<p>Their FAQ links to a document that describes the protocol, and they provide an open source Python client to decode the messages. The server implementation is also open source.</p>

<p>I put the client files + protocol spec on a <a href="https://gist.github.com/1625828" rel="nofollow">github gist</a>, just in case.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-17T09:22:36.660Z
2012-01-17T09:22:36.660Z
ripper234
<p><a href="http://btcmsg.ifreeweb.net/" rel="nofollow">btcmsg</a> seems to be using proprietary software to encode and decode messages in the blockchain.</p>

<p>Did they expose their algorithm? If they shut down tomorrow, how can someone decode messages he stored using their service?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-18T22:51:21.700Z
Please don't encourage this abuse of Bitcoin. If someone would like to implement a message service *correctly*, there are many developers on IRC willing to help.
Luke Dashjr
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-18T23:28:46.147Z
Calling something "an abuse" without explaining is not really productive. http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/2631/whats-the-difference-between-different-ways-of-embedding-messages-in-the-blockc
ripper234
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-01-18T23:34:52.987Z
Also, this is not an answer. FYI, when you have enough rep, you're supposed to leave this as a comment and not post an answer.
ripper234
<blockchain><services>
How to decode messages embedded with btcmsg?
ripper234
# How to decode messages embedded with btcmsg?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-01-17)

[btcmsg](http://btcmsg.ifreeweb.net/) seems to be using proprietary software to encode and decode messages in the blockchain.

Did they expose their algorithm? If they shut down tomorrow, how can someone decode messages he stored using their service?

**Tags:** blockchain, services

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Please don't encourage this abuse of Bitcoin. If someone would like to implement a message service *correctly*, there are many developers on IRC willing to help.  
> **username_0**: Calling something "an abuse" without explaining is not really productive. http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/2631/whats-the-difference-between-different-ways-of-embedding-messages-in-the-blockc  
> **username_0**: Also, this is not an answer. FYI, when you have enough rep, you're supposed to leave this as a comment and not post an answer.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2012-01-17. Score: 2

Their FAQ links to a document that describes the protocol, and they provide an open source Python client to decode the messages. The server implementation is also open source.

I put the client files + protocol spec on a [github gist](https://gist.github.com/1625828), just in case.


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