Bitcoin support guide, recent downtimes, upcoming server upgrades

[seekermoc]

I've supported mangadex before, and I'd like to continue supporting, but buying bitcoin safely seems way too convoluted. Based on what @sirgir said, coinbase isn't an option. The nearest bitcoin ATMs that I can find online are a 30 minute drive away and charge an 18% purchase fee. There has to be another way than cryptocurrency.

 

[rollingdice]

If you're not comfortable with some company holding your credit/debit card account, check out localbitcoins.com.
They have local sellers that can convert your money to bitcoin via local bank transfer and local digital wallet provider.
Verification is optional, although some seller will ask for ID before you continue.

 

[Holo]

Just wanted to say that the response has been very good so far. Keep up the good work!

 

[Kreydis]

I'm part of the fraction that would learn. But with the virus and jobs being wobbly as all hell, I have to ask, what % of the 1k is donating before I commit to another expense?

 

[Holo]

@Kreydis If income is a concern, please hold off until later, perhaps. There have been at least 20 donations, so that's pretty good for 2 days. If I get at least 100 in a month's time, it would be a good result.

 

[sinnx3]

@Holo Have you considered integrating via coinpayments? https://www.coinpayments.net/
There's also this git repo for coinpayments. https://github.com/hexters/CoinPayment

Coinpayments has a paypal passthrough, Ecwid, Escrow, And CoinBase integration.

Spoiler

 

[thedestroyership]

Um i think ads would be a better option than crypto, like literally its just scrolling past the ad and problem solved. Crypto is one hell of a ride, so many steps and currency inflates and deflates like a gorilla diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Furthermore, there is also the possibility of being hacked and sensitive financial info being stolen.

 

[adrianto1995]

Add Binance Coin (BNB) and you'll never regret it.

 

[GigAnon]

@thedestroyership They considered the option of ads but did not go that route because:
1/ The only ads agencies that would work with a (illegal) site like MD are shady businesses, and their ads are often inappropriate or even harmful (viruses or scams)
2/ It conflicts with MD's core values
3/ Most people use an adblocker
4/ It doesn't pay much anyway
5/ There's still the issue of a paper trail about financial information - you don't have that with cryptocurrencies. Money is much easier to launder if you never handle *money* in the first place.

Cryptocurrencies were deemed the best option, and I agree with them... but if they want it to work they need to make it easier for everyone to donate. Just add a JS miner already...

 

[celsty]

JS miner interface where users can control how much CPU they donate while reading sounds nice

 

[kinkajou]

Will we be able to link our wallet addresses to our accounts to see a history and get the supporter icon? Thanks!

 

[Holo]

@kinkajou Yes, you can enter your wallet address into the PayPal field for now

@sinnx3 Does it require strict verification?

 

[zerimas]

Is there no other way than using crypto? One the value of crypto is ludicrously volatile. What happens when you go to pay for the server, but then the value of crypto has crashed (as it does all the time because the market is totally manipulated). All the donations you've received (which would have covered the costs previously) are no longer sufficient.

 

[zerimas]

@GigAnon

I don't believe in bitcoin (or any crypto because it is all total bullshit) and I am not an expert on the subject or anything.

Just add a JS miner already...

Would this even be viable? The mining pools are already heavily centralized and didn't they just halve the block reward recently? There is almost nowhere mining is still economically feasible. If the value of BTC drops anymore, miners are going to shut down their rigs (rather than taking a loss) and then won't the value drop even more? They can't make money from the fees because nobody fucking uses bitcoin. Everyone is HODL-ing as they say.

There's still the issue of a paper trail about financial information - you don't have that with cryptocurrencies. Money is much easier to launder if you never handle *money* in the first place.

Except for the fact that anyone can view the immutable blockchain forever freely.

There is also the non-zero probability of shit fucking up. The wallet Mangadex uses could be compromised. If they are using a processor/third-party to this transaction with hosting there is a possibility of something going awry there. The whole scene is just a clusterfuck/SNAFU/whatever.

Cryptocurrencies were deemed the best option,

Even if it is the "best option" that doesn't make it good.

@Holo

I'd rather ads than crypto. The crypto thing just seems like it will result in nothing but problems, and I think that whole crypto scene is nothing but giant fucking cesspool of greed and iniquity. There is also a good chance of Mangadex just getting fucked over somehow by any number of entities.

This thread seems like it has already attracted a couple of shills peddling their choice of "internet magic beanz".

