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> Burning coal is also not really nice for the environment, so maybe we should all stop using electricity? We should, in fact, consider phasing out coal power

by zhdc1 4y ago

> Burning coal is also not really nice for the environment, so maybe we should all stop using electricity? We should, in fact, consider phasing out coal power generation. Which is what almost every OECD country has been doing for more than a decade: https://ukcop26.org/end-of-coal-in-sight-at-cop26/ https://ukcop26.org/end-of-coal-in-sight-at-cop26/.

koonsolo 4y ago
So why are we still talking about PoW then? It seems you didn't get my point.
- zhdc1 4y ago
  > So why are we still talking about PoW then? Outside of speculation and regulatory evasion, has there been a sufficient use-case for Bitcoin and other proof of work chains that justify the costs, inconvenience, and disruptive impacts that go along with it?
  - koonsolo 4y ago
    No, that's why we have PoS and other solutions, no? That was my whole point. Attacking crypto because of PoW is a bit silly when there are other solutions that are way more efficient. That's like attacking electricity because there are coal generators. My initial point.
    - zhdc1 4y ago
      > when there are other solutions that are way more efficient I was explicitly clear that I was commenting on proof of work blockchains. Crypto has a whole host of other issues, but I agree that there are other blockchain/crypto-like solutions that fit - some - of the touted use cases (e.g., GNU Thaler for digital currencies and currency-backed transactions). The issue, however, is that for good or bad, crypto is currently dominated by Bitcoin. The parent comment is relevant and meaningful in this context, and should not have been flagged.
olalonde 4y ago
His point was that it's not the electricity consumption (e.g. PoW mining) itself that pollutes.
- zhdc1 4y ago
  > His point was that it's not the electricity consumption (e.g. PoW mining) itself that pollutes. Yes, because demand doesn't drive supply... https://eurasianet.org/kazakhstan-energy-operator-cuts-crypto-miners-off-power-grid https://eurasianet.org/kazakhstan-energy-operator-cuts-crypt...
  - olalonde 4y ago
    Hence the satiric "so maybe we should all stop using electricity?".

by zhdc1 4y ago

koonsolo 4y ago

So why are we still talking about PoW then? It seems you didn't get my point.

zhdc1 4y ago
> So why are we still talking about PoW then? Outside of speculation and regulatory evasion, has there been a sufficient use-case for Bitcoin and other proof of work chains that justify the costs, inconvenience, and disruptive impacts that go along with it?
- koonsolo 4y ago
  No, that's why we have PoS and other solutions, no? That was my whole point. Attacking crypto because of PoW is a bit silly when there are other solutions that are way more efficient. That's like attacking electricity because there are coal generators. My initial point.
  - zhdc1 4y ago
    > when there are other solutions that are way more efficient I was explicitly clear that I was commenting on proof of work blockchains. Crypto has a whole host of other issues, but I agree that there are other blockchain/crypto-like solutions that fit - some - of the touted use cases (e.g., GNU Thaler for digital currencies and currency-backed transactions). The issue, however, is that for good or bad, crypto is currently dominated by Bitcoin. The parent comment is relevant and meaningful in this context, and should not have been flagged.

olalonde 4y ago

His point was that it's not the electricity consumption (e.g. PoW mining) itself that pollutes.

zhdc1 4y ago
> His point was that it's not the electricity consumption (e.g. PoW mining) itself that pollutes. Yes, because demand doesn't drive supply... https://eurasianet.org/kazakhstan-energy-operator-cuts-crypto-miners-off-power-grid https://eurasianet.org/kazakhstan-energy-operator-cuts-crypt...
- olalonde 4y ago
  Hence the satiric "so maybe we should all stop using electricity?".