I agree that cryptocurrency isn't inherently good or evil, it is how people use the technology that matters. MaximumPC has run some articles on cryptocurrency. Of course everyone knows that the basic idea is a trusted and secure way of transferring "money" between only the two parties using cryptographic standards, with the transaction listed in a block chain ledger. I think it is similar to public/private key transmission of data but not sure of details.

Now the part I recently learned is that the creators of the original Bitcoin financial transaction system (a programmer or programmers working under the name Satoshi Nakamoto) wanted to avoid the monetary inflation that would result if people could simply create this currency at will. So they use mathematical rules that specify a very limited subset of cryptocurrency values. It looks like the miners might be using brute force computing (with help of GPUs) to "discover" crytocurrency values that are allowed in the system. That is found money like finding gold ore. It goes into their cryptocurrency wallets and can be exchanged for dollars. I think that with so many people trying to mine in this way, that many values have been found and the money you invest in equipment and power bills barely pays for itself anymore. Maybe someone with more knowledge can clarify.

I wonder if all this cryptocurrency mining is creating inflationary pressure on the values of the currencies anyway? It certainly has inflated the costs of video cards.

R5Eandme wrote:
I agree that cryptocurrency isn't inherently good or evil, it is how people use the technology that matters. MaximumPC has run some articles on cryptocurrency. Of course everyone knows that the basic idea is a trusted and secure way of transferring "money" between only the two parties using cryptographic standards, with the transaction listed in a block chain ledger. I think it is similar to public/private key transmission of data but not sure of details.

Now the part I recently learned is that the creators of the original Bitcoin financial transaction system (a programmer or programmers working under the name Satoshi Nakamoto) wanted to avoid the monetary inflation that would result if people could simply create this currency at will. So they use mathematical rules that specify a very limited subset of cryptocurrency values. It looks like the miners might be using brute force computing (with help of GPUs) to "discover" crytocurrency values that are allowed in the system. That is found money like finding gold ore. It goes into their cryptocurrency wallets and can be exchanged for dollars. I think that with so many people trying to mine in this way, that many values have been found and the money you invest in equipment and power bills barely pays for itself anymore. Maybe someone with more knowledge can clarify.

I wonder if all this cryptocurrency mining is creating inflationary pressure on the values of the currencies anyway? It certainly has inflated the costs of video cards.

I hear you on the video cards R5Eandme...
Years ago when computing was just starting, I seem to remember, people used to tell me that a video card cost $5000 so I think we have a way to go yet...lol
I did a forum search on cyrpto and I found one other post on a dead cyrpto coin.
I was unaware of anything posted by MaximumPC.
I don't have a clue how crypto currency works let alone mining and don't pretend to....just sayin that I can wonder about things others don't...and I can see things others don't... we all do.
How important is it to be right or wrong?
Not at all.
If someone is interested in my opinion, great.
They can agree or disagree and it won't change the world.
If I start to form an opinion, right or wrong, I can get upset or worked up or devastated....I can lose interest.
I started looking trying to understand what they were trying to mine and what type of equipment.
That trip took me to wonder how to put 6 video cards in one computer.
That lead me to see how to get to the Dark Web.
The Dark web had things that I could enjoy in a fantasy or movie...
I am not in a movie.
When I start looking for an answer and I start to see where the investigation is taking me I sometimes develop a hunch and often my hunches are correct.
When I see something that I start to believe, to be true, I often share that with others.
It is up to them to decide how to proceed with the info I give them.
I might rummage around having a look for it.
Thx

Oh You guys have been busy while I was workin on that last one...
I got stuff to do...
But I will be back..
Stay tuned;)

xeromist wrote:
I dunno. I'd say only a portion of the dark web market is evil. Just because something is illegal in certain jurisdictions doesn't mean it's actually evil. I'd grant you that murder for hire services would fall into the "evil" category for most people but you might find less consensus with something like recreational drugs.

The other thing you missed is that crypto currencies aren't what enables the dark web in general, Tor is. People could still do all sorts of good and bad things anonymously if crypto currencies didn't exist. And most of the repulsive things you'll find on the dark web predate it anyway. Humanity has always had a dark side.

