[heyrhett]

Helium literally never did an ICO.

So funny watching bitter losers at hackernews get everything about blockchain wrong and stay poor over the past 10 years.

- Throw in some buzzwords you don't really understand like "lightning" (does not apply to helium as it is a protocol based on bitcoin script)

- use the word "scam" because you don't own any and you didn't invest a few months ago when it was pennies.

- sprinkle in some unfounded FUD about decentralization and Sybil attacks because you're bitter you still don't own any

Helium is the fastest growing wireless network on the planet.

There are currently 190,000 hotspots over the globe, up from 20,000 6-months ago. https://explorer.helium.com/

...but but but against your better judgement you read some of the technical stuff... wooooowwwww

Call me when the Helium node count drops below 100,000 again and I'll congratulate you and thank you for warning everyone about this "scam" before it was too late.

[lozaning]

They don't need to do a traditional ICO to grift.

In order to join the network and start mining, you've got to buy $80 worth of gear from some company marked up to $600. That company then has to pay $40 to the Helium company in order for them to generate private keys that let your miner join the network and start making money.

Helium is just https://network.fon.com/ on a different frequency + a bunch of unneeded crypto bullshit that hides the grift.

Call me when I can stand up my helium miner based on open source hardware and software and make money using that.

[delabay]

If your goal is to build a global network with unheard of capital efficiency in 1/10th the time as incumbents, then the crypto bullshit is means to an end.

Helium will go down as one of quote unquote "actual uses for blockchain".

The proof is here. Lorawan coverage is now a solved problem.

[NotSammyHagar]

One scam here is that there will likely be ubiquitous sensors in your tv, door bell, car, fridge, heater and they won't be reporting back to you. They'll be telling the sellers of these devices about your activities, and it will be sold just like connected tvs today sell info about what you watch.

[delabay]

All these devices must be FCC certified so if you don't like the products, dont buy them.

There are already thousands of societal beneficial uses of lorawan.

[wyager]

> Helium literally never did an ICO.

They clearly have some sort of central issuance because they have an airdrop. Their “proof” mechanism is either centralized or Sybil vulnerable - haven’t bothered checking which.

> So funny watching bitter losers at hackernews get everything about blockchain wrong and stay poor over the past 10 years.

This is a hilariously off-the-mark shot. I have nothing against blockchain when used where it’s actually useful (I.e. for solving double-spend or zooko). This, however, seems like a silly misapplication.

> Throw in some buzzwords you don't really understand like "lightning"

I think you did not understand what I said, which is that payment for network services should use normal payment mechanisms instead of special ones.

[joewadcan]

Helium fan here.

I think a deeper dive is warranted on what and how they are "paying" people. Helium tokens are used as an incentive to bootstrap a network, but in the future part of payment for network services like you mentioned. I think this is one of the purest uses of crypto... less as currency replacement but more sharing in a network's future.

[heyrhett]

Please explain how one uses blockchain to solve a zooko.

> I have nothing against blockchain when used where it’s actually useful (I.e. for solving double-spend or zooko).

[delabay]

> Silly misapplication

200k operators climbing their roof to deploy beneficial coverage beg to differ