The root cause here is too much focus on polishing things that are already shiny because nobody in crypto has every tread upon this ground before. BitClones know they aren't fit for it and don't even try. We're just sitting here doing what they do, which is fail. We can talk big about how different DASH is, but we all still just sit around talking about being grandma friendly.
BitClones are Vendor hostile. They expect a vendor to risk confirmationless transactions. As soon as word gets out that a vendor is doing that with a BitClone, the people with brains will show up to smack that idea into the dirt and prove how bad it is by double-spending the crap out of it.
This is why BitClones don't even try.
This isn't about a Crypto Vending Machine. Those already exist. They're nerd toys with no practical application. Ask anyone who has one.
This isn't about an arduino/pi in a vending machine. Those already exist. Again, nerd toys with no use.
This isn't even about Instant Transactions. BitClones actually do have this. Every TX hits the memory pool instantly.
We're obviously not contesting the security of the blockchain. We're simply aware of, and doing something about, the fact that making the blockchain's ledger security run double-duty as TX security, is stupid and slow. It works. Yes. But, it doesn't work properly. It doesn't work appropriately. Transactions need to be secured by an independent system. They shouldn't be in limbo waiting for lockdown. They should be instantly locked down. DASH does this. BitClones do not. Basically, it's locked memory pool which just waits to be included in the ledger for the simple task of not having an unmanageable memory pool... The ledger does what the ledger does, the transactions do what the transactions do. Without trying to offload tasks from one to the other inappropriately, like BitClones do.
This is about Instantly SECURED Transactions. The fact that it's in a vending machine is only marginally interesting.
Check on your local Craig's List or eBay for an ancient single-price vending machine like the Dixie Narco 168 I've got sitting in my shop right now waiting to be spruced up and the nerd guts jammed in it. We have the distinct position of not actually being in the vending machine business. We could put one of these in a number of high retail traffic areas with no conflict of interest that might normally exist with a vending machine. We can sell the site's own store brand products. We don't care. We're just trying to be a bigass billboard for DASH that people can actually interact with and buy stuff. Even if it's just a silly old vending machine. It's better than any BitClone can do.
The guy I bought this machine from said it as succinctly as only a redneck with no clue what crypto is can: "If I can't actually use it anywhere, it's useless to me."
We've gotta stop polishing the user experience. It's shiny enough already. We need to polish the vendor experience. It's a symptom of the crypto community's self-absorbed socialist attitude. Nobody even thinks about the vendor side because it's all about me me me, money hose money hose money hose, baghold baghold baghold, hype hype hype, etc...
What exactly is the user experience for a coin that has nowhere it can be spent? Oh, look, my shiny mobile client... With which I cannot do one damn thing... Yeah, that's pretty damned grandma friendly... It sits around collecting dust just like she does!
Actually being able to use DASH, where no other BitClone can be used, is the unwalked path we must create. We must not simply mimic the failures of others, because, duh, they're failures. I'm not trying to rub it in or anything, but my shit is all paid for, for a reason; I quit doing what other people do. I don't pay rent. I don't pay mortgages. I don't keep up with the Jones'. Most people hate me and think I'm a weirdo for the simple fact that I'm not in the rat race anymore. I give precisely zero fucks because I win. This is what DASH must do. Lots of people are not going to like us because we're knocking their long-held bag in the dirt. Not to mention the emotional investment... To bad, so sad. Go head and Gox yourself again... The writing is on the wall. If you can't read it, you're dumb. The Free Market is not going to hold your hand and make it all better when you fuck up. You've either got the stones for reality, or you need to go back home to mommy.
The platform is not merely for this conference. It's not even the main event. It's just a closed development platform that we don't have to sweat pissing off an existing retail establishment by using them as a guinea pig. It doubles as an "in." They can be placed in any number of high traffic areas where vending machines might not usually go due to lack or profitability, or conflict of interest. Our only interest is getting seen. Not just by consumers, but by the vendors. They can see it working like magic. People giggling like little girls as they shapeshift their BitClones into something that is actually useful! "When are you guys going to accept DASH for all the stuff in your store, not just this machine?" The customers will be asking for it, not just us trying to promote a thing they've never heard of.
When we've got it all ironed out, er,
moocowmoo has it all ironed out, we'll help anyone who wants to set up an "interactive billboard" in their own town. It's really not a vending machine. It's an interactive billboard. I really liked the old as dirt Dixie Narco DNCB 168 becasue it's small enough I can manhandle it myself if I have to. It's got a stupid simple interface and operation mechanism. It's got a monolithic presence... And it's not so enormous and heavy that you need a fork lift, like most vending machines. If you want to do more than just sit on your ass, you can do this just the same as we are. Do your part to get DASH out there. Now, if you want to set it up as a business, we can't give you free help for that. This is about DASH, not subsidizing your vending biz...
I can't say it enough,
moocowmoo has been god-like. I've got experience with microcontroller programming, but the huge world of a true computing environment, and learning a language in it, has been more than I could do. I knew I wasn't the guy for this job, but somebody had to do it, so I just starting beating my head against it. You'd laugh your ass off if you saw my rigged up version of an event-driven IX detector. It worked, sorta. Kinda. But, uh...
Solarminer and I were making a hilarious "failing upwards" attempt at it. I'm so glad moocowmoo stepped in, or this might not have been possible on this deadline. I don't know if it'll dispense
cold beverages, but it will dispense beverages. I was trying to keep the cost low, and this thing has a blown-out r12 refrigeration system. It doesn't even have fill ports... But the core function is damn near a done deal already. There's a mockup of the machine sitting on my desk that clicks relays when tDASH are sent. It makes change, detects IX and non-IX, bounces insufficient sends and non-IX sends... It's pretty sexy already. All I have to do is stick it in there, and there's a bit of debugging and sneaky fucker catchers to do. Oh, and drag it 400 miles to Miami, and then back again...
Most vending machines, like people, live out their lives within 50 miles of their original installation. They're a bitch to move around...
ATMs are just a band-aid for the problem of retail un-usability. Nevermind the huge amount of AML/KYC guvscam BS that comes with it. DASH can skip that whole mess, so we better damn well actually do it. Digital Cash? Right? So, uh, lets actually BE DIGITAL CASH ALREADY!
Gas Station POS systems are a house of cards, at best. We need this project as a Phase 1 before we can approach Gas Stations.
