{"id":8852,"date":"2022-06-01T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-01T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ci02a2a8ca2000245d"},"modified":"2025-01-28T15:28:54","modified_gmt":"2025-01-28T15:28:54","slug":"why-use-a-computer-meant-for-bitcoin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bitcoinmagazine.com\/technical\/why-use-a-computer-meant-for-bitcoin","title":{"rendered":"Why You Should Use A Computer Specifically Meant For Bitcoin Transactions And How To Do It"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This is an opinion editorial by Arman The Parman, a Bitcoin educator passionate about privacy and contributor to <\/em>Bitcoin Magazine.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Wrong With Using A Regular Computer?<\/h2>\n

When making bitcoin transactions, it\u2019s ideal if your computer has no malware. Obviously.<\/p>\n

If you keep your Bitcoin seed phrase (usually 12 or 24 words) off the computer with a signing device (e.g., a hardware wallet \u2014 its main purpose), then you might think it\u2019s not that important to have a \u201cclean\u201d computer \u2014 not true.<\/p>\n

A malware-infected computer may read your Bitcoin addresses, exposing your balance to an attacker. They can\u2019t take bitcoin just from knowing the address, but they can see how much you have and calculate from that if you are a worthy target. They may also somehow work out where you live, for example, and threaten you to get you to pay a ransom.<\/p>\n

What Is The Solution?<\/h2>\n

I encourage most Bitcoiners to use a dedicated malware-free computer (with internet access) for making Bitcoin transactions. I suggest people use an open-source operating system like Linux Mint, but use Windows or Mac if you must \u2014 that\u2019s better than using a regular, well-used computer that invariably has malware hidden in it.<\/p>\n

One obstacle that people come across is installing a new operating system on such computers. This guide is to help with that.<\/p>\n

There are many varieties of Linux and I have tried several. My recommendation for Bitcoiners is Linux Mint, because it is easy to install, very fast (particularly on bootup and shutdown), not bloated (every extra piece of software is a risk), and has rarely crashed on me or behaved weirdly (compared to other versions like Ubuntu and Debian).<\/p>\n

Some may be very resistant to a new operating system, preferring Windows or Mac OS. I understand, but the Windows and Apple operating systems are closed source, so we have to trust what they\u2019re doing; I don\u2019t think that\u2019s a good policy, but it\u2019s not all or nothing. I\u2019d much prefer people use a dedicated, freshly installed Windows or Mac OS computer rather than a well-used computer (with who knows what malware has accumulated on it). One step better is to use a freshly installed Linux computer.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re nervous about using Linux because of the unknown, that\u2019s natural, but so is spending some time learning. So much information is available online. Here is an excellent short video introducing the basics of the command line<\/a> that I highly recommend.<\/p>\n

Choose A Computer<\/h2>\n

I\u2019ll start with what I think is the best option. Then, I\u2019ll give my opinion on alternatives.<\/p>\n

Ideal Option<\/strong><\/p>\n

My recommendation, if you can afford it, and if the size of your bitcoin stack justifies it, is to get a brand-new, entry-level laptop. The most basic model built these days is good enough to handle what it\u2019s going to be used for. The processor and RAM specs are not relevant, because they will all be good enough.<\/p>\n

Avoid<\/strong><\/p>\n