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Alternate cryptocurrencies => Altcoin Discussion => Topic started by: alquinte on January 11, 2014, 08:18:39 PM



Title: Cryptocurrency based on something other than hashing power?
Post by: alquinte on January 11, 2014, 08:18:39 PM
I don't know if this has been done yet, but I was thinking if it is possible to create a crypto currency that isn't mined based on hashing power. It has to be based on some metric though or there wouldn't be any distinction then a centrally controlled currency (say WoW in-game gold or something). One metric I can think of is time (so the amount of time you dedicate your computer to mining rather than the power of the computer). But I don't think there is a secure or non-exploitable way to measure that. Maybe you could measure something that requires human interaction like captchas solved per second (although that would be very boring). I don't know, these are just some of my thoughts. What kind of metrics would you guys like to see a coin based on?


Title: Re: Cryptocurrency based on something other than hashing power?
Post by: jimhsu on January 11, 2014, 09:13:48 PM
Proof of stake (https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Proof_of_Stake) and proof of burn. (https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Proof_of_burn). Human "hashing" would be a proof of work function ... interesting but I can't think of a way to implement it (captchas?) Any "per-user" or "per-computer" scheme is vulnerable to Sybil attacks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sybil_attack), no matter what you use (addresses/IPs/MAC addresses/etc), except if you're a government (i.e. centralization).


Title: Re: Cryptocurrency based on something other than hashing power?
Post by: snailbrain on January 11, 2014, 09:59:06 PM
I don't know if this has been done yet, but I was thinking if it is possible to create a crypto currency that isn't mined based on hashing power. It has to be based on some metric though or there wouldn't be any distinction then a centrally controlled currency (say WoW in-game gold or something). One metric I can think of is time (so the amount of time you dedicate your computer to mining rather than the power of the computer). But I don't think there is a secure or non-exploitable way to measure that. Maybe you could measure something that requires human interaction like captchas solved per second (although that would be very boring). I don't know, these are just some of my thoughts. What kind of metrics would you guys like to see a coin based on?

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=300538.0
http://wiki.chronokings.com/index.php?title=Huntercoin


Title: Re: Cryptocurrency based on something other than hashing power?
Post by: ilic on January 11, 2014, 10:55:40 PM
There already is a crypto currency based on time rather than hashing power. It uses next to no PC resources, minimal electricity and it's by one of the people involved with Bitcoin at the start.

It doesnt matter how powerful your PC is at the only factor for currency generation is time ie how long your PC/server has been running.

Check out www.TimeKoin.org

I've had my TimeKoin server running for about 2 weeks and in that time the total number of servers has gone from 20 to about 70!

I run it on my mining PC which is running 24x7 so I can 'mine' 2 different currencies simultaneously.


Title: Re: Cryptocurrency based on something other than hashing power?
Post by: alquinte on January 13, 2014, 07:46:54 AM
There already is a crypto currency based on time rather than hashing power. It uses next to no PC resources, minimal electricity and it's by one of the people involved with Bitcoin at the start.

It doesn't matter how powerful your PC is at the only factor for currency generation is time ie how long your PC/server has been running.

Check out www.TimeKoin.org

I've had my TimeKoin server running for about 2 weeks and in that time the total number of servers has gone from 20 to about 70!

I run it on my mining PC which is running 24x7 so I can 'mine' 2 different currencies simultaneously.

Actually this is really cool, and very close to what I had envisioned. Although from what I can see they are still somewhat vulnerable to sibyl attacks. Their solution to that problem kind of deters me from it. Essentially it seems they make it difficult enough to setup the server that it would be hard for a coordinated generation of a bunch them. They also seem to have some kind of regulation on the number of new peers. The problem with this is that it makes it too harder to get into mining them to the extent that the average lay-person wouldn't invest their time.

It would be really cool if there was a way to act as a delegate for an already existing peer without having to install anything and just make the necessary network requests without opening yourself to sibyl attacks. I know this is a pretty difficult problem to solve, but imagine that I'm creating a new online multiplayer game (think League of Legends or even World of Warcraft). I could make my servers a peer on the TimeKoin network and have the clients playing the game also act as delegates on my behalf earning me TimeKoins. I take 30% and distribute the 70% amongst the players with whatever system I want (say the LoL match winners get 50% and losers get 20%). And that is just one example of the applications this could have.