# Gavin Andresen
# 2010-11-11 16:55:05
# https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1739.msg21534#msg21534

All great ideas that I'm confident will eventually happen... assuming Bitcoin doesn't crash and burn for some reason (yes, I'm working hard on a technology I think has about a 30% chance will be made illegal or won't be "better enough" than alternatives to catch on or will overtaken by something even better or will have its peer-to-peer network overwhelmed with jerks mounting denial-of-service-attacks or will crash and burn for some reason I haven't thought of yet). @p{par}

The "URL shortener" for stock Bitcoin would need to be a plug-in, where you give it one or more websites that provide URL shortening services (to get bitcoin addresses for email addresses or phone numbers or social security numbers (ok, SS#'s would be a bad idea)).  I don't think stock Bitcoin should or could do that, because that service means maintaining a centralized database, and trusting whoever runs that database not to suddenly, one day, decide to redirect all the bitcoins to themself and then retire to Bermuda.  (or trust them not to get hacked so hackers get all those coffee-shop payments...) @p{par}

That'd be another good, standalone project for a good C++ programmer who wanted to do some Bitcoin-related programming... @p{par}

I think the next big step for Bitcoin is a "lightweight client" that doesn't rely on a constant connection to the Bitcoin network, doesn't store the entire block chain, and doesn't try to generate blocks. @p{brk}