First off I agree with you on your first paragraph
And the following I am having a hard time putting into words.
I too say that only a portion of the Dark Web, is evil. We all decide how evil or bad something is based on our beliefs...
That is why I put a pause...and ..."evil" had a question mark after it...The whole concept (Dark/Deep Web) can't be summed up with one word, at least not by me.
So as interesting as Mining Cyrpto Currency (it) is IMHO I feel that it is supporting a market that is.... evil? (supposedly where Murder for Hire is available etc)

I just feel, that freedom to say things and not be held accountable by your government or anyone else should have a place to feel safe....anywhere private, should be safe.
Thoughts (by others) about hate, love, whatever, are not up to me to call evil or good. If I am not interested.
If I am interested I too should have that same right.
Within the Dark Web, somewhere between private thoughts and public talk, cyrpto currency potentially allows actions to take place that make it possible/easier to hide actions that should/could have been stopped or after the fact, be held accountable for.
Now as xeromist pointed out "Just because something is illegal in certain jurisdictions doesn't mean it's actually evil."
I agree and as an example... The use of a VPN gives you some protection from spying eyes but if you really crossed the line, it probably isn't going to stop the authorities from catching you.
IMO and I am ok with that.
We all need to be held accountable sometimes...we are human.
Now your second paragraph ...
you said

"The other thing you missed is that crypto currencies aren't what enables the dark web in general, Tor is."

I didn't miss it.
Tor isn't used to exchange for services directly.
It is a medium of communication...or tool used in communication... like a VPN.
It isn't the private secretive Dark Web that bothers me, so much.
I have watched some pretty crazy stuff in movies and on tv...lol
Cheered when horrendous things happened....opps...yeah we all have.:rolleyes:
I just think that crypto mining is supporting a currency that is so iffy people are getting burned by it...
Figuratively and physically with no recourse and I feel that is wrong.
(People might think that they brought it on themselves and for people investing in it, that could be true.)

Google still has...."Don't be evil".....in it's mission statement.

Maybe that is why we don't see Google's search engine over there cause they agree with me...lol

Smokin_Joe wrote:

I didn't miss it.
Tor isn't used to exchange for services directly.
It is a medium of communication...or tool used in communication... like a VPN.

They are both tools and a black market is more effective when both communication and payment is anonymized. You can't question one without the other. Cash payments can be relatively untraceable so crypto currencies aren't inherently special on that front. Untraceable digital payments are easier just like untraceable digital communication is easier. Perhaps the difference is that people see fewer legitimate purposes for anonymous payments than communication.

xeromist wrote:
They are both tools and a black market is more effective when both communication and payment is anonymized. You can't question one without the other. Cash payments can be relatively untraceable so crypto currencies aren't inherently special on that front. Untraceable digital payments are easier just like untraceable digital communication is easier. Perhaps the difference is that people see fewer legitimate purposes for anonymous payments than communication.

By George I think he 's got it!
Not to imply that you didn't have it before....lol
(bit of a tamato-tomato thing happening maybe)
I agree totally.
(I have more to say but it will probably come up later...:p)

Smokin_Joe wrote:

So as interesting as Mining Cyrpto Currency (it) is IMHO I feel that it is supporting a market that is.... evil? (supposedly where Murder for Hire is available etc)

i respectfully disagree.

i believe, the cryptocurrency itself is neither good nor evil. while i can't say anything about the Dark Web, i can reasonably believe Cryptocurrency itself is neutral.
in fact, you can try replacing the word with: Knives, Spiky Bat, Peer-to-peer, Torrent, Tor Browser, even Apothecaries (A monster calls - The Second Story), Death itself (CrashCourse Philosophy - Perspective on Death)

my old man took great effort to make me realize the notion that Evil and Good were merely labels we put on something. He used to challenge me with questions like: “if a knife is used to kill someone, is the knife evil?”, and conversely, “if a knife is used to cut vegetables or a fish, is the knife then evil for the vegetables, the fish?”, “but if a knife was used so that you can enjoy the food on your plate, is the knife Good?”

- in a Zombie Apocalypse, a spiky bat might be considered good if it helps you bash the things trying to infect you. a spiky bat can be evil if used to bash an innocent's face in.
- Peer-to-Peer is arguably evil for the Copyright Holders (remember Napster, kazaa, limewire). P2P is godsent for the people who use it. the difference lie in where your interests are.
- Torrents are considered evil for the same reason as P2P above. World of Tanks distribute their game patches with Torrent by default (you've got to disable it in launcher settings if you don't want it sucking up your bandwidth).
- Tor Browser have been used by shady people for shady evil. Edward Snowden himself used Tor to shine the light of Truth about NSA, PRISM, X-KEYSCORE. i use Tor Browser to circumvent information blockade imposed by my own Country (they can't handle Reddit's Truthery - Bad for My Country, Good for Me?). i could also use Tor Browser to Sh1t-post (i'll leave this to you to decide on the morality of this). in a world where saying the wrong things can get your head rolling on the floor, where Freedom of Speech isn't constitutionally guaranteed and enforced (North Korea), Tor Browser can become a channel to Protect one's Anonymity, freedom of opinion. Tor Browser can also become the ultimate evil for people who want to keep staying in power.

in all the examples above, it should already be evident that the nouns (Objects, Things) above is inherently incapable of neither Good nor Evil. it's the Subject (Person) wielding the tool itself that might be labeled such.

i used to really dislike (well, borderline hate) Cryptominers. but i had to realize this was because of my subjective feelings.

