How can I trust Darkcoin?

[bill]

A very simple question for somebody who doesn't know much about cryptography, and only a little programming.
How can I trust what's going on here if I can't understand it? Do I have to be a math/ programming genius to understand it?

 

[r-ando]

Darkcoin is open source so you can check the code for yourself if you want, it has already been audited by third parties...

 

[Ryan Taylor]

Bill,

Since you are not a cryptographer and you have limited programming skills, you obviously cannot check the code yourself... at least not without devoting considerable effort to become an expert in cryptography, programming, and cryptocurrencies. That's simply not practical for most of the population as that could take you many years.

However, the entire code base has been open for anyone to review for many months now (about 4-6 months I think), so I would argue you don't have to "understand it" to trust it. The mere fact that the code is available for anyone to review (including any cryptographers and highly skilled programmers that wish to look) means that you can trust in the process that open sourcing enables. In order to believe that it is NOT trustworthy, you'd have to believe that despite being open source for months, there exists some high-risk / major problems with the code that no one in the world (a world which contains many skilled cryptographers and programmers) has found OR that people have found problems but not one of them decided to raise the issues in any public forum. Is this possible? I suppose. Is that likely? Seems pretty far fetched.

 

[TaoOfSatoshi]

Just hang around for a while, see Evan's work ethic and the good nature of the community, and then you will see why we are all here.

We have all used the open sourced software, and our coins remain.

 

[buster]

You can read the Code Review by notable security expert Kristov Atlas here http://blog.anonymousbitcoinbook.com/2014/09/darkcoin-code-review-results/ - I've quoted the summary of the review in case you don't feel the need to read it all.

Summary: I identified no significant security vulnerabilities in the closed source Darkcoin code. There are three privacy implementation issues that have been acknowledged by the Darkcoin development team and are being fixed; full disclosure of those issues will take place no later than 2014/10/18.

 

[elgringo]

A very simple question for somebody who doesn't know much about cryptography, and only a little programming.
How can I trust what's going on here if I can't understand it? Do I have to be a math/ programming genius to understand it?

Let me reassure you: You don't have to be a genius to understand it (maybe to create it ) :grin:
It just requires some research, here are some links that might help you
Also try going on testnet it might help your understanding of Darkcoin under the hood https://www.rebelmouse.com/GetIntoTheDark/wanna-help-us-out-on-testnet-910345419.html

Bitcoin basic cryptography ( analogous to Darkcoin)

or
http://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/bitcoin-infographic_5029189c9cbaf.jpg

what helped me was actually using basic cryptography http://www.gpg4win.org/change-history.html

darksend anonymity https://i.imgur.com/t2v7mn7.jpg

also try watching Darkcoin tv for some basic differences between bitcoin and darkcoin
https://www.youtube.com/user/DarkcoinTV
or

 

[Ignition75]

 

[elgringo]

..........

Best explanation yet, hands down

 

[vertoe]

In addition to Ignition75's visualization, I'd like to add Darkcoin is trustless. Everyone using darkcoin agrees in a consensus that the software algorithms using strong predefined cryptography to create and verify transactions are valid, which includes the denomination of coins (mixing). Otherwise darkcoin would not exist.