Thanks for the article - it helps, but I’m still basically confused. And maybe that’s just me.
It pretty much comes down to this: I know what to do with the apple that guy gave me, but I’m not real sure what I can do with the digital apple he sent me. (Yeah, I do realize I can sell that digital apple to somebody else, maybe even for a load of dough, but when that digital apple stops moving around, what does the last guy do with it?). If somebody cornered the market on every single digital apple in existence, would that person be incredibly rich, or basically destitute?
Your question about buying up all of the apples is almost moot now. It would drive the price up incredibly high.
Remember, bitcoins can be divided to the 8th places. People will not hold bitcoins, but rather these little pieces of a Bitcoin. In a year or so, owning a Bitcoin will be like life savings.