Subject: Re: [Bitcoin-development] we can all relax now

From: Peter Todd <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 7 Nov 2013 08:24:42 -0500

On Thu, Nov 07, 2013 at 02:56:56PM +1000, Gavin Andresen wrote:
> > P.S: If any large pools want to try this stuff out, give me a shout. You
> > have my PGP key - confidentiality assured.
> >
> 
> If I find out one of the large pools decides to run this 'experiment' on
> the main network, I will make it my mission to tell people to switch to a
> more responsible pool.

I hope they listen.

A few months ago ASICMiner could have made use of that attack if my
memories of their peak hashing power were correct. They certainely could
have used the selfish miner version, (we need better name for that)
although development costs would eat into profits.

GHash.IO, 22%, says they're a "private Bitfury ASIC mining pool" - dunno
what they mean by that, but they're involved with CEX.IO who has
physical control of a bunch of hashing power so I guess that means their
model is like ASICMiners. They're a bit short of 30%, but maybe some
behind-the-scenes deals would fix that, and/or lowering the barrier with
reactive block publishing. (a better name)

> And if you think you can get away with driving up EVERYBODY's orphan rate
> without anybody noticing, you should think again.

...and remember, if you only do the attack a little bit, you still can
earn more profit, and only drive up the orphan rate a little bit. So who
knows, maybe the orphans are real, or maybe they're an attack? ASICMiner
was involved with a bunch of orphans a while back...

You know what this calls for? A witchhunt!

BURN THE LARGE POOLS!

> > P.P.S: If you're mining on a pool with more than, like, 1% hashing
> > power, do the math on varience... Seriously, stop it and go mine on a
> > smaller pool, or better yet, p2pool.
> >
> 
> That I agree with.

Glad to hear.

-- 
'peter'[:-1]@petertodd.org
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