

The beautiful machines that mine Bitcoin - iwwr
http://www.reddit.com/r/geek/comments/1cldju/the_beautiful_machines_that_mine_bitcoin/

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JoeAltmaier
"Mining bitcoins" is the most egregious wastes of planetary resources
conceived by man. The energy pissed away, the materials used to construct the
machines, the housing and maintenance, and for what? Imaginary points in an
imaginary game.

I cannot believe there isn't a better way to create wealth, than to consume
some enormous carbon footprint. I'm very, very disappointed in the way way the
whole 'bitcoin' fiasco has played out.

~~~
ghgr
Will a BTC chill out your nerves? :-)

Independently of whether Bitcoin succeeds or not, we can make the very same
argument concerning game servers, TV stations, the Facebook (well, the most
part of Internet), or even pleasure journeys in cars or planes. Everything
"wastes" energy (heck, idle people are _wasting_ energy too!).

Just because _you_ are not profiting from it _right now_ it does not mean it
is a 'fiasco' nor "the most egregious wastes of planetary resources conceived
by man".

Bitcoin provides a decentralized alternative (or complement) to the current
financial system. It is mathematically and economically (well, this last part
is debatable) sound. Maybe it works, maybe not, but if you are right, it will
be for the wrong reasons.

~~~
JoeAltmaier
Don't be silly.Those things all contribute to standard of living, are directly
experienced by humans.

Bitcoin 'miners' hum away in a room, getting hot and consuming ergs and
producing nothing but imaginary points. Which could have been produced by
getting a job or trusting a federal reserve or something - anything but this
enormous trust theatre just to keep people out of the loop.

------
jondtaylor
That's what trust costs...

