• Linus Torvalds, creator of Linux, does not believe in cryptocurrencies, calling them a vehicle for scams and a Ponzi scheme.
  • Torvalds was once rumored to be Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, but he clarified it was a joke and denied owning a Bitcoin fortune.
  • Torvalds also dismissed the idea of technological singularity as a bedtime story for children, saying continuous exponential growth does not make sense.
  • Rustmilian@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    “Crypto” has become a widely used abbreviation for “cryptocurrency,” even though “crypto” itself refers to the general field of cryptography and its encryption techniques. This informal usage reflects how cryptocurrencies have become the most recognizable application of cryptography for most people.

        • zeppo@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          True, I wouldn’t expect people to know the terms ssl or tls. My point is, it’s a far, far more common application of cryptography than cryptocurrency.

            • zeppo@lemmy.world
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              6 months ago

              I’m amazed people are acting like they think nobody has ever heard of this. I suppose it was more a 2010-2015 thing.

        • zeppo@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          Yes, because people were trained to look for the lock icon, though pretty much every site has it now, whether it’s something that necessitates security vs just privacy benefits. Maybe looking for the lock is outdated, idk, but it was emphasized a lot a few years ago.