Event Mailing List
Re: [bitcoin-list] Problems
Satoshi Nakamoto responds to Nicholas Bohm's report of problems running Bitcoin, asking for the debug.log file to diagnose the issue.
Nicholas Bohm
Lawyer who reported early Bitcoin software issues
On January 25, 2009, two weeks after Bitcoin v0.1’s release, a British commercial lawyer named Nicholas Bohm posted to the bitcoin-list mailing list reporting that the software wasn’t running on his machine, asking whether the list was the right place to report bugs. Satoshi Nakamoto replied the same day, asking for the debug.log file. Bohm’s private follow-up email exchanges with Satoshi were eventually published in 2024.
Bohm is a British commercial lawyer with experience in a major City of London solicitors’ firm, active in UK discussions on cryptography, electronic commerce, and digital signature policy, and serving as E-Commerce Policy Adviser for Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK).
Interaction with Bitcoin
On January 25, 2009 — just two weeks after Bitcoin v0.1 was released — Bohm posted to the bitcoin-list mailing list on SourceForge reporting problems running the software. He asked whether the list was an appropriate place to report issues. Satoshi Nakamoto replied the same day, asking for details and requesting that Bohm send his debug.log file directly for diagnosis.
Significance
A London commercial lawyer filing a bug report two weeks after release is a small measure of how fast Bitcoin had already spread past the cryptography mailing list.
Related Entries
8 entries
Event Mailing List 5 messages
"[bitcoin-list] Bitcoin v0.1.5 released" — Satoshi announces the v0.1.5 release (February 2009)
Nicholas Bohm reports that v0.1.5 has been running trouble free with 201 transactions accumulated, and asks Satoshi: "What's next?"
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Router issue — Bitcoin can't connect
Nicholas Bohm, a retired British solicitor and early Bitcoin user, writes to Satoshi that after installing a new router, his Bitcoin client can no longer connect to the network.
Event Article
Re: Router issue — port 8333 forwarding advice
Satoshi advises Bohm to forward port 8333 on his new router so his Bitcoin node can receive incoming connections, explaining that without inbound-capable nodes online, the network fails to function.
Event Article
No connections for a day
Bohm reports to Satoshi that Bitcoin has failed to establish any connections for over a day, despite restarts. He had been maintaining 3-5 node connections prior to July 15th.
Event Article
Re: No connections — 'There may just not be anybody else running it right now'
Satoshi's candid reply to Bohm's connectivity issue, admitting there may be no other nodes running at that moment. He encourages Bohm to keep his server online so new users have someone to connect to.
Event Article
Re: No connections — connected to a single peer
Satoshi follows up that he is connected to IP 70.113.114.209 and notes Bohm may have an outgoing-connection issue if not. The IP was later identified as likely Dustin Trammell's in Austin, Texas.
Event Article
COPA evidence reveals Nicholas Bohm's previously unpublished emails with Satoshi
The COPA v Wright record revealed that Nicholas Bohm — previously known only for a January 2009 bitcoin-list bug report — also exchanged a private series of troubleshooting emails with Satoshi.