According to CoinMeta, Bitcoin core developer Jeff Garzik stated in a podcast on Bitcoin Treasuries that the rise of Bitcoin did not originate from its white paper, but rather from the widespread exposure of a post on Slashdot in July 2010. He pointed out that without actual implementation, Bitcoin might have just been another one among many electronic cash systems and white papers similar to Hashcash. What truly made the difference was the source code that could be run, tested, and released into the real world. People first confirmed that Bitcoin could function through practical use, and only afterwards did they read the white paper, considering it a masterpiece of genius.