Of course you are right, coin generation is a waste. The part where ether is changing hands for useful work is at least somewhat "useful". Best we can hope for

Of course you are right, coin generation is a waste. The part where ether is changing hands for useful work is at least somewhat "useful". Best we can hope for is a future blockchain that emphasizes this kind of work more. A seti@home-coin or cure-cancer-coin is, as you suggested, hard to implement.