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I used to know a guy who was pretty high up in the railway industry. Nice guy.
Whenever a new train had gone through R&D he watch these newly designed trains being put through various tests.
There was an agreement with a technical division of the army to help oversee safety tests - which a new design had to pass before being put into service.
He'd watch with some amusement/amazement at one particular part of the tests where the Army Major would call out for, "the little old lady with a tight skirt" who each time helped in the tests.
The test was designed to see whether the weakest, smallest and less equipped person could step inside and use the train.
Trains aren't Bitcoin - sure. There's a lot more to understand and more technology to use.
However, if bitcoin were to be accepted and have mainstream use people need to have an eye out for the less capable amongst us.
Who should be the equivalent in say Bitcoin wallet use, what are the choke-points and how could they be ironed-out on the field?
blind people can't really use hardware wallets and seed backup best practices (on hardware or software wallets) aren't really made for them.
I'm not calling blind people a little old lady, but I think it's a dramatic example of where accessibility isn't considered in a large part of the industry.
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Yep. I know first hand how accessibility hits you badly when you don't fit the average any more - so I'm right behind you there.
There's lots of chances for companies to fill a niche.
However, I know that over the years many accessibility improvements for people with disabilities have had actually improved others.
Take crescents on sidewalks for example - usually put in for wheelchair users; however they've had the unintended effect of helping with parents with children, older people etc.
Technology uses multiple ways to feedback signals to users - it's possible that helping partially sighted people in one way might make the experience for others more enjoyable and rewarding.
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A really great and innovative idea.
However, it looks like the project's website bit the dust a couple of years ago. I found the original github project via their dead website via archive.org:
Sadly, that's gone too...
The github link you gave looks like a fork from the original project (above) - it doesn't seem to have any releases.
On the positive, it does seem to show just what's possible.
Hope it (or another such project) pulls through.
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Yes, Icy wallet was a project from 2015... but seems that didn't survive. Sad.
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A braille steel plate backup would be a really interesting idea, if somebody could execute it properly.
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Nice. I never thought of that. Good if it can be set up solely by the user.
Totally unrelated but it made me think of, "Keep your keys in your head" combined with Musks's chip implants. Gotta get that image out of my head...
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Nice writeup. I guess I'd choose Phoenix as lightning wallets go, but you reminded me of the Stephen Livera podcast I was listening to with Burak. He came up with Ark primarily because he thinks lightning is too complicated for the average person, having to manage incoming liquidity, opening channels, etc- Not simple enough for your old lady in the tight skirt.
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Thanks for that Siggy - after your recommendation I'll go find and listen to that next.
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What is the Linux equivalent of the little old lady?
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Well, on a personal note, my aged, and very non-technical, ma has been using Ubuntu for 18 years. Her eyesight is slowly putting a stop to that unfortunately...
But gee, there's so many flavors. Maybe a trip to distrowatch might help?
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What comes in my mind now... First, the exchanges have to be eliminated from people's lives, no wallets on exchanges! It is too complicated for the regular guy. But, before first :), people have to be educated! Too many listen to TV, other media, or to politicians regarding bitcoin! And they get wrong information. Also, it has to be a killer app to help them pay with a click or with a card. Not going inside and have too many setups, like in Binance app, but just fill it and then use it for payments!
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By the look of your bio, with 19 grandchildren, I'm guessing that you're a little more longer in the tooth than I.
Can I ask how friendly Bitcoin usage has been for you and your contemporaries?
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Hi. Since 2013 when my wife discovered bitcoin, we use it everywhere we could, on exchanges for trading, on cards for shopping, on blogs writing articles about it, on our tinny house sold by bitcoin, on creating Apps using blockchain technology, etc.
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Sounds like you're having a fine time.
Take care.
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Great post.
I'm always unsure which lightning wallet to recommend.
A new user should not be expected to open a channel
And whilst muun is great for small amounts, they screw you over once you start using it for regular amounts
These days I recommend custodial (non KYC) wallets, specifically Blink. However, they require a phone number.
If anyone can recommend a non kyc, custodial, no phone number required lightning wallet (without a hard GSF dependency) would love to hear about it!
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Breez is non-custodial, non-KYC and doesn't require opening channels (at least not as far as the user is aware).
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Just tried it - would be more reassuring if it wasn't in Beta, although the 'you may lose all your funds' warning should probably be standard for anyone not running their own stack!
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Yeah, opening the initial channel is a major problem. Wallets like Breez helping users with this will definitely help to make it easy.
Being non-custodial, non-kyc and open source - what's not to love?
I'm sure when they're out of beta they'll get the users.
Nice!
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Phoenix wallet IMO is good one, user friendly and not technically challenging for the user.
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21 sats \ 1 reply \ @ek 4 Jun 2023
Doesn't WoS meet the requirements?
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I don't see where to install it from - where is the repository?
Looks like this is available for Google (or Apple) subscribers only...
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thanks @ekyzyis / @m00ninite - I will try out both your suggestions
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Looks like @Siggy47 (below) has come up with a great suggestion. I'd seen the word Ark thrown about in posts in the last few days - but with limited time didn't read them.
On first look it seems like a possible solution to the 'Little Old Lady' question.
Yay!
PS here's the podcast episode that Siggy mentions:
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I do like Blink despite their SMS requirement
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Yeah. I get their position, it's a lot of risk to take.
Things I like about Blink are:
  • Super low fees
  • Very fast
  • Easy to on-board
  • Company very hands on with building Bitcoin communities
  • Bitcoin only
  • App does not depend on GSF
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