So it turns out that there is a PDF copy of Satoshi Nakamoto’s original Bitcoin whitepaper, hidden within the internal files of macOS. It seems to have been there since macOS Mojave was released in 2018, without anyone realising it.
It was recently discovered by an America technologist, Andy Baio, when he was trying to fix his printer, hidden in a folder within the Image Capture app along with other random PDF and image files.
What’s it doing there?!
Following Andy Baio's blog post, the story gained traction in crypto and Apple communities and was likely picked up by Apple following the buzz. 9to5mac have reported that the files have been removed by Apple in the developer release of macOS Ventura 13.4 beta 3. Hence, the likely explanation is that the file was snuck in by an Apple engineer and hasn’t been removed since, as it was mostly unknown and doesn’t include any sensitive information.
The Bitcoin Whitepaper on macOS
See for yourself
If you are running macOS Mojave or a more recent OS, and haven’t updated to the macOS Ventura 13.4 beta 3 or newer, you can still find the file. If you’re comfortable with Terminal commands you can use command below:
open /System/Library/Image\ Capture/Devices/VirtualScanner.app/Contents/Resources/simpledoc.pdf
Alternatively, you can open Finder, click Go at the top, then Computer, then follow the (rather long) path below. Congrats to anyone that can follow that nested path!
- Macintosh HD / System / Library / Image Capture / Devices folder
- Control-click on VirtualScanner.app and click Show Package Contents
- Contents / Resources / open simpledoc.pdf
If you can't spot it, you may now be running a version of macOS where the file has been removed, in which case you can find it here.
What is the Bitcoin whitepaper
The story behind the BTC Whitepaper is mysterious and fascinating. On 31st October 2008, a paper was published online, authored by a person (or group of people) who called themselves Satoshi Nakamoto. The document addresses the key issues associated with electronic payments and the issues that stem from the reliance of a central, third-party. Satoshi Nakamoto outlined a fundamentally new solution that sparked the creation and now adoption of cryptocurrency. For a better roundup, you can check the link, here.
Pay with coinbase on hoxtonmacs.co.uk
Buy a Mac with Bitcoin (BTC) and other cryptocurrencies
Hoxton Macs accept cryptocurrency payments using both BitPay and Coinbase Commerce, two safe and secure methods to spend your cryptocurrency.
BitPay currently support payment in Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ethereum (ETH), Dogecoin (DOGE), Litecoin, XRP and a number of stable coins including USD Coin.
Coinbase currently support ApeCoin, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, DAI, Dogecoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, SHIBA INU, Tether and USD Coin.