Fundamental Significance of the Tweet
Early External Verification
It was the first public and external validation that the Bitcoin software (the node) was running in the real world, outside of Satoshi Nakamoto's environment. Finney was a highly respected cryptographer, known for his work on digital cash systems like Hashcash and RPOW (Reusable Proof of Work), so his endorsement carried significant technical weight.
Beginning of Decentralization
The tweet marked the moment that the Bitcoin network ceased to rely solely on Satoshi Nakamoto. Finney, by running the software, became the first participant, developer, and user who was not the creator. This was the first crucial step toward the network's decentralization.
Proof of Functionality
It confirmed that the Bitcoin concept was not just a theoretical proposal or a whitepaper, but executable code that could be downloaded and installed by third parties. The simple message, "Running Bitcoin," means: "I have downloaded the code, I am executing it, and it is working on my machine."
Precursor to the First Transaction
The fact that Finney was running the software on January 10 was the direct preparation for the first actual Bitcoin transaction three days later (January 12, 2009), when Satoshi sent him 10 BTC. It demonstrated that Finney was active on the network and ready to interact with it, proving the send and receive functionality.
"Running Bitcoin" was the foundational statement that marked Bitcoin's transition from being Satoshi's solitary idea to becoming a nascent network operated by multiple participants, beginning the cryptocurrency's journey as a decentralized system.
