This is probably the right place to post this... if it hasn't already been posted. A Beginner's Guide to Exploring the Darknet
The article speaks of using bitcoins. Pardon my ignorance but are bitcoins still viable ? I thought the bitcoin currency collapsed (or something) .
Bitcoin has certainly takes some BIG Hits here recently.... I watch the situation, Daily, but am NOT an Investor in that currency. It was just over $1kUS at it's peak, and then dropped to $300US here recently. It is now in the $490's as of this morning. Bitcoin, from my point of view, is like the Stock Market, but Peer to Peer, with No Brokers involved, if you do it all yourself, Which is not an easy thing, necessarily. VERY Speculative...... "Never invest what you can't afford to lose".... I was very tempted to buy a Bitcoin when it was $300US, here recently, but held off, as the "Monetary Conservative" in my nature, told me to NOT Get Involved. Oh well, I will continue to WATCH, and may get in at some point.... But NOT YET..... ......
@BTPost, you are correct. It is very, very speculative. I hope some day that it will be on par with other payment methods like cash, check, credit or debit card. Right now, it's a bunch of miners, those profiting off of the miners (shop keeps) and speculators. Lots of wild west without the guns.
Bitcoin just doesn't seem real to me. I know you could say that the stock market and the dollar in my pocket are not real either but... It just seemed fishy. I guess if I can't touch it that it is suspicious.