• LandedGentry@lemmy.zip
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    5 days ago

    “Bitcoin will be as useful as every other revolutionary technology as soon as we figure out a use for it that doesn’t already exist in a better form.”

    • evangelists for over 15 years now.

    And before somebody comes in and calls me a Luddite or whatever, I used to mine.

    • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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      5 days ago

      If bitcoin didn’t use 40 terawatts to mine and was more reasonable in its electricity demand then I don’t think that many people would care about it. It still wouldn’t make it useful but at least it wouldn’t be actively damaging the environment.

      We might even be able to find a use for it at that point. But as it stands now the energy requirements essentially make the technology not worth it given the very minor benefits.

        • LandedGentry@lemmy.zip
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          5 days ago

          BTC is the second most traded by volume and comprises 60% of the market. Monero is pow. Doge is pow. As I said to the other dude, you cannot gloss over this problem. It’s massive.

          • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
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            5 days ago

            You are glossing over 40% of a $3T market.

            I’m not going to defend PoW (doge and monero are both pre Eth) but blockchain technology had moved on even if the fanboys haven’t.

            • LandedGentry@lemmy.zip
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              5 days ago

              No I am not. The most popular crypto by a massive margin is consuming the vast majority of the power of all the crypto space. Until that’s resolved we cannot ethically even consider using this shit.

              And again, look at the trading volume.

                • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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                  4 days ago

                  Wait but that’s like saying that as long as the world has at least one electric car the internal combustion engine can continue to exist without issue.

                  If the vast majority of cryptocurrencies are still power hungry and the most commonly used cryptocurrency is power hungry then the fact that some of the others are better doesn’t really help.

                  • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
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                    4 days ago

                    that’s like saying that as long as the world has at least one electric car the internal combustion engine can continue to exist without issue.

                    No. PoS (EV makers) are not supporting the existence of PoW (ICE vehicles). In fact, one builder made a deliberate planned move from PoW to PoS. All new builders are PoS.

                    the vast majority of cryptocurrencies are still power hungry

                    False. Remove Bitcoin (>100TWh) and the only PoW coin in the top 10 is DOGE (~4TWh).

                • LandedGentry@lemmy.zip
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                  5 days ago

                  Not even remotely the same thing, But if you’re going to go down this path, notice how the transition to renewables has been blocked by…dependence on ICE/fossil fuels (more akin to PoW if we’re going to do this weird parallel) and by forces that profit off them.

                  Perhaps you’re more right than either of us realize, but unfortunately it doesn’t reinforce your point.

                  • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
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                    5 days ago

                    Your dislike of PoW is totally understandable.

                    Bitcoin maxis who dismiss all other blockchains as Alts are very much like climate deniers. They illogically block improvements and efficiencies in the Bitcoin protocol (e.g. block size increases).

                    However if enery usage is your main criticism then attacking PoS is like campaigning against wind or solar. We want PoS to completely replace PoW.