Читать книгу Cryptocurrency All-in-One For Dummies - Peter Kent, Kiana Danial - Страница 8

Introduction

The foundation of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin lies in a new technology called the blockchain; it’s the infrastructure that cryptocurrencies are built on. Blockchain is a disruptive technology that many argue is bigger than the advent of the Internet. The applications of blockchain don’t end with cryptocurrencies, though, just like the applications of the Internet don’t end with email. If you want to find out what blockchains are, the basics of how to use them, which cryptocurrencies are lucrative investments, and what hardware is needed for cryptocurrency mining, this is the book for you.

About This Book

In this book, you find helpful advice for navigating the blockchain world and cryptocurrencies that run them — from the ins and outs of wallets, exchanges, Bitcoin, and Ethereum to investing in cryptocurrencies and even mining your own.

You don’t have to read the book cover to cover. Just flip to the subject that you’re interested in.

As you dip into and out of this book, feel free to skip the sidebars (shaded boxes) and the paragraphs marked with the Technical Stuff icon. They contain interesting but nonessential information.

Within this book, you may note that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply key in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending as though the line break doesn’t exist. If you’re reading this as an e-book, you’ve got it easy — just click the web address to be taken directly to the webpage.

Some of the web addresses are affiliate links, meaning that if you click them and start using a company’s services through that specific web address, the author may earn an affiliate payment for making the introduction.

Foolish Assumptions

We didn’t want to make too many assumptions about you and your experience with cryptocurrency, blockchains, mining, and legal matters, but we do assume the following:

 You have a computer, a smartphone, and access to the Internet.

 You know the basics of using your computer and the Internet, and how to download and install programs.

 You know how to navigate through menus within programs, how to find files on your computer, and how to create folders.

 You’re new to blockchain and you aren’t a skilled programmer. (Of course, if you are a skilled programmer, you can still get a lot out of this book — you just may be able to breeze past some of the step-by-step guidelines.)

 You may have heard of, or even purchased, some cryptocurrencies (like Bitcoin or Ether, for example), but you don’t really know how they work.

 Although you may have invested in other markets like the stock market before, you aren’t necessarily familiar with the terminology and the technical aspects of trading and investing in cryptocurrencies.

 You are unfamiliar with cryptocurrency mining but are interested to know more and determine whether it’s something you want to undertake.

Note: If you don’t have high-speed access to the Internet, you may want to get it before diving into this book. You need high-speed access to be able to work with many of the valuable online tools that we recommend.

Icons Used in This Book

Throughout the margins of this book are icons drawing your attention to certain bits of information. Here’s what those icons mean.

The Tip icon marks tips and shortcuts that you can use to make your life with cryptocurrency easier.

The Remember icon marks the information that’s especially important to know — the stuff you’ll want to commit to memory.

When you see this icon, you know the information is of a highly technical nature. You can skip over these icons without missing the main point of the topic at hand.

Watch out when you see this icon! It marks critical information that may save you headaches — or tokens.

Beyond the Book

In addition to the material in the print or e-book you’re reading right now, this product also comes with some access-anywhere content on the web. Check out the free Cheat Sheet for more on the topics covered in the book. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and type Cryptocurrency All-in-One For Dummies Cheat Sheet in the Search box.

Where to Go From Here

The Dummies series tells you what you need to know and how to do the things you need to do to get the results you want. Readers don’t have to read the entire book to learn about a topic. Like all good reference tools, this book is designed to be read when needed and it’s divided into several parts.

If you’re interested in investing, for example, you can head to Book 5 to learn about risk management, strategy development, and the whole industry in general. Book 1 provides an overview of the world of cryptocurrencies, and Book 2 is your gateway to the blockchain technology.

Book 3 takes a deep dive into Bitcoin, which is the oldest cryptocurrency and probably the most well-known. Book 4 lays the foundation of Ethereum and teaches you, in clear language, how to design and write your own software for the Ethereum blockchain environment.

If you want to delve into cryptocurrency mining, check out Book 6, which can help you decide if and how you’re going to begin mining, including which is the right cryptocurrency for you to mine.