14 years ago, the first bitcoin transaction occurred. Satoshi Nakamoto sent 10 bitcoin (BTC) to Hal Finney, marking the start of decentralized peer-to-peer transfers. This legendary cypherpunk was the first to download and receive bitcoin, helping to prove the system worked.

But how well do we know about The Bitcoin God Father?

Origins

Hal Finney was born on May 4, 1956, in the scenic town of Coalinga California. Hal's family frequently moved due to his father's job at Union Oil of California. In the 1950s, his mother was a housewife supporting her husband and three children.

During his formative years in primary school, Hal discovered his passion for coding and privacy by constructing encrypted analog codes. This early fascination laid the foundation for his future career as a developer and advocate for online privacy. In high school, Hal's dedication to the emerging world of computers led him to assist the administration with complex calculations, utilizing the use of perforated cards. Graduating with honors, Hal earned a coveted spot at the prestigious California Institute of Technology, cementing his path towards excellence.

Pride of Caltech

First, he developed a keen interest in mathematics, which eventually led him to discover his passion for engineering. Hal eagerly enrolled in all available programming classes, even though there was no specific degree in computer programming at that time. Despite the mandatory inclusion of certain humanitarian subjects at Caltech, Hal often chose to prioritize his studies in new ideas and concepts. He pursued knowledge purely for personal fulfillment, selectively attending classes and considering exams on less relevant topics as a mere formality, according to his wife Fran.

Fran and Hal formed an acquaintance during rotation week and despite Hal's initial stubbornness, he possessed a humble nature and a profound understanding of libertarian principles. His intellectual prowess and captivating arguments drew the attention of fellow students, including his future spouse. As a listener, Hal absorbed knowledge before sharing well-considered insights. Their friendship blossomed into a lasting relationship spanning over three decades, culminating in a wedding ceremony in 1979, held at San Diego Park, situated near Fran's residence.

Humble Beginnings

In 1978, Hal joined APh, an engineering firm working on the Intellivision system for Mattel. He contributed to games like 'Space Battle' and 'Star Strike' and worked on other computer systems like Atari, Adventures of Tron, Astroblast, and Space Attack. Hal's expertise extended beyond gaming, including projects such as cash registers, spectrometers, and camera software. After APh, he focused on operating system development at Ametek before joining Greenhill Software to work on code generators and optimizers.

"Best Dad"

"Hal was a very good father, the best dad," says Fran. "He was very grateful and proud that the children let him be like that. The children's kindness allowed Hal to make every effort to pamper them properly."

He developed a program that matched letters to pictures ("C” — “Cow" etc.) to help his son Jason learn the alphabet and learn to read. Thanks to the knowledge he had gained from a simple computer game, Jason learned to read newspapers.

When the World Wide Web became publicly accessible in 1991, Finns were some of the earliest members of the online community, already subscribed to Prodigy since 1990.

Cypherpunks

Hal actively engaged with cypherpunks and shared articles on digital cash, privacy policy, and anonymous re-mailers. He created the first cryptographic-based anonymous re-mailer and assisted programmer Phil Zimmerman in developing Pretty Good Privacy (PGP). He worked on the project for free, driven by his passion for encryption.

After this he had no idea that PGP was destined to become the most popular e-mail encryption software in the world. Hal's skills helped Zimmerman get financial support for the commercial version. In 1996 Zimmerman founded PGP Inc, and Hal was promoted to senior software engineer. He remained with a company that through a series of acquisitions transformed into Network Associates, Inc., after PGP Corporation and then Symantec until he retired in early 2011.

Over the years, Hal continued to pursue his interest in cryptography, developing his first "reusable proof of performance” algorithm in 2004. Hal presented this development at a conference in San Francisco in 2005, pre-practicing his own talk with Fran.

Satoshi Nakamoto's Only Friend?

"Today, Satoshi's true identity has become a mystery. But at that time I thought I was dealing with a very intelligent and sincere young man of Japanese origin. I was lucky to know a lot of wonderful people throughout my life, so I pay attention to the signs of destiny”

Hal recognized the incredible potential of this ground-breaking digital currency. He was not just an early adopter, but a true pioneer in the world of Bitcoin. Can you imagine being the very first person to tweet about 'Running bitcoin'? Yes, that was him. He was there from the beginning, igniting the spark that would soon become a global phenomenon. But it doesn't end there.

As this digital currency started to take shape, our protagonist played a crucial role in its early development. He was quick to download and run the Bitcoin software, becoming the first person to do so after Satoshi's announcement. Mining a few coins in those early days, he encountered and fixed several bugs in the code, going above and beyond to ensure the success of this decentralized dream.

