Brainstorm: Pooled Mining for Charity Benefit

[mturley]

Hi all!  I'm new, so mainly this post is to build some reputation so I can post elsewhere.  But it's also something I've been thinking about for a while.

When I first found out about bitcoin mining, I had just been watching a news report on the disasters in Joplin, MO and Japan.  I started thinking about how mining for bitcoins could be used for charity benefit, allowing people to donate their CPU power towards disaster relief efforts.

I made these two websites: MiningForJoplin.org and MiningForJapan.org.  They contain a little Java CPU miner plugin from BitcoinPlus.com, which allocates all mined coins in a single account.  When this account gets big enough to be cashed out for a significant amount, I'll sell and donate the proceeds to the Red Cross.  I think it's a great idea, and I can potentially reach a huge group of people who otherwise wouldn't be mining.

There are two problems so far with this project.  Firstly, the bitcoin miner I'm using sucks.  It seems to mine at an average of only 2 or 3 kh/s, and it requires the visitor to remember to give the Java applet permission to run.  I'd love to find a better way to go about this, even if it means asking people to download preconfigured mining software.  Also, it's just a pile of solo miners, so the payouts are terrible.  I'd love to get my visitors mining as part of a pool somehow.  The second problem is, I have had no luck getting anyone to actually participate.  I've tried spreading the word on Reddit a few times, but I capped at 5 or 6 visitors, and none of them stuck around.

Anyone have any ideas?  I'd love for this to become a success, it's so great in theory.

Thanks,
Mike

[1714020873]

1714020873

[Jonathan Ryan Owens]

Hi all!  I'm new, so mainly this post is to build some reputation so I can post elsewhere.  But it's also something I've been thinking about for a while.

When I first found out about bitcoin mining, I had just been watching a news report on the disasters in Joplin, MO and Japan.  I started thinking about how mining for bitcoins could be used for charity benefit, allowing people to donate their CPU power towards disaster relief efforts.

I made these two websites: MiningForJoplin.org and MiningForJapan.org.  They contain a little Java CPU miner plugin from BitcoinPlus.com, which allocates all mined coins in a single account.  When this account gets big enough to be cashed out for a significant amount, I'll sell and donate the proceeds to the Red Cross.  I think it's a great idea, and I can potentially reach a huge group of people who otherwise wouldn't be mining.

There are two problems so far with this project.  Firstly, the bitcoin miner I'm using sucks.  It seems to mine at an average of only 2 or 3 kh/s, and it requires the visitor to remember to give the Java applet permission to run.  I'd love to find a better way to go about this, even if it means asking people to download preconfigured mining software.  Also, it's just a pile of solo miners, so the payouts are terrible.  I'd love to get my visitors mining as part of a pool somehow.  The second problem is, I have had no luck getting anyone to actually participate.  I've tried spreading the word on Reddit a few times, but I capped at 5 or 6 visitors, and none of them stuck around.

Anyone have any ideas?  I'd love for this to become a success, it's so great in theory.

Thanks,
Mike

First of all, your goals are worthy. Good on you for being such a charity case. So, here's what I would do: Solicit Bitcoin donations for these causes, start a newsletter, put up a real time "Dollars donated" chart and FINALLY get in touch with one of many of the existing pool operators and ask them for help on getting going with your own pool. You should collect a % of generated Bitcoin and donate THAT to the charities, while preserving the regular payout to miners, otherwise you are probably sunk.

[hawk196]

I honestly don't see how this is helping any cause. You might as well put up a simple donation button. I mean does the red cross have a receiving bitcoin address? I doubt it, so what's the point then?