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It would be fantastic if mining activity could be detected at the hardware level in order to engage throttling. Honestly if cryptocurrencies are going to be a t

It would be fantastic if mining activity could be detected at the hardware level in order to engage throttling. Honestly if cryptocurrencies are going to be a thing, it wouldn't make any sense for hardware makers to ever sell anything that could be used for mining. They could just build their own mining equipment, own the market, and not sell (or sell at a prohibitive markup) any hardware that makes serious mining profitable. I'm saying this as a person who wants to use computers for something useful, like playing games.

lifeplusplus 6y ago
no because they can more money annually selling cards than mining, beside investors don't put in money in nvidia because it engages in crypto but because it's a video card company.
- mullingitover 6y ago
  Saying they can make more money selling the cards doesn't make sense if the cards are actually profitable to use as mining equipment. Plus, investors don't care if nvidia is a video card company or they sell toilet paper, they care about their performance as an investment. If nvidia could pivot and double your investment, would you really care what they were pivoting to?
  - qqii 6y ago
    Nividia can't just suddenly decide to keep cards for themselves for mining, they have pre arranged agreements to fulfil with their partners. Pivoting and creating a mining division also doesn't make sense - mining companies take on a lot more risk from volatile market prices and need to have a lot more cash on hand to sustain the long periods of unprofitability.
    - mullingitover 6y ago
      Sure, I'm not saying nvidia would just decide to stop shipping tomorrow. However, if crypto is really viable and long-term profitable, it wouldn't make a ton of sense for them to give their potential competitors (e.g. anyone else who wants to mine) capital equipment at what would amount to a loss. They could subcontract the operation of the mining equipment to third parties so they make a profit immediately selling the mining hardware, and skim as much mining profit as possible while their subcontractors assume all the risk. (Just using nvidia as an example, but this model would work well for anyone making hardware that's capable of mining at scale).
      - qqii 6y ago
        I'm sure they already have such agreements, but little is know about them as that would upset their target market. https://www.tweaktown.com/news/76468/cant-buy-new-ampere-gpu-thats-because-nvidia-sold-them-to-miners/index.html https://www.tweaktown.com/news/76468/cant-buy-new-ampere-gpu... > if crypto [mining] is really viable and long-term profitable This is still a big if, with the most profitable gpu mining crypto moving to proof of stake in the next few years it's unclear if gpu mining will be as viable.
  - lifeplusplus 6y ago
    it does make sense, i'd rather take 30% return on my $100k than 5% return. If mining nets them 5% then it's an inferior option.
  - lifeplusplus 6y ago
    and yes investor care a lot about how the company makes money, if i'm buying nvidia i've certain risk/profit profile in mind. And if that said company suddenly decides to invest all of its assets on riskier industry than that means i'm in more risk, more risk than what was my investment plan. Depending on my age and total amount of wealth my risk tolerance would be very different.
dpoochieni 6y ago
Thank goodness that's just your fantasy. Can't think of anything more useful to stave off leftism than cryptocurrencies (BTC specifically)
qqii 6y ago
I find it somewhat amusing that you use playing games as an example of something useful compared to performing ethereum transactions. What you suggest already happens, companies like Bitmain who can invest millions to develop custom asic designs and buy directly from the silicon manufactures, contributing to the silicon shortage. Miners are buying commercial hardware becuase the allocation at the factories doesn't meet their demand, if it did graphics cards would just be sold at higher MSRPs.
- mullingitover 6y ago
  > I find it somewhat amusing that you use playing games as an example of something useful compared to performing ethereum transactions. I mean, imho most people are using cryto as an extremely complicated casino, and it's not even that fun. At least games are honest about their purpose as a form of entertainment and singularly focused on that.

lifeplusplus 6y ago

no because they can more money annually selling cards than mining, beside investors don't put in money in nvidia because it engages in crypto but because it's a video card company.

mullingitover 6y ago
Saying they can make more money selling the cards doesn't make sense if the cards are actually profitable to use as mining equipment. Plus, investors don't care if nvidia is a video card company or they sell toilet paper, they care about their performance as an investment. If nvidia could pivot and double your investment, would you really care what they were pivoting to?
- qqii 6y ago
  Nividia can't just suddenly decide to keep cards for themselves for mining, they have pre arranged agreements to fulfil with their partners. Pivoting and creating a mining division also doesn't make sense - mining companies take on a lot more risk from volatile market prices and need to have a lot more cash on hand to sustain the long periods of unprofitability.
  - mullingitover 6y ago
    Sure, I'm not saying nvidia would just decide to stop shipping tomorrow. However, if crypto is really viable and long-term profitable, it wouldn't make a ton of sense for them to give their potential competitors (e.g. anyone else who wants to mine) capital equipment at what would amount to a loss. They could subcontract the operation of the mining equipment to third parties so they make a profit immediately selling the mining hardware, and skim as much mining profit as possible while their subcontractors assume all the risk. (Just using nvidia as an example, but this model would work well for anyone making hardware that's capable of mining at scale).
    - qqii 6y ago
      I'm sure they already have such agreements, but little is know about them as that would upset their target market. https://www.tweaktown.com/news/76468/cant-buy-new-ampere-gpu-thats-because-nvidia-sold-them-to-miners/index.html https://www.tweaktown.com/news/76468/cant-buy-new-ampere-gpu... > if crypto [mining] is really viable and long-term profitable This is still a big if, with the most profitable gpu mining crypto moving to proof of stake in the next few years it's unclear if gpu mining will be as viable.
- lifeplusplus 6y ago
  it does make sense, i'd rather take 30% return on my $100k than 5% return. If mining nets them 5% then it's an inferior option.
- lifeplusplus 6y ago
  and yes investor care a lot about how the company makes money, if i'm buying nvidia i've certain risk/profit profile in mind. And if that said company suddenly decides to invest all of its assets on riskier industry than that means i'm in more risk, more risk than what was my investment plan. Depending on my age and total amount of wealth my risk tolerance would be very different.

dpoochieni 6y ago

Thank goodness that's just your fantasy. Can't think of anything more useful to stave off leftism than cryptocurrencies (BTC specifically)

qqii 6y ago

I find it somewhat amusing that you use playing games as an example of something useful compared to performing ethereum transactions. What you suggest already happens, companies like Bitmain who can invest millions to develop custom asic designs and buy directly from the silicon manufactures, contributing to the silicon shortage. Miners are buying commercial hardware becuase the allocation at the factories doesn't meet their demand, if it did graphics cards would just be sold at higher MSRPs.

mullingitover 6y ago
> I find it somewhat amusing that you use playing games as an example of something useful compared to performing ethereum transactions. I mean, imho most people are using cryto as an extremely complicated casino, and it's not even that fun. At least games are honest about their purpose as a form of entertainment and singularly focused on that.