 

[Holo]

@zerimas

I use offline wallets, so there's no chance of an online exchange being hacked and the wallet being compromised. Anyone can view the blockchain, that's correct, but a string of letters and numbers are orders of magnitude safer compared to names and addresses.

I sense that you have an inherent suspicion of cryptocurrencies in general, and I respect your view, but in my opinion, there is inherent value in a currency system that is not controlled by any central government and where the currency can't just be printed at will in order to manipulate its value.

I do accept your point that it's volatile, and that's a risk I'll take for now. We'll give this a go for a while, and it donations via this method dries up, then of course we'll have to explore other options.

 

[zerimas]

@Holo

I sense that you have an inherent suspicion of cryptocurrencies in general

I feel you have too much trust in the code-cowboys/ruthless capitalists/tech bros/wannabe-feudal-despots/whatever (and their knowledge/competence) that make-up the cryptosphere.

and where the currency can't just be printed at will in order to manipulate its value.

Guess you've never heard of Tether? Anyways with bitcoin you don't need to do that. You have "painting the tape" and the shady stuff that exchanges do.

Not to mention just getting some BTC to send your way is a huge pain in the ass. Going through exchange to get it is difficult and time-consuming. I suppose you can use some kind of payment processor. In either you have some kind of third-party taking some off the top, plus the transaction fee to send it.

Realistically, I'd be easier for me just send you $20 in an envelope every couple of months or a transfer via Western Union or whatever.

Are fan-translations of manga really so shady that you need a host that deals only (is it only crypto or is it just an option? I'm not sure) in cryptocurrency? Whoever owns the rights to the titles either doesn't care, or can't do anything.

but a string of letters and numbers are orders of magnitude safer compared to names and addresses.

"Safer", yes, but it isn't like it can't be traced. It is just a matter of motivation. If you're concerned about law enforcement, I don't even think they would need a warrant in order look through blockchain. I'm no lawyer, but I think they would in order to go through a financial companies records.

I dunno. I guess I am just a "leech". I would wager that many of the people who claimed they would be willing to donate via crypto haven't actually gone through the steps necessary to do so themselves. I'd be listening to the concerns of previous supports like @seekermoc. ITT most of what I see is: confusion, comments about the difficulty, and some warnings about how you don't want to use Coinbase.

 

[thedestroyership]

@Holo
Just set up a P.O. box and we will ship you cash.

 

[celsty]

@holo @zerimas

Despite all the controversies of Tether (USDT), that crap still holds 1-to-1 value to dollar since its inception in 2015. Volatility is a non-issue if you exchange the donated BTC to these kind of stable cryptocurrencies.

The only problem is it's a pain in the ass for people who never bought crypto before

 

[magichian]

I would recommend that Mangadex becomes a verified publisher on basic attention token. It is cryptocurrency generated by downloading a browser called brave and allowing them to show you ads. You typically make like $.05 a day. I think that would be a great way to raise some funds as well since it doesn't require explicit payment by people, no KYC controls and still a very liquid source. I would have no problem donating all of my generated BAT to help support the site. That is about $2 a month. All you would need is 350 people and your costs would be covered.

 

[zerimas]

@celsty

How do you figure? We can debate about Tether endlessly (no need to though, it is total bullshit—it only holds it value because it needs to be "real" in order for the ponzi schemes and endless "pump and dumps" to continue), but the issue isn't the volatility of it, but rather BTC. Tether is "pegged" at the USD (lol), but from day-to-day the amount of USDT that you get in exchange for BTC (or whatever) is going to fluctuate.

BTC is always going to be volatile because nothing is actually priced in BTC. I guess some people will accept BTC for goods and services, but those services aren't priced in BTC—nothing is. If crypto is an option for paying for something, the cost is always "X real currency or the equivalent amount of crypto based on whatever the exchange rate is". I wanna buy an anime figure or something it might have a list price of ¥10,000. I am Canadian so whether I might end up paying more or less depending on the exchange rate or whatever, but the price of the figure is still ¥10,000 and will stay probably stay at roughly that amount (or at least in JYN) unless the Japanese economy collapses.

With respect to crypto have you ever seen anything priced at say 20 satoshis (or whatever) and then remain at that level regardless of the fluctuations in value between crypto/filthy fiat? I am going to say that you haven't.

@The only problem is it's a pain in the ass for people who never bought crypto before

Which would be the vast majority of people. So you could say "it is going to be a pain in the ass for a lot of people".