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Vires in Numeris
Unisex tee · XS–3XL
$39.99
Hover to zoomCypherpunks Write Code Bitcoin T-Shirt
$39.99
A line from the 1993 manifesto that shaped bitcoin's roots, under an orange terminal window with a waiting cursor.
- Unisex tailored fit, sizes XS–3XL
- Free US shipping over $75, $4.99 below
- 30-day size exchanges on unworn tees
About this design
An orange outline terminal window with three dots in its title bar and a command prompt arrow followed by an underscore cursor sits above CYPHERPUNKS and WRITE CODE in two lines of white capitals of equal size.
Fabric, fit & print
| Material | Airlume combed & ring-spun cotton |
|---|---|
| Fit | Unisex tailored crew neck |
| Printed to order | |
| Sizes | XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL |
| SKU | BC-CPCODE |
Shipping & exchanges
Ships in 3–4 business days, tracked. See the shipping policy and returns & exchanges.
The story
Behind the Cypherpunks Write Code tee
Bitcoin did not come from a bank or a boardroom. It grew out of a community that believed privacy is protected by building tools, and this tee prints their three-word motto.
Cypherpunks write code comes from A Cypherpunk's Manifesto, written by Eric Hughes and dated March 9, 1993. Hughes co-founded the cypherpunks mailing list in 1992 with Timothy May and John Gilmore, a forum for people who wanted to protect privacy with cryptography. The manifesto argued that privacy would not be handed out by governments or companies, so people had to write the software themselves. The list and its members, including Adam Back with Hashcash, fed directly into the ideas behind bitcoin.
Made for developers, security folks, open source contributors and anyone with a terminal open right now. The window graphic reads as clean tech design, so it fits the office, a hackathon or a conference hallway. History buffs will appreciate the source.
Questions
About this design
Who wrote that cypherpunks write code?
Eric Hughes, in A Cypherpunk's Manifesto, dated March 9, 1993. The sentences that follow explain that someone has to write software to defend privacy, so they will write it. The shirt quotes only the three words and is not affiliated with Hughes or any organization.
What is the connection between the cypherpunks and bitcoin?
Many ideas behind bitcoin, including digital cash and proof of work, were discussed on the cypherpunks mailing list for years before 2008. Early bitcoin contributor Hal Finney was an active cypherpunk, and the white paper cites Hashcash, which Adam Back first announced to that list.
Why does the terminal window show no text?
Leaving the screen empty apart from the prompt and cursor turns it into an invitation: the code has not been written yet, and the wearer is the one who writes it. It also keeps the art to a single clean orange shape.
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