• Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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    1 month 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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        1 month 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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          1 month 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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            1 month 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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                1 month 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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                  1 month 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).

                  • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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                    30 days ago

                    Oh great so if you remove bitcoin your argument works, trouble is, bitcoin exists

                  • LandedGentry@lemmy.zip
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                    1 month ago

                    No but they’re supporting the existence of personal cars which are a blight at this point.

                    We don’t need more cars. We need more public transit. We don’t need crypto.

              • LandedGentry@lemmy.zip
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                1 month 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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                  1 month 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.