I posted this in the "unfair forging" thread on nextcoin.org. Reposting for more visibility:
So there seems to be a misunderstanding in "mining" in PoS. First off, it is not "mining", people gave it a different name (forging) because, well, it's different than mining.
Right now, there is not much transaction volume. Before the alias system was introduced, maybe 15% of blocks had a single transaction in it. Now, it's more like 50-75% of blocks have multiple transactions per block. As more and more features are added, it is highly probable that people may eventually have to compete for spots in a block, so we will see higher rewards from forging. So as of now, yes, forging may not be very profitable in a selfish scenario.
However, people need to consider the altruistic effect of setting up nodes and forging right now. By doing either, you are supporting the network by increasing it's total bandwidth and reducing the chance of an attacker destroying everyone's investment, including your own. You may not see a direct increase in your NXT amount (or you may, if you get lucky), but you are preserving and/or increasing the value of the NXT you have now.
Forging in NXT is not meant to be a free get-rich scheme like many people think it should be. This misconception is due to the fact that many alt-coins are just a clone of bitcoin, and people only mine those coins early on for personal profit at the expense of those who buy in after. Those coins, in the long run, will not ever contribute anything useful. NXT is bigger than that, which is why you see many supporters donating their personal money to set up nodes as well as bounties and rewards for those who contribute to the project. Why should people with the least invested be given an advantage? You can increase your personal stake via multiple methods that don't involve buying it through an exchange. So instead of whining and expecting free handouts and skewed-advantages, perhaps help contribute to the network through various means that have been discussed throughout these forums.
