With ASICs on the horizon should DigiByte switch algorithms? - page 2.

DigiByte

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Quote from: DubFX on March 23, 2014, 04:55:30 PM

I'm kinda undecided...well if ASICs owners would turn against network they could kind of easily attack it.

We are thinking there might be another option. An option where we keep Scrypt and at a certain block we add in another algo that is weighted heavier than Scrypt. This way all our existing pools/miners can still mine DigiByte. But they will be incentivized to start mining on the new algorithm that is weighted heavier & rewarded with more new coins. This would hopefully lead to a nice smooth transfer over to a new algo. Then at a later date we could release another update that removes Scrypt from the client. Or we may just keep it and reep some of the benefits of allowing ASIC miners to mine DigiByte, but at a disadvantage to GPU miners.

We feel it is important to keep GPU miners in the game. People feel a lot more comfortable getting into crypto mining when all they have to do is purchase or using an existing graphics card. Graphics cards can always be resold or used for gaming/work desktop environments. ASIC's are good for only one thing and if Bitcoin is any indicator they will lose their value very quickly as newer more efficient models come along.

DubFX

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I'm kinda undecided...well if ASICs owners would turn against network they could kind of easily attack it.

niceday

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Have a look to the heavycoin algorithm with the the gpu miner from 1gh pool!! This is the best algo ever!!! I am not the expert but i think it is a modified cgminer.

Cards running very very cold with higher MH/sec, nearly soundless, halfed energy. Much better as x11.

I will mine only this algo during the summer.

Try it!!! --> http://hvc.1gh.com/

Coindgr

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Quote from: Coindgr on March 23, 2014, 01:31:23 PM

Quote from: DigiByte on March 22, 2014, 07:27:48 PM

With all the recent Scrypt ASIC news we are strongly considering switching DigiByte to a more ASIC resistant algorithm to ensure a more fair mining opportunity for everyone. Our goal since day one is to make sure there is not centralization of hashing power or technology with DigiByte.

Please explain the reason for your vote and if you voted yes please list and provide a link to the algorithm you support.

Also, if anyone has any case studies of a coin hard forking and switching algorithms please post a link.

Scrypt ASIC will keep the coins in the hands of few.

I vote to change to X11 algo, it consumes less power, and keep your GPU cooler.

Tried the Heavycoin algo, and this also is very good in power consumption. You guys shouldn't forget that quark algo also consumes less power, but I think it opens a door to botnets.

DigiByte

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We are now spending considerable time & energy researching other algorithms and how we could go about making a switch. To our knowledge no other coin has yet to fork and switch algorithms after it has been launched. As such there is a whole new set of problems that need to be addressed.

We think it is definitely possible, but considerable preparation will have to take place ahead of time.

The biggest problem we foresee is what would happen at the exact block of the switch. One look at the Vertcoin thread shows they only have two mining pools. DigiByte would probably lose most of our mining pools right away if we went with Scrypt-N. There are also several other potential issues we see causing problems. Never the less, it is something we would like to play around with and test out to see what our options are.

digitalindustry

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Quote from: DigiByte on March 23, 2014, 02:43:17 PM

Quote from: digitalindustry on March 23, 2014, 01:59:05 PM

http://kolinevans.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/why-there-could-be-a-mini-revolution-occuring-in-crypto-currency/

welcome home. : )

Interesting article, thank you for posting.

no probs.

DigiByte

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Quote from: digitalindustry on March 23, 2014, 01:59:05 PM

http://kolinevans.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/why-there-could-be-a-mini-revolution-occuring-in-crypto-currency/

welcome home. : )

Interesting article, thank you for posting.

digitalindustry

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‘Try to be nice’

http://kolinevans.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/why-there-could-be-a-mini-revolution-occuring-in-crypto-currency/

welcome home. : )

Coindgr

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Quote from: DigiByte on March 22, 2014, 07:27:48 PM

With all the recent Scrypt ASIC news we are strongly considering switching DigiByte to a more ASIC resistant algorithm to ensure a more fair mining opportunity for everyone. Our goal since day one is to make sure there is not centralization of hashing power or technology with DigiByte.

Please explain the reason for your vote and if you voted yes please list and provide a link to the algorithm you support.

Also, if anyone has any case studies of a coin hard forking and switching algorithms please post a link.

Scrypt ASIC will keep the coins in the hands of few.

I vote to change to X11 algo, it consumes less power, and keep your GPU cooler.

Amph

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Quote from: stealth923 on March 23, 2014, 02:35:01 AM

If you want the best - go X11 - DarkCoin

Power usage is down almost 50%, less heat, very stable algo and asic resistant.

heavycoin algo is even cooler

bigc1984

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Quote from: stealth923 on March 23, 2014, 02:35:01 AM

If you want the best - go X11 - DarkCoin

Power usage is down almost 50%, less heat, very stable algo and asic resistant.

X11!!! +100000

bigc1984

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Quote from: haggis on March 23, 2014, 12:35:54 AM

I read about a coin these days with multiple algorithms - each with its own difficulty and block times - but with the same coins per timeframe at the end.
This sounds very promising to me as everyone can mine the algo he/she deserves without harming gpu, cpu or asic users. They all have the same chance to find a block.

However, I can't remember the name of that coin Undecided

it's the myriadcoin

stealth923

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If you want the best - go X11 - DarkCoin

Power usage is down almost 50%, less heat, very stable algo and asic resistant.

