Correct me if I'm wrong but based on the bitcoin magazine article the BFL hardware is running 500Mhz at 60 Ghash. I've already been planing on 80-90Ghash once the firmware and improved cooling comes in to play. As for life expectancy it only has to take me to the next gen which BFL will hopefully have an upgrade program.
Well, sorta true. But one would hope it would take you up to your investment capital being recovered and then some profit before Gen 2.
Edit: In pragmatic sense, the purpose of the profit should be to generate enough profit to cover the A) cost of Gen 1 B) cover the cost of a Gen 2 device and then C) a significant extra to gain some material benefit of some kind. Otherwise your profits just end up going into your vendors pocket in a sort of flowing pyramid scheme. You always have to walk away with some kind of real material benefit besides being able to buy each successive generation.But lets say Gen 2 comes along and they do indeed offer an exchange program. What should be the price of Gen 2?
2000 USD or more? (Keep in mind customers of BFL hardware do not want any price cuts while they attempt to recover the cost of their units.)
What should happen to the price of Gen 1 at the intro of Gen 2?
What is the trade in value for a [used] Gen 1 module? (How much of the original price is respected? 400$ for a Single SC? 1299$? 800$? What about for a Jally? 25$? 75$? 150?
---------------------------
And finally, what should BFL sell a 60Gh/s system for 10 months down the road when it produces (or is worth) alot less in terms of income?
Right now, a 60Gh/s system is supposed to make a ton of BTC/cash. Well according to some (it's possible). Though, what would BFL sell it at when difficulty is high and a 60Gh/s is no longer bringing in the volume of BTC/Cash?
Doesn't the price of a product normally go down in such scenarios?
If so, then what is the trade-in value vs the cost of a Gen 2 system?
10%?
40%?
100%?
---------------------
Should a Gen 2 system cost alot more than a Gen 1?
Should there be a price freeze on a Gen 1 unit until people can sell them off (or just recover their costs)?
There are tons of questions I can think up. None of them are too convenient for both the buyer or the vendor.
Perhaps it is time to headlock a vendor employee of your choice and get them to give you a written agreement that the device will be price protected at trade in. Otherwise you might get pennies on the dollar for that trade-in.If Nothing is written, then there is no legal binding agreement. (Make sure an employee is authorized to make such a deal of behalf of their Vendor. So that there is a
Vendor Level Agreement and not just an
Emloyee agreement whom can be fired at any point.)
If the employee backs out or becomes evasive, then you know what you are actually getting promised in that trade-in.
