, it will be controlled by a single, centralised entity.

If it can be censored, it will be censored.

If it can be hacked, it will be hacked.

If it can be used in a way you don’t like, it will be used in a way you don’t like.

If it can compromise your privacy, it will compromise your privacy.

If a single individual can cause the whole system to crumble, a single individual will cause the whole system to crumble.

If you can get rugged, you will get rugged.

#privacy #freedom #freedomtech #monero

Profit does not make a project sustainable. Decentralisation, ...

2025-12-26T17:01:35Z

Profit does not make a project sustainable.

Decentralisation, privacy preserving protocols, and an enthusiastic community of contributors do.

Profit can help fuel that. Donations do too. So can a desire to solve one’s own problem, coupled with the free time and energy to do so.

A profitable project without decentralisation can be captured and controlled.

A profitable product without privacy punishes you for using it. The more you use it, the more control the profit maker has over you.

A profitable project without contributions from a wider community survives only as long as the profit maker decides. And evolves in only the way they allow.

Freedom is intrinsically decentralised, private, and supported and sustained by a community. Design your system, product, or service accordingly.

#freedom #privacy

It used to be that “cryptoanarchists write code.” In 2026, ...

2025-12-26T15:18:13Z

It used to be that “cryptoanarchists write code.”

In 2026, one of the most revolutionary, cryptoanarchist acts you can do is not to implement yet another form of digital cash that nobody will use, but to sell bread, milk, cheese, or coffee in the one that people already do. #Monero

https://xmrbazaar.com/listing/7MD7/

The beautiful thing about an actually useful (actually used!), ...

2025-12-26T14:36:15Z

The beautiful thing about an actually useful (actually used!), private, permissionless currency like #Monero is that it’s even become much better NGU technology than #Bitcoin.

Solving real problems generates wealth. Endlessly elaborate narratives hoping to project future valuations about a thing nobody actually uses do not.

quoting
note1mne…2x5d
⚡️🎙️ WATCH - Adam Back explains how Bitcoin can hit $200 Trillion market cap.

Whenever you're ready for permissionless, private, practical ...

2025-12-18T09:07:54Z

Whenever you're ready for permissionless, private, practical and simple payments, #Monero is ready for you.

quoting
nevent1q…t9pd
well, this is stupid. must have been a decent sized payment too because i have a good amount of channel liquidity. honestly this is a great reminder that the average person will never use lightning in a non-custodial way. no one wants to dick around with balancing channels all the time. people just want to send and receive bitcoin fast and cheap.

Self-interest is the least corruptible force in the universe. ...

2025-10-25T16:58:16Z

Self-interest is the least corruptible force in the universe. Design your systems accordingly.

Like Reddit, but not controlled by a single individual. Anyone ...

2025-10-25T08:30:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…ay02
_________________________

Like Reddit, but not controlled by a single individual. Anyone can host their own instance and federate into the network (like Mastodon).

Easiest way to get started is to download a client like Voyager (Android) or Mlem (iOS), and choose an instance on which to create an account.

In times like these, I'm incredibly grateful we have: #Monero ...

2025-10-25T08:05:59Z

In times like these, I'm incredibly grateful we have:

#Monero - digital cash
#GrapheneOS - mobile freedom
#Nostr - social freedom
#NymVPN - truly private VPN
#KeePassXC - open source password management
#Lemmy - federated communities
#SimpleX - truly private chat
#NanoGPT - access to the best AI models, without needing an account (and payment with Monero)

In a world where governments are doing everything they can to command and control, free software developers are building and shipping tools that offer us unparalleled freedom.

If you haven't tried some of these tools, let today be the day you choose one to explore. And if you use and love some of these tools, consider making a donation to one today!

On behalf of the organisers of World Nostr Day, I'd like to ...

2025-10-20T11:56:32Z

On behalf of the organisers of World Nostr Day, I'd like to thank our platinum sponsors, AWS, for their tremendous efforts to demonstrate that even a worldwide outage of the world's largest hosting provider cannot slow us down even one teeny, tiny, little bit.

Thank you!

#decentralized #permissionless #freedom

Sadly, anything that you own that relies on a connection to some ...

2025-10-20T11:45:44Z

Sadly, anything that you own that relies on a connection to some corporation's centralised servers is not your property.

Never has been, never could be.

quoting
nevent1q…qesx
Good to know that your doorbell camera is now a general purpose surveillance device.

They can now use our private property against us without even asking permission.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/10/ring-cameras-are-about-to-get-increasingly-chummy-with-law-enforcement/

"The Bureau of Labor also slashed the number of jobs added in ...

2025-08-01T13:39:19Z

"The Bureau of Labor also slashed the number of jobs added in recent months. May’s jobs figure was revised down by 125,000, from 144,000 to 19,000, and June was revised down by 133,000, from 147,000 to 14,000 – a combined 258,000 fewer jobs than previously reported."

Perception is not reality. Reality is reality. And the reality is that the Trump tax that Americans are being charged to do business with every other country on Earth is bad for everybody.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/aug/01/jobs-report-july-trump-tariffs-trade-war