Who is Hal Finney?
Interesting facts about Hal Finney:
1. Hal Finney received the first bitcoin transaction from Satoshi Nakamoto on January 12, 2009.
2. He lived in Temple City (the same city where had lived Satoshi Nakamoto), California, for a decade, raising speculation about being Bitcoin's creator, although he denied it.
3. In March 2013, Finney, who battled ALS, posted on BitcoinTalk about his health and continued programming despite the disease.
4. Finney found out about Bitcoin's monetary value in late 2010, despite his ALS progressing and slowing down his coding abilities.
5. He introduced experimental software named bcflick, using Trusted Computing to enhance Bitcoin wallets.
6. The Finneys faced extortion, receiving demands for 1,000 bitcoins during his last year, affecting the family's financial situation.
7. They were victims of swatting, with perpetrators making false emergency calls to provoke armed police responses.
8. Hal Finney, in October 2009, revealed his ALS diagnosis in an essay on the blog Less Wrong, expressing his hope to continue contributing to open source projects.
9. Prior to his illness, Finney was an active runner, showcasing his active lifestyle before being diagnosed with ALS.
10. Finney and his wife contributed to ALS research by raising money through the Santa Barbara International Marathon.
11. Despite ALS, Finney expressed his desire to read, browse the net, participate in conversations, and even write code.
12. During the last year of his life, the Finneys received multiple anonymous calls demanding extortion fees in bitcoin.
13. Swatting, a hoax involving emergency calls, became a distressing experience for the Finney family.
14. Hal Finney's ALS diagnosis in August 2009 did not deter his determination to contribute to open source software projects.
15. Finney was one of the early adopters of Bitcoin, playing a significant role in the cryptocurrency's initial stages.
16. He received the first bitcoin transaction, a historic moment in the development of the cryptocurrency.
17. Despite health challenges, Finney continued to program and contribute to the Bitcoin community until his death.
18. Hal Finney passed away on August 28, 2014, in Phoenix, Arizona, due to complications related to ALS.
19. Cryopreserved by the Alcor Life Extension Foundation, Finney's legacy endures in the world of cryptocurrency and open source contributions.
20. His vision emphasized decentralization, putting power into the hands of individuals rather than governments and corporations.
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