If you can buy one. The problem with ASICs is that, once they get under the profit curve, they have no other usage. I can very reliably expect a 7970 to be use

If you can buy one. The problem with ASICs is that, once they get under the profit curve, they have no other usage. I can very reliably expect a 7970 to be useful for a few years at least. An Avalon, if I manage to get it, may or may not pay for itself before difficulty makes it unprofitable to run. And then it's completely useless. Lots of hypothesis and conjectures.