Installing a full Bitcoin node, as promised.
A thread.

For those who weren't following, we did a vote and everything!
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I considered putting it on a virtual linux machine, but after reading the documentation, decided that was a schlep and took me out of my depth.
So my FIRST full node install will be on a Windows machine.
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By the way, I'm using the docs over at http://Bitcoin.org .
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Timecheck
(I hear this might take a while.)
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Heading over to...
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Oh, yeah, if you're tight on disk space...
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Here we go!
(Oh, this struck me as odd -- we're still in 0.20.1? Is Satoshi going to come back and finish the job?)
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Ok, Core is nice and tight. Not a big file, and a quick download.
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46mb required for this step.
Also, timestamp.
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Painless so far.
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Whoa Boy.
Them's a lot of bytes.
Hope my ISP doesn't mind....
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...and we're off.
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whoa...
I'm hopping that number comes down...
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Ok, this looks better...

What can I do while I wait?
I wonder...
(what number are we? 13? I guess 13)
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Back in a bit.
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Question for Bitcoin old-timers.
Who am I downloading from now?
Am I correct in thinking I'm downloading from other node holders?
Peer to peer, right?
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I think my numbering system got broken.
Shall I

Arbitrarily halting the poll.
Random it is.
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Now THIS, I LOVE.
It's telling me transactions from WHEN I'm downloading. (I think)
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Hey, check this out.
You can actually SEE which peers you are downloading from.
Are those IP adresses, or??
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So, while I wait. Mind if I ask more questions?
A block doesn't represent a transaction, right?
It's a record of an unspecified number of transactions?
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Oh, btw, I was naughty and skipped a step.
You're SUPPOSED to do this thing where you run a check on the file to make sure it hasn't been messed with -- so you're not downloading a virus or something.
I just ran it now.

That number should read:
(Thank you @6102bitcoin)
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Another community question while we drink mulled wine and wait...
Lets say I transfer to a Linux machine. Do I have to download the whole chain AGAIN, or can I transfer it?
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Excuse me for being dumb.
But when this is over, will I be mining bitcoin?
I won't right? I'm just validating blocks other people mined?
Is there an extra step involved in becoming a miner?
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Wheyhey!
I'm only 5 years behind, and catching y'all fast!
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...I think my ISP just throttled me.
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Timecheck.
I'm going to go read a book and wait.
Talk to y'all soon.
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