At least some people like bitcoin/etc, who likes the new reddit layout that requires transferring 60x more data than necessary (using HN is an example of an environmentally friendly text-based site) just to track all their users clicks and mouse movements?
The utility of using half a megawatt of power for something else would be a reasonable comparison. That's the power required for ~300 average sized homes. That sounds like a lot to me.
It sounds like a lot because you are adding up energy used by many, many people all around the world. Lots of things "sound like a lot" when you do that.
Why not do the same calculation for a few other things that people enjoy (gaming, porn, cat pics, posting to facebook/twitter, bars/drinking, holiday decorations, lawncare, etc)?
All those activities are totally unnecessary wastes of energy.
Is it? What have you compared that to?
At least some people like bitcoin/etc, who likes the new reddit layout that requires transferring 60x more data than necessary (using HN is an example of an environmentally friendly text-based site) just to track all their users clicks and mouse movements?
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17671695