Bitcoin's Software Gets Security Fixes, New Features 173
itwbennett (1594911) writes "The software driving Bitcoin's network was upgraded Wednesday, with security fixes addressing a problem that defunct bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox blamed for losing nearly half a billion dollars worth of bitcoins. The latest version of bitcoin's software, 0.9.0, contains more than a half dozen fixes for transaction malleability, according to the release notes for the software. Bitcoin Core also contains a new feature for payment requests. Previously, merchants couldn't attach a note describing an invoice, and people also could not supply a refund address to a merchant. The latest version automatically supplies a refund address."
This wouldn't have prevented the Mt. Gox implosion since they weren't using the reference implementation. The foundation also renamed the software to "Bitcoin Core" to avoid confusion between Bitcoin-the-network and Bitcoin-the-reference-implementation,
Re:LOL .. 0.9.0? (Score:4, Interesting)
Sure, why not?
Apparently we can't take FireFox seriously because it's at version 28(!) (nevermind that Chrome is at 33.0.1750.154 (dude what?)) either.
So, should everything just be labeled v1.0 eternally (or v2.0 for the people who never trust first releases) based on the psychological effects of a version number?
Re:LOL .. 0.9.0? (Score:4, Interesting)
But... I assume you are in the US or Canada. Didn't your currency just get a bug fix update for anti counterfeiting? An update to the US $100 bill was released October 2013. Obviously, you can't trust that yet -- give it a few years.
As to being "regulated" by government, -- what is that, exactly? BTC is one possible crypto-currency, so it is of interest what you think this "regulation" should look like.
Re:What? (Score:5, Interesting)
Um actually I believe you mean the treasury calls this "A new series". You know, like that line of purple spooge they put across some of the new bills.
Turns out, older series of the "Cash" currency had bugs which allowed for unscrupulous parties to make copies and double spend. So the treasury has released a patch, which is rolled out as they get their hands on older series bills and destroy them to be replaced by the new ones.
Don't get me wrong, I am ready willing and able to get into some fed hate, but, this is just a better example.