But his impact didn't stop there. He also helped develop the first Bitcoin wallet software, paving the way for simple and secure transactions in the world of cryptocurrencies. Why was he so passionate about Bitcoin? Because he firmly believed in its power to transform the financial industry. He saw Bitcoin as a decentralized peer-to-peer currency that could be used for anonymous transactions worldwide and also truly believed that Bitcoin had the potential to revolutionize the way we think about money.

The Genuine Satoshi Nakamoto?

Over the years, there are many theories and compelling evidence that may dictate that Hal Finney was indeed the real Satoshi Nakamoto. While many believed that Hal could be the real mastermind behind Bitcoin and Satoshi himself, there are also many crypto figures who came forward to debunk this possibility.

The most recent analysis indicated that Bitcoin pioneer Hal Finney was competing in a 10-mile race when Satoshi Nakamoto was responding to emails and transacting on Bitcoin. Jameson Lopp, a self-proclaimed cypherpunk and co-founder of Bitcoin custody firm Casa, doesn't believe the speculation either. In an Oct. 21 blog post, Loppsharednew evidence that casts further doubt on the theory.

Meanwhile, analysis also highlighted that Satoshi was working on code and posting on various forums during a time when Hal Finney's battle with ALS had already affected his ability to use a keyboard.

Thoughts?

Hal Finney was undoubtly an incredible being. His dedicated work and time on Bitcoin is remarkable and inspiring, which has led to many theories and conspiracies revolving around him and the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto.

However, I, personally, think that the real Satoshi Nakamoto is still out there remaining unknown. For someone who invented the genious world of Bitcoin, I'm sure it wouldn't be that easy to expose his identity. Which could perhaps be a good thing:

I agree.

What are your thoughts on revealing the real Satoshi Nakamoto? And what are the possible consequences the revelation may lead to?

Brave Battle

In 2008, Hal started running semi-marathons and marathons. He trained for the Los Angeles Marathon but had to withdraw due to a cramp. A similar incident happened during a cycling session. Hal and Fran celebrated their anniversary by cycling a distance equal to the years they were married. They adjusted their traditions as their children grew up.

In July 2009, thirty years after their wedding in San Diego, Hal began to experience exhaustion during their travels before reaching their destination. Fran recalls, 'We had a mere thirty miles left to go, but this time, he seemed unable to handle the strain.' A week later, the official diagnosis arrived.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a progressive degenerative disease, causes the death of neurons responsible for controlling voluntary muscles, which are typically attached to the skeleton. As the condition progresses, essential bodily functions such as speech, eating, movement, and ultimately, breathing, become impaired. Naturally, a diagnosis such as ALS can trigger feelings of anxiety, depression, or apathy.

Hal found himself paralyzed, relying on a speech synthesizer and eye-tracking sensors to communicate, and unable to eat or breathe without assistance. However, even after disclosing his ALS diagnosis on the Bitcoin Forum, Hal displayed remarkable resilience, gratitude, and ingenuity. He wrote, 'Even with ALS, I find joy in my life.'

Hal devised a customized interface to maneuver his wheelchair and embarked on a project to enhance the security of Bitcoin wallets. Despite the adversity that slowed him down, Hal emphasized, 'I still have a profound passion for programming, as it enables me to set new objectives.'

Until the very end, Hal continued working and navigating his home with a motorized wheelchair or taking the bus to UCSB, where he pursued his research.

Frozen Hal

Hal, an atheist since his youth, became fascinated with cryonics after reading Robert Oettinger's book. He and Fran, who was terrified of death, were a perfect match. Hal wasn't afraid of death, while death was Fran's biggest fear.

Several years following their marriage, Hal persuaded her to contemplate the prospect of cryonics for long-term preservation. After carefully evaluating potential advancements in scientific achievements, the couple formally decided to enroll in cryopreservation at Alcor Life Expectancy Foundation on October 15, 1992. As time passed, it became evident that their decision surpassed all expectations. Hal's ailment rapidly progressed, impacting his cognitive abilities. Despite these challenges, he remained resolute in his conviction that there was still hope.

The couple decided that once he could no longer communicate, they would begin the cryopreservation procedure. This happened on 26 August 2014. Two days later, he became Alcor's 128th patient.

According to many of Hal's friends and family, he was a very optimistic futurist and a true supporter of change. That's another reason why cryonics was so attractive to him. He was interested in many of the technological possibilities of the future, such as nanotechnology, singularity, artificial intelligence, and consciousness loading.

He may be dead now, but his legacy still lives in Bitcoin. Cryptocurrency is widely used by people all around the world, people who even may not know who is Hal Finney. Thanks to his contribution to cryptocurrency world you now have a rare opportunity to get value from the virtual asset.

Rest in Peace, Sir Harold Thomas Finney.