The Bitcoin FAQ explains why this is not seen as a problem by Bitcoin supporters. But of course this is Slashdot, so I assume nobody has read that.

The shuttering of silk road caused panic for only a few hours. The value was recovered in less than 1/4 of a day. But for weeks afterward there were misleading headlines about how Bitcoin had lost half its value. Yes, it did lose its value - for a very short while.

Personally, I was very surprised that the value didn't go farther down and stay there much longer.

Person who didn't actually harm anyone is prosecuted anyway, news at 11.

Like you said, saying something doesn't make it so.

If your goal is to persuade me to willingly give my allegiance to your system, you're failing.

That's just a personal opinion, not something you have the right to enforce on people.

I am fully ready to secede from all of the services you have mentioned as soon as that right is recognized for everybody so that we can work together on a voluntary basis to create our own solutions.

I am not a member of the U.S. Libertarian political Party, but their past platform put it well:

There's a whole lot in the summary that is just wrong or out of date. First off, the energy consumption for bitcoin mining is becoming more and more efficient, especially this year thanks to the addition of ASIC circuits for the job. Also there are several alternative currencies that are trying to address this with alternatives, including Peercoin and Primecoin.

Next, the news of malware for mining Bitcoin is not new at all - it's been happening for well more than a year. And the defense is the same as always. Really this is an issue of malware, not an issue of Bitcoin. There is also malware out there to steal credit card numbers and bank account information - that's not a strike against credit cards or bank accounts.

Finally a lot of this is a matter of opinion. The author thinks a deflationary system would be terrible - many of us think it would be wonderful. This is actually addressed in the Bitcoin FAQ with a link to a real article on the theory so you can consider it and make up your mind rather than starting with a preconception off the bat. If you conclude that a deflationary currency is bad, don't use it - meanwhile let the rest of us use what we think would be best. If you like the cryptocoin concept but don't like deflationary currencies, there are altcoins that do not have a capped supply.

As for other points of the libertarian agenda - again, if you don't like it, don't use it. I support your right to pick the system you think would work best, and I think I should be allowed to do the same. "it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness"

Isn't it weird how on Slashdot some guys will go ape over the government wiretapping the general public without a warrant, then turn around and defend the need to have the government monitor everybody's economic transactions without probably cause?

I will never forget the edit war over "yogurt"/"yoghurt." The ridiculousness was only eclipsed by the fact that the "yoghurt" guy won for years because everybody else realized it was ridiculous and didn't have the persistence to stay with it. IMO the system is broken when that kind of issue is settled by someone's personal passion and obsession.

Or better yet, just put it in landfills! That would be easier!

That response from the EFF was very educational and worth reading among all the other links in this article. I learned that companies don't really have to go around and actively defend their trademark in court or risk losing it. And I also confirmed my suspicion that no company needs to be ensuring that every time somebody uses their name ("mark") that they have permission.

Here's the link again in case you can't tell which one I'm referring to.

I think it's cool and I still care, even if everybody else wants to ignore it. It may never get anywhere, but I like to know that it's going on and hear the status twice a year or so. Same for GNU Hurd, although I don't think I've heard much about them in at least five years.

Also, while I'm sure Android is challenging Windows' dominance overall, it doesn't seem to be doing so on desktop machines in my office, so it's still a reality for me. I doubt ReactOS will be done in time to change that during my career, but it's nice to know it's out there.

I can get a lot more megahashes/second on ASIC hardware for the same money.

Probably the same way you justify your hyperbole: with the basic fact that people are entitled to their own opinions, even if others disagree. Using big dramatic legal sounding words to try to bludgeon others over their opinions is actually harmful to society, in my opinion.