How can I help my Mennonite dairy farmer to use/accept Bitcoin?
301 sats \ 18 comments \ @trevor 30 Aug 2022 bitcoin
Orange-pilled my dairy farmer. He could have someone else custody his corn for him, but if there is a way to stay within his beliefs and help him custody, obviously I'd rather him do that.
He doesn't believe in internet usage.
He has a credit card reader that (I think) is attached through dial-up.
He has a cell phone (not sure about texts).
He has a desktop computer.
He uses IbyFax.com.
Is there a POS system he could use that attaches to dial-up so he could send/receive and also confirm receipt? Or is there some other way I'm not thinking of?
write
preview
related posts
200 sats \ 1 reply \ @kilianbuhn 30 Aug 2022
You can create a wallet, print out a qr code to the address and stamp the 12 words into a steel plate. He accepts payments to the qr code and keeps his steel plate safe.
Big disadvantage: he cannot verify that a payment went through without trusting the customers phone
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @moel 31 Aug 2022
This, but now not L1 but L2 Lightning via a LNURL...
reply
100 sats \ 0 replies \ @tomlaies 30 Aug 2022
Impossible without trade-offs if he doesn't use internet
reply
100 sats \ 2 replies \ @om 30 Aug 2022
Dial-up should be good enough for Electrum?
How about Breez in POS mode through Android emulation? Beta though.
I believe Blockstream broadcasts the chain via satellite. If he can get a compatible dish he can detect being paid but with a large delay.
reply
0 sats \ 1 reply \ @trevor OP 30 Aug 2022
Dial-up with Electrum? Where can I read more?
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @om 31 Aug 2022
Electrum is a SPV (= lightweight) wallet. I'm not sure what do you want to read? You can check out the Satoshi's Bitcoin paper, Section 8, "Simplified Payment Verification" for a technical explanation of why downloading the whole chain is not necessary for an SPV wallet.
reply
100 sats \ 2 replies \ @manbytescamera 30 Aug 2022
I don’t know shit, but if he’s adopted all those other techs, CC reader is probably using the internet, it makes sense to use if the internet as its necessary to interact with the Bitcoin protocol. His other option is using satellites reception and radio broadcasting. Maybe @nvk could help him out.
More importantly, how did get him to understand? I know a rancher with sporadic internet, I’m slowly orange pilling.
reply
110 sats \ 1 reply \ @trevor OP 30 Aug 2022 freebie
I talked about current events like what's happened in countries who can't withdraw or use their money, how Bitcoin is a non-expanding measuring stick for value, how (long-term) it decreases the ability for the state to put ignorant regulations on people, like having to do a herd-share just to buy raw milk in states like mine. I also showed the mechanics on paper about how money printing immediately steals your wealth and directly causes inflation.
reply
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @manbytescamera 30 Aug 2022
Interesting, thanks for all the good talking points. Good luck with getting them self sovereign with their money.
reply
20 sats \ 4 replies \ @DarthCoin 30 Aug 2022
Use Lnbits offline PoS https://github.com/cryptoteun/awesome-lnbits
reply
0 sats \ 3 replies \ @trevor OP 30 Aug 2022 freebie
Seems like that would still require an internet-connected node somehow. I'd love for him to use Lightning, but I wondered if on-chain would be easier for now? Maybe I'm wrong so please enlighten me if I am!
0 sats \ 0 replies \ @moel 31 Aug 2022
Does he NEVER want to use the internet? Or just not have a subscription?
If he is open to logging in, say once per month, then there are plenty of options.
Something as simple as showing him how to use https://coinos.io/receive/ and making a static LNURL QR-code for him that he can print is all he needs.
reply
3 sats \ 1 reply \ @moneroshill 30 Aug 2022
Just don't. Why would a mennonite need bitcoin?
reply
100 sats \ 0 replies \ @kilianbuhn 30 Aug 2022
I fear that as well. The difference between internetless subcultures and the rest of the world and becomes wider and wider.
Maybe only a few years/decades from now our worlds will be entirely incompatible. It's a shame since nowadays some amish/etc communities send their 18/19 yo olds out into the world for a year so they can make a conscious choice for their own subculture and against the rest of the world on purpose 😱 They might not be able to anymore whern they're entire offline aliens in a digital world 😱
Maybe they could still participate when a bank offers tamper-evident hardware with 12 mnemonics words in them as physical cash replacement. But that's also a risky 2nd class citizen lifestyle.
Really makes you think 🤔🤔
reply
1 sat \ 0 replies \ @tenuous 31 Aug 2022
I admire this, few thoughts:
  1. Might be a losing battle / not in line with his lifestyle. We could use your promotional efforts where they might make a bigger dent.
  2. Bitcoin network could be considered distinct from the "internet". You could set up a node for him, good luck with the details on that.
  3. You could generate an offline, paper wallet for him.
  4. Give him a small incentive, say you are willing to pay 20% more or engage in a bigger contract or help him market and get new customers.
  5. Could ask him if others in his community would be interested. Then hold a small meeting, get all of their concerns together and come back and talk to us about it.
reply