Bitcoin
Bitcoin is an innovative payment network and a new kind of money. Bitcoin uses peer-to-peer technology to operate with no central authority or banks; managing transactions and the issuing of bitcoins is carried out collectively by the network. BTC is open-source; its design is public, nobody owns or controls Bitcoin and everyone can take part. Through many of its unique properties, Bitcoin allows exciting uses that could not be covered by any previous payment system.
This is the most watched Bitcoin introduction video ever. This updated (04/2014) video explains how bitcoin works and the importance of this paradigm shifting technology.
Bitcoin.org is not Bitcoin’s official website. Just like nobody owns the email technology, nobody owns the Bitcoin network. As such, nobody can speak with authority in the name of Bitcoin. The website is dedicated to help Bitcoin to develop in a sustainable way.
Bitcoin.org was originally registered and owned by Bitcoin’s first two developers, Satoshi Nakamoto and Martti Malmi. When Nakamoto left the project, he gave ownership of the domain to additional people, separate from the Bitcoin developers, to spread responsibility and prevent any one person or group from easily gaining control over the Bitcoin project.
Here you can download Satoshi Nakamoto’s original Bitcoin Whitepaper.
From 2011 to 2013, the site was primarily used for releasing new versions of the software now called Bitcoin Core. In 2013, the site was redesigned into its current form, adding numerous pages, listing additional Bitcoin software, and creating the translation system. Developer documentation was added in 2014.
Today the site is an independent open source project with contributors from around the world. Final publication authority is held by the co-owners, but all regular activity is organized through the public pull request process and managed by the site co-maintainers.
