How would you give bitcoins as gifts on USB drives to "laypeople"

[Beamin]

Is there an easy way to do this? I'm talking about giving to people who would say "Oh bitcoin that's like paypal I have heard of that." Some thing you could:

`Give them a USB drive with just a wallet on it
`Have them just plug it into the computer maybe open in file explorer in windows
` Be able to see how much money is there without any special technical skills; really plug and play, or plug open and play.
` A simple wallet where they could spend the BTC money or open a coinbase or what ever account and convert to cash. Most useful thing about it would be to have the option of payig with bitcoins that they wouldn't do on their own or they could just add to it or watch it hopefully appreciate in value.

I have tried to get people to get into bitcoins but I find they are reluctant to download a wallet on their phone because they are afraid it will result in their fiat currency accounts getting hacked/ doing something illegal or pyramid scheme.

Also it hard to say to someone like your doctor or barber or someone you know well enough to give a Christmas card with a gift cert but instead say hey I want to give you money and its in bitcoins: download a wallet bla bla bla. You know People that won't take your money unless you put into a card.

[David Hess]

I have tried to get people to get into bitcoins but I find they are reluctant to download a wallet on their phone because they are afraid it will result in their fiat currency accounts getting hacked/ doing something illegal or pyramid scheme.

Just the security issue is a problem.  Even if they were directed to a safe location to download the software, the USB drive itself cannot be trusted.

Also it hard to say to someone like your doctor or barber or someone you know well enough to give a Christmas card with a gift cert but instead say hey I want to give you money and its in bitcoins: download a wallet bla bla bla. You know People that won't take your money unless you put into a card.

This is the solution.  There is nothing to prevent printing the bitcoin account onto paper as a QR code or something along with instructions on how to use it.  Of course anybody who takes a photograph can steal it before it is claimed.

[TerraHertz]

A corollary of this problem: How to scan old found/inherited hard disk and thumb drives, for forgotten bitcoin wallets.
There WILL be cases where people mucked around with bitcoin years ago, then died, threw out the drive, etc.

[David Hess]

A corollary of this problem: How to scan old found/inherited hard disk and thumb drives, for forgotten bitcoin wallets.
There WILL be cases where people mucked around with bitcoin years ago, then died, threw out the drive, etc.

What is the problem?  Connect the drive to a system which does *not* automatically load anything or a sacrificial system and scan it.  A system which boots from CD or DVD is a good candidate.

[WastelandTek]

trezor

[Ampera]

I find it to be a good personal policy to never be shaky nor ambiguous when money is concerned. So while this may not be the answer you want to here, I just suggest not if possible.

However, to answer the question, I'd just give an address on a password encrypted text file (7z is good enough for this). If they want the money, leave it up to them to get a wallet and claim the bitcoins.

[TerraHertz]

What is the problem?  Connect the drive to a system which does *not* automatically load anything or a sacrificial system and scan it.  A system which boots from CD or DVD is a good candidate.

'No alteration, no autorun' goes without saying. I frequently rummage around in old found HDDs. Best way is with a USB external HDD dock. Data archaeology is fun.

It's what to scan for that is the difficulty.  Keywords & URLs indicating the previous own had anything to do with bitcoins, would be a start. Also encryption keys, relatively small encrypted files... I've never used bitcoin (a decision a few years ago that now makes me laugh at myself) and so wouldn't even recognize a bitcoin wallet if I found one. Unless the filename was "bitcoin_wallet" or something like that.


This about sums up my relationship with Bitcoin: https://9gag.com/gag/a88Oz8e

[sleemanj]

A paper wallet, and a url to some  easy to use wallet (or play store one) that you recommend that they can scan the paper wallet into.

For the uninitiated, a paper wallet is literally a piece of paper that has the address and private key printed on it (and qrcode), idea being you send coin to it, but when you want to use it you sweep (transfer) the coins (all of them) into an actual wallet.

[David Hess]

What is the problem?  Connect the drive to a system which does *not* automatically load anything or a sacrificial system and scan it.  A system which boots from CD or DVD is a good candidate.

'No alteration, no autorun' goes without saying. I frequently rummage around in old found HDDs. Best way is with a USB external HDD dock. Data archaeology is fun.

A USB bridge is not sufficient by itself to prevent automatic execution.  Windows is particularly bad about this but MacOS has had problems with it as well.

Just to be safe, I would use a separate system which may be re-imaged as needed.  If you are messing with bitcoin or any other electronic currency or even doing banking online, then you should be used to having a separate secure system anyway.  There really is no excuse given how cheap computer hardware is.

[TerraHertz]

'No alteration, no autorun' goes without saying. I frequently rummage around in old found HDDs. Best way is with a USB external HDD dock. Data archaeology is fun.

A USB bridge is not sufficient by itself to prevent automatic execution.  Windows is particularly bad about this but MacOS has had problems with it as well.

Depends what Windows version. The auto-execution insanity is one of the (many) reasons my main daily-use system is still WinXP. Because that can be beaten into submission, so there there is zero auto-execution of anything, ever.

The downside being, that system can't access GPT drives.

[Freelander]

I simply do not understand why anyone would ever want to use or even consider a ' well dodgy' 'crypto currency'.
I see absolutely no benefit at all in promoting, experimenting, or indeed using the modern day equivalent of the 300 year old 'South sea company' meets the integrity and honesty of the 'Trump' organisation.....  .. a pre-cursor to 'South sea bubble' II .. the return...............

Trying to 'convince' people to partake in such a highly dodgy and dubious 'virtual' ponzi scheme is akin to trying to force a years supply of the 'watchtower' down someones throat whilst planning your meeting point for the supposed apocalypse.
 

As it says in Corinthians 26, Wigan 16. "Open thy wallet and help thyself"
 

Aside.... (Do they even teach 'South Sea Bubble' and similar land mark events in schools these days ??) - me thinks maybe not. - perhaps some would be wise to investigate..

 

[WastelandTek]

The thing I love the most about Bitcoin is that there are real costs to those too willfully ignorant to educate themselves.  One can go their whole life denying a spherical Earth, evolution, the moon landings, climate change, etc and it will not have any repercussions on their well being.

Bitcoin not so much.

[stj]

just buy 1oz gold/silver coins.
and do your homework first - there are fakes of all bullion now, from 1oz coins to the big bars!!
 

[Galenbo]

...  One can go their whole life denying a spherical Earth

The Earth is no sphere, and it's not flat.
Both polarised action groups are wrong. It's something in between. Like with everything else in life/society.

[Galenbo]

`Give them a USB drive with just a wallet on it
`Have them just plug it into the computer maybe open in file explorer in windows
....
I have tried to get people to get into bitcoins but I find they are reluctant to

Why do you try to push people into something they are not interested in?
Would you want to be pushed into storing a WW2 helmet or 1860 engine, just because other people tell you it's a good investment ?

My reaction would be: How do I get rid of this stuff, in the easiest way.

[stj]

...  One can go their whole life denying a spherical Earth

The Earth is no sphere, and it's not flat.
Both polarised action groups are wrong.

everybody knows it's a Tetrahedon! 

[StillTrying]

You could send a load of random numbers to people you don't like, and tell them it's a £100 butcoin xmas voucher.