I just feel, that freedom to say things and not be held accountable by your government or anyone else should have a place to feel safe....anywhere private, should be safe.
Thoughts (by others) about hate, love, whatever, are not up to me to call evil or good. If I am not interested.
If I am interested I too should have that same right.
Within the Dark Web, somewhere between private thoughts and public talk, cyrpto currency potentially allows actions to take place that make it possible/easier to hide actions that should/could have been stopped or after the fact, be held accountable for.

you are relatively safe to voice opposition in the United Stated of America. i can't say the same for other countries.
what interests me is when you agreed to the notion of freedom of repercussions (with limited consequences), but disagreeing on Cryptocurrency in principle because of you seemingly thinking Cryptocurrency is (already) seemingly evil.

i'd like to invite you to watch these videos:
A. What CryptoCurrency is and how it works
This is the best explanation so far i had watched, better than Scishow's. in fact, i would also argue in this case, that CryptoCurrency can be more stable than Fiat Money because the players (Government) can't just be irresponsible and print and/ or spend as much as they felt like it. look at the EU debt Crisis, Look at Zimbabwe.

who suffers? Citizens.
(there's in fact one more video about Inflation, Irresponsible Economics which is really good, but i only remembered the youtube thumbnail, not the video title itself. i gave up finding it).

it's probably hard for you to see the benefits of a Currency that's literally detached from any world government, since the United States is (agree to disagree- i know about the US Debt Crisis too) relatively semi-responsible with their financials. for other people, Citizens whose Government Folks are akin to Greedy Self Serving monkeys out to fill their own pockets, CrytoCurrency can mean Security, or the alternative is taking wheelbarrows full of money just to buy toilet paper to wipe one's own ass with (it's probably cheaper to use the money to wipe ass with, sometimes).



B. Be amazed at the scale.
- Mining Bitcoins in iceland - europe
- Life inside a Chinese bitcoin mine
the one problem i have with that (points above), is... that's a whole lot of electricity and hot air just to snag the limited BitCoin available per day. damn.
i can also bravely claim that i have not mined a single Cryptocurrency up until today. i can't say the same for the future.

I just think that crypto mining is supporting a currency that is so iffy people are getting burned by it...
Figuratively and physically with no recourse and I feel that is wrong.

i'd like to make sure i understand this before giving my answer: people getting burned (by it), how ?
are you talking about the WannaCry Attacks where these use Bitcoin as Ransom Currency?

Google still has...."Don't be evil".....in it's mission statement.

Pffft. /Scoffs
(why do you think i use DuckDuckGo instead of the All seeing Eye of Sauron Google? if Ducky becomes the next sauron one day, i'll just find another company to search with)

Google, Twitter, Facebook, these Left Leaning ideologists have blinded them to the very basic motto for an Internet Company: Stay Neutral.
Google's sins: Demonitization to suppress views that don't coincide with them. Google Fired James Damore over Equality manifesto that he wrote.
Twitter: 48% of DNC Leaks removed from their site.
Facebook: Same Shi- Google and Twitter did. they don't care all that much about you. Creator's Copyright Protection. Destinn (from Smarter Everyday) had his video stolen by somebody on Facebook, and Facebook took their sweet time cashing in on Advertising before finally taking it down. the offender didn't even get as much as a slap on the wrist. Kurzgesagt outlined Facebook's malicious practises.

i'm originally Center leaning, myself. but, the more i read, hear, see, the more i find myself distancing away from the left-leaning views to preserve my sanity.

don't count on anybody to tell you what's Good or Bad (not even Google). Count on yourself.
Read, Analyze, Think, Decide on your own what's Good or Bad.

haihane wrote:
you are relatively safe to voice opposition in the United Stated of America. i can't say the same for other countries. ........
Read, Analyze, Think, Decide on your own what's Good or Bad.

WHOOOOW...lol
Alright first off don't get me started on the US of A...it ain't what it usta be and I am from Canada eh!
Not America..huh!...lol
Sorry Couldn't resist
I copied everything to my Desktop and I will do my best to get back to you haihane.
Promise.
Dropped on my head when I was a kid so it could take a little bit.:o