STT

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Catalog Websites

Quote

x11 uses the following for hashing, blake, bmw, groestl, jh, keccak, skein, luffa, cubehash, shavite, simd and echo.

So forget the miners for a second, how do these new algo help the consumer and user of coins. Does it improve the product for them, raise utility in some way, increase speeds.

If hash rates rise with x11 is that somehow analogous to the asic advance without losing gpu miners. What you dont want is to take a Luddite perspective, which is to smash the tractors because they make potato pickers redundant

haggis

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I read about a coin these days with multiple algorithms - each with its own difficulty and block times - but with the same coins per timeframe at the end.
This sounds very promising to me as everyone can mine the algo he/she deserves without harming gpu, cpu or asic users. They all have the same chance to find a block.

However, I can't remember the name of that coin Undecided

HollowStorm

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I vote for useful POW. Something like GridCoin, RieCoin. Something that will use hashing power noy only to secure the network but also for some really useful computing!

Does anyone have more examples like Grid, Rie, maybe? Has anyone heard of curecoin?

I believe the Curecoin devs have an algo ready but they didnt lauch the coin. Can we collaborate with them?

Check this out:
"CureCoin allows owners of both ASIC and GPU/CPU hardware to earn. CureCoin puts ASICs to work at what they are good at--securing a blockchain, while it puts GPUs and CPUs to work with work items that can only be done on them--protein folding. "

https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/pre-ann-curecoin-development-continues-330685

Everyone Wins!

maranello1561

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No way.
ASICs are the natural evolution to cheaply secure the blockchain... unless of course you want to preserve the massive gpu rigs of the big fish. For most small miners, ASICs will be much cheaper to buy and run... and maybe y'all can go back to playing Call of Duty with your GPUs instead of fucking up all the gamers by driving prices of gpus to unreasonable levels

bigc1984

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Quote from: DigiByte on March 22, 2014, 08:40:46 PM

Quote from: MP5KU on March 22, 2014, 08:36:19 PM

Quote from: DigiByte on March 22, 2014, 08:22:04 PM

Quote from: MP5KU on March 22, 2014, 08:17:24 PM

Quote from: DigiByte on March 22, 2014, 08:16:04 PM

What sort of hash rates to you see with X11 & Scrypt-N is it about the same as Scrypt? Or is their a reduction in hash output?

Never bothered with Scrypy-N, But with x11 I get the following:

1.8 mh/s on an Asus 7970
1.24 mh/s on a R9-270

So you are actually getting a hash increase over Scrypt/CGminer?

Yep. Different Algorithms so different hashrates

Scrypt Equiv x11
7970 720kh/s 1.8 mh/s
270 480kh/s 1.24 mh/s

Interesting, thanks for sharing.

Was talking to the Doge devs and they brought up some good points. The stratum on several pools will have to be changed and at the exact block of change we could see some wacky things occur with the net hash rate.

Most mining pools do not support Scrypt N at the moment. Would we be doing more harm than good?

X11 is superior to scrypt N. I actually hate scrypt N =/

benjamoyne

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Quote from: DigiByte on March 22, 2014, 09:59:40 PM

Quote from: benjamoyne on March 22, 2014, 09:55:05 PM

I think that an alternative algorithm should be developed (maybe in conjunction with the Doge coin developers??) but held off until we see how hard the network is hit by the asics.
It may not be as big a problem as people are thinking.

We need to remember there are people out there running farms with hundreds of gpus. These are the same people who will invest big in the new asics, so yes the hash rate will grow, but by how much, as I'm sure these are the same people who will turn off there gpu farms and mine purely on asics.

Maybe work with the people behind Sgminer directly to develop the new algorithm, im sure between Digi, Doge and the Sgminer crew you could come up with the true next gen algorithm.

This is a sensible approach to take. We have had some discussions with the Doge devs about this. We feel at most there is going to only be a 3-5 fold performance increase. No where near like what happened with Bitcoin Asics.

There are a number of issues that will be experienced with making another hard fork. During the last one we lost several mining pools, an exchange and all our block explorers. As DigiByte grows and more companies/platforms add DigiByte it will make hard forking and switching algos less of a possibility.

Also given the very cheap pricing of some of the Asics (www.fibonacci.io has 3460khs for about 22 lite coins) Normal miners can afford them, hell this one works out cheaper than gpus!

DigiByte

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Quote from: benjamoyne on March 22, 2014, 09:55:05 PM

I think that an alternative algorithm should be developed (maybe in conjunction with the Doge coin developers??) but held off until we see how hard the network is hit by the asics.
It may not be as big a problem as people are thinking.

We need to remember there are people out there running farms with hundreds of gpus. These are the same people who will invest big in the new asics, so yes the hash rate will grow, but by how much, as I'm sure these are the same people who will turn off there gpu farms and mine purely on asics.

Maybe work with the people behind Sgminer directly to develop the new algorithm, im sure between Digi, Doge and the Sgminer crew you could come up with the true next gen algorithm.

This is a sensible approach to take. We have had some discussions with the Doge devs about this. We feel at most there is going to only be a 3-5 fold performance increase. No where near like what happened with Bitcoin Asics.

There are a number of issues that will be experienced with making another hard fork. During the last one we lost several mining pools, an exchange and all our block explorers. As DigiByte grows and more companies/platforms add DigiByte it will make hard forking and switching algos less of a possibility.

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