Why choose to prioritise bitcoin payments over lightning, instead of the main chain?
When deciding whether to start with Bitcoin on the main chain (Layer 1) or the Lightning Network (Layer 2), we opted for the latter due to its advantages in near-instant settlement, ultra-low fees independent of transaction fee fluctuations, and the ease with which senders can attach messages to their transactions.
LightningPiggy is tailored for small, routine transactions such as pocket money, and rewards for homework or housework. While integrating the ability to accept Bitcoin on the main chain would enhance our offering by providing a more secure option for long-term savings for kids, it remains a desirable addition for future updates.
Why “LightningPiggy”, and not “Bitcoin Piggy”?
Bitcoin Piggy would also be a great name for the project. However, Lightning Piggy fits better for two reasons:
- The piggy is designed for handling small amounts, such as for pocket money and homework/housework task payments, meaning its design is lightning network native and therefore part of his pedigree.
- LightingPiggy has his life to thank for escaping the fiat money system when the truck he was travelling in got struck by lightning and crashed on the way to the abattoir. It's a harrowing story where he was chased into a forest, only evading capture by diving down a bottomless rabbit hole. During his time down the hole he meets lots of interesting characters who showed him the way to freedom.
Does LightningPiggy support Tor?
The device itself doesn’t run over Tor but it could theoretically, since Tor seems to have been ported to the ESP32. However, we believe it wouldn't be trivial to implement and performant to run.