841 sats \ 4 replies \ @nullcount 13 Sep 2023 \ on: What would you answer to a request like this? bitcoin
Truth is, its still really f-ing difficult to accept BTC/LN on a website in a self-sovereign way.
As a new business owner, you should focus 110% of your energy on bringing value to customers. Figuring out how to accept their money really shouldn't cost more than 1% of your time IMO.
So bite the custodial bullet and use a turn-key custodial solution. If BTC becomes a significant portion of revenue, then consider migrating to a self custody solution.
Better to be all-in on the business in the early days, than also try to dabble in server administration, networking, and becoming an expert at managing LN liquidity. Or spending big $$$ hiring someone to do it or consulting fees.
Hi @nullcount , yes, it can be difficult. NixOS and https://github.com/fort-nix/nix-bitcoin have made it a LOT easier these days to run your own bitcoin node and lightning node.
That inspired us to create the Sovran Pro, to make it super easy for folks for the whole package.
If you need help, just reach out and I can help answer any questions so you can do it yourself.
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Anyone can run a node real easy. Umbrel is way easier than nix for most. Just one curl script, then browser app to install apps.
But neither umbrel nor Soveran makes it simple to accept LN payments on a publicly accessible website hosted at home.
Users still have to port-forward/proxy their BTCPayServer or LNBits, connect it to wordpress woocommerce or build a custom site.
Wish there was an easy tor-only version of wordpress, that came preconfigured to use LN, it would be huge.
Custom shop platforms like SqueakRoad and Super's MagicWebstore are easy to host and integrate with LN, but missing the rich suite of plugins and themes of Wordpress.
Would be cool if Sovran offered a proxy service so clearnet apps hosted at home could use sovran's servers to proxy apps. Maybe for a subscription. Yunohost does something like this for their self hosted apps.
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Thanks for the suggestions regarding the proxy service. I will look into. So far, clearnet seems to still be the standard when one needs a to serve a web service to customers.
Yes with Sovran_SystemsOS and the Sovran Pro there is nothing to install (server end). It runs out of the box. So it is simpler to set up then Umbrel. No terminal needed.
We walk the user through opening up ports on their router. So, they get one-on-one attention with that.
Yes, correct the user will still have to learn how to use the frontend software on BTCPayserver, Wordpress, and RTL (if they wish to use Lightning). However, this is the same as using any other custodial company as they have their own proprietary user interfaces the customer has to learn.
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Can always send a customer an invoice manually thru chat if they want to pay in BTC. Sure the UX, etc. isn't as good. But your first customers are there for the product not the UX.
Tell him come back to you when the business has at least a dozen customers paying BTC per month. (Then you can potentially charge him a higher rate at a time when you are less busy)
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