Kevin comments on Making money with Bitcoin? - Less Wrong

18 Post author: Clippy 16 February 2011 07:17PM

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Comment author: Wei_Dai 25 February 2011 04:21:24PM 3 points [-]

See http://www.newslobster.com/random/how-to-get-started-using-your-gpu-to-mine-for-bitcoins-on-windows for how to use GPU.

Also, how does your idea or Bitcoin compare to the cryptographic protocol for electronic money described in section 17 of this link?

I haven't read that link carefully, but it appears to describe a version of "standard" e-cash, where everyone has to trust a "bank" that runs the system (i.e., the bank can inflate the money supply at will). The point of my idea or Bitcoin is that such trust can be obviated with the appropriate cryptography.

BTW, I'm not sure what is the nature of the Clippy conceit here. Are we supposed to be helping Clippy out of mutual cooperation? How are we supposed to know that it won't turn us all into paperclips once it has gained enough power?

Comment author: Kevin 26 February 2011 10:31:41PM *  3 points [-]

In the earlier days of Clippy, I advocated that it was ridiculous that we were playing along nicely with a paperclip maximizer that indeed preferred to turn us all into paperclips.

However, I said that I would change my mind if Clippy did something so human friendly as to give me $50,000 in exchange for me creating 10^20kg of paperclips 50 years from now.

I have now actually, truly changed my kind. Cooperation with a paperclip maximizer doesn't seem bad. We'd probably prefer to cooperate with superintelligences that are actually likely to exist; a paperclip maximizer is ridiculous enough that is surely exceedingly rare in the multiverse. Because of that, if Clippy goes on to give me (or really, SIAI) the ~$50k (he's given $1k so far) and I go on to build those 10^20kg of paperclips, User:Clippy is likely to represent one of the most successful paperclip maximizers and this universe will be extremely paperclippy. This cooperation does seem worthwhile, given that at Clippy's current rate of progress towards Superintelligence we will likely be far more powerful than him 50 years from now.

Comment author: MartinB 09 March 2011 06:43:07AM *  0 points [-]

50 years from now [...] I go on to build those 10^20kg of paperclips

I just put a note in my calendar to check back then and see you actually accomplish this.

Comment author: gwern 10 March 2011 02:22:54AM 0 points [-]
Comment author: MartinB 10 March 2011 02:53:13AM 1 point [-]

I always have to remind myself that he will make 10E20 kg of clips, not just 10E20 clips, which would be easier by a factor of around 1000??? Keep in mind that the earth itself only weights 6 * 10E24 kg.

Likewise clippy might want to inquire what provisions Kevin made to insure his ability to deliver in case of earlier death.

Comment author: timtyler 03 March 2011 07:43:07PM *  -2 points [-]

Isn't Clippy likely to be some kind of SIAI sock puppet, though? I mean, who else would care enough, be crazy enough, etc? If so, this is cash going round in the laundry.

Indeed, looking at the source link, there isn't even any real evidence that any money left the building in the first place. Surely having a superintelligence donate is just a PR stunt.

Comment author: Kevin 03 March 2011 10:34:02PM *  3 points [-]

Likely? From your perspective, I guess, but I have been told by someone who claims to know the truth that Clippy does not have an @intelligence.org email address. Also there's of course loads of evidence or at least reasonable supposition pointing towards Clippy being me. From this point forward, I will no longer vehemently deny that, so as to gain the social status benefit of being potential large SIAI donor Clippy 40% of the time.

Sometimes an internet troll is just an internet troll.

Comment author: JGWeissman 03 March 2011 11:14:38PM *  2 points [-]

I don't think Clippy is an SIAI sockpuppet (for one thing, I expect most people at SIAI would be better at demonstrating expected paperclip maximizing), but when I send emails to people at SIAI, I usually address it to a @gmail.com email address.

And I wouldn't call Clippy "just an internet troll", most trolls don't pay nearly as much rent in entertainment value.

Comment author: SilasBarta 04 March 2011 02:44:14AM -2 points [-]

Also there's of course loads of evidence or at least reasonable supposition pointing towards Clippy being me.

Indeed. There's the whole thing about Clippy being mysteriously "persuaded" to part with $1000 that you conveniently confirm, but SIAI not giving much detail about the donation. And how Clippy seems to want money to go to you specifically.

And how (way back when) you adamantly insisted that I stop trying to negotiate with Clippy and that only you should. And how you post your occasional "chat" with Clippy involving mildly funny exchanges (at least one time I know of). Who else is even able to have these chats with Clippy?

I have been told by someone who claims to know the truth that Clippy does not have an @intelligence.org email address

And how would one know whether Clippy has a singinst.org email address? Someone trying this ruse would just avoid using it. Do you mean to say that someone on the inside knows who Clippy is, and that that person is not on the list of SIAI addresses?

I will no longer vehemently deny that, so as to gain the social status benefit of being potential large SIAI donor Clippy 40% of the time.

WTF? How much social status can that troll actually have here? Posters normally insult him without a second thought.

Comment author: timtyler 03 March 2011 11:14:05PM -2 points [-]

From your perspective, I guess, but I have been told by someone who claims to know the truth that Clippy does not have an @intelligence.org email address.

That sounds like pretty feeble evidence! Who is this person? - or why are they being anonymous? Email addresses are two-a-penny, anyway.

Comment author: JGWeissman 03 March 2011 11:19:05PM 2 points [-]

Who is this person?

90% confidence: Michael Vassar

Comment author: MartinB 09 March 2011 06:46:32AM 0 points [-]

would you bet on those odds?