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Bitcoin proved to be quite the popular topic for the producers of the Security Now netcast.  A regular feature of the show is to have episodes solely to answer listener questions.

"We could have done all of the questions for this Q&A episode about Bitcoin. It's generated so much interest and curiosity from people." - Steve Gibson

In Episode 288, Bitcoin is covered from 0:44:00 to 1:13:05.

Some Q&A:

Q.) Would you (GRC, Steve Gibson's company) accept bitcoin for payment for its products? 

A.) Yes, the next time I do work on the ecommerce part of my site, I will add the ability to receive bitcoin payments.

Q.) Isn't this a great way for funds to be laundered?  Because larger transactions can be broken down into smaller ones, can't money be sent without regulators knowing about it?

A.) Yes.  Why even break  down into smaller transactions, they are anonymous anyway.

"This is like God's gift to money laundering."  

"This also the crypto dilemma. Crypto is also God's gift to people who want to hide things."

"It can be good people who just want privacy, to which they're legally entitled."

"It could also be bad people, who are using cryptography [to avoid getting caught].

"We have a fabulously powerful technology, enabled by crypto, which is absolutely bulletproof just like crypto is bulletproof."

"This has all the potential for being used both for all kinds of humanitarian purposes where there are good reasons that you want for example an oppressive government not to be able to monitor these transactions but also for, unfortunately, bad guys to move money around.  That's what happens when you end up with a technology like this  is that powerful."

Q.) Maybe there needs to be an "unclaimed bitcoins" department to handle lost bitcoins?

A.) This is a problem without a solution.  You can't have both absolute anonymity and the abililty to replace lost bitcoins.

Q.) What would prevent me from faking out the network by using a slow computer but then handing off the work to faster hardware?

A.) The rate adjusts when you add more computing power.  "It's conceptually such a fantastic system."

Q.) How can I compete against Bitcoin miner machines then?  Is it only the rich getting richer?

A.) I've had three machines, one's a mac mini that does 1,400 hash/sec, and then also an i7 875 that I built for experiment with video at 5,415 hash/sec.  Any slow computer COULD earn, statistically the faster your computer the more it will earn.  Like a lottery, the more tickets you buy the better chances of winning.  [With a regular PC] you are using up more power than the "coinage" you'ld be generating.  "It's an incredibly cool technology."

Q.) I have more questions?

A.) We could have done all of the questions for this Q&A episode about Bitcoin. It's generated so much interest and curiosity from people. It's something positive too, something that hopefully is working to better the world.

Bitcoin was the topic for epsiode 287 of the Security Now netcast.  

Security Now is a weekly show by technology industry stalwart Steve Gibson and is streamed on Leo Laporte's Twit.TV.  This show has thousands of listeners and the podcast ranks as one of the most subscribed to podcasts.  This attention was likely what helped convince buyers to raise bids for buying bitcoins such that the exchange rate rose and exceeded, for the first time, parity with the U.S. Dollar -- a significant milestone for Bitcoin.

Bitcoin coverage is from 0:41:25 to the end of the podcast.