In reference to the whole Flush, oops, Slush debacle:
The only reason that Pool got sooo big, ultimately, is Familiarity. Far too many people buy equipment, THEN research what
pool to join. They do a google search, and quickly identify Slush as " The World's First Bitcoin Mining Pool". Instantaneously
they think, it has to be the best because, it's the first, and it's soo big. Slush must be Trustworthy.
After joining, the user is mesmerized by the sleek gui, and the instant gratification of a daily payout, which every online
calculator makes them believe they must get. Most feel a sense of false security watching the blocks being found, one after
another, not ever understanding or learning what really happens "behind the scenes" of that slick gui. To them, everything
is simply "plug and play" and Slush is on call running the "boards".
It's at that point of blissful ignorance, that they are actually being taken advantage of, by a Corporate Committee. The users
don't realize, Slush, is comparable to The Wizard of Oz. Sure, he did start a Cooperative Mining effort, and began laying the
foundation for Pools, but he took the money and run, so to say. The reigns were handed over to a Committee. Slush went on
to other areas, and focused his time on Hardware Wallets. He just gets Royalties for "his" name at this point. That Committee
completely controls the pool, from behind the curtain of Slush's namesake.
Meanwhile, at Slushpool, the Committee focused on Growth. That's where things like Mass advertising, and a slick gui paid
off in spades. Imagine if you will, how much money that Committee earns, from that 2% fee. That's surely going to motivate
them, to keep the users coming to them. They completely understand, how advertising to the "instant gratification" miner
works. That's why Slush is now advertised as "The World's First Bitcoin Mining Pool to Support Asicboost". They worked
very closely with Halongmining, and their Marketing team, to ensure Slush would get the Lion's Share of DragonMint users.
Hell, Halongmining doesn't even advertise for the pool they test their equipment on, and that pool operator wrote their software.
They know users are Familiar with the name--Slush. They can appear to be Trustworthy to consumers, if Slush vouched for them.
It's a Corporate Win/Win that made Millions of dollars.
All the while, users see the pool plow through blocks, and they get their daily payouts. However, are they getting their fair share???
Do they even notice, or suspect any foul play??? Do any of them question how Trustful, the "World's First" is??? Probably not, and
that Corporate Committee understands that, as long as the user is receiving, what the online calculator tells them they SHOULD
earn, nobody will bat an eye. Most of their users have very little knowledge, of what their equipment ACTUALLY does. They just
buy it, hook it up, add Flush as their pool of choice and BOOM!!! They're the owner of a Magical Money Machine, just like the one
they read about online.
Ignorance is Bliss!!!
I think the main reason why big pools are getting bigger is that they are big.
And they once got big because they were the first ones - simple.
People (I know a few) are looking what pool to join, and people like frequent and "safe" payouts - so if anyone is mining at slush, they do too (because they feel safe).
.
Many profit to all miners!