[4+ EH] Slush Pool (slushpool.com); Overt AsicBoost; World First Mining Pool

[Professoruss]

Small time miner, only 200gh, been here since ~ oct/nov. Issues pop up now and then, but have always gotten fixed. Payouts are sometimes delayed, but always end up correct, and the payout strategy IMO is fair.

[1714861555]

1714861555

[Sir Alan]

The pool's hash rate has been leaping upwards again - 655000 just now - as our fair-weather friends jump aboard having seen the pool's luck swing up again (don't they realise that yesterday's successes have no bearing on what might happen tomorrow?  Evidently not.)  Plus, of course, the new miners weighing in, and the arms race of others trying to keep up.

All of which makes me wonder if the recent glitches we have been seeing are at least in part due to the increasing workload being placed on the servers?  I know that the difficulty of each miner is adjusted to keep their work-rate fairly constant if their individual hash rate goes up, but that does not help if there are many more miners participating.  So are we seeing the system hitting a capacity wall?

[ccynthia]

Ok, now I think I understand the Score system for payouts, sort of, maybe, a little. You don't get paid the amount your hardware is showing as shares found, this totals up in each block found and the total is then divided by the total found shares from everyone contributing to the block or something like that. Then you get a figure on your actual reward. Your total shares found should be shown as contributed to each block however long that block takes to complete. Sounds sort of like maybe understandable.

I picked Slush's Pool because he has been working with Bitcoin since almost it's start and the pool was recommended by several friends. I can't say I even begin to understand it because I've had several large shares found in the past 3 days one 18m and another at 44.7m that's 44,700,000 at one time and 18,000,000 on the other. Now neither amount has shown up on my shares contributed toward any pool block. I've been running non-stop 24/7 the last 3 days since I started serious mining and I've never disconnected. Hmmm.

Am I a total NOOB. You bet I am! I've been on Slush for approx 3 weeks and reading approx 5 weeks total. My time on was just playing with 2 different lvl graphics cards to see how the system worked. I finally decided it may really work so I jumped in and now am running 50ghz soon to be 100ghz. When i jump I jump high, but I am still only a little tiny player in the overall pool. I've actually been online for approx 3 days now at a serious attempt at mining. I only look to get my hardware investment back and if it keeps going after that GREAT.

But since I don't really understand this pool yet I can't accuse the pool of stealing my found shares or hiding them etc and keeping them. It is concerning yes, but maybe it is just my misunderstanding on how the system works that makes me feel a little uncomfortable. I'm sticking with the Slush Pool just because maybe it is me and my not being able to fully understand the Score payout system like I mentioned above.

I'm not blindly following and trusting the pool yet as some state but I have to begin somewhere don't I. If we become uncomfortable with the pool I see no reason to post bad remarks about any pool. When you or I reach that level of not trusting a pool operator then what is stopping us from pulling plug and moving on to another pool and trying it!

Am I uncertain right now, yes, am I learning, yes, am I ready to accuse Slush of foul play, NO.  If I can't understand the payout system and can't figure why it show's I found large blocks which don't show up as credited towards the block then I either need to research more or move on right. Right.

But for now I'm sticking with Slush because well I wouldn't understand another pool either. LOL

[cenicsoft]

yesterday i got an email from his support staff:

Hi,

We are sorry for the inconvenience. We have been experiencing issues with bitcoind service. The issue has been fixed.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Best regards,
Pool support team





Ticket Details
---------------------------------
Ticket ID: KQR-***-*****
Department: slushpool
Type: Issue
Status: Open
Priority: Critical

Helpdesk: http://support.bitcoin.cz
You can check the status of or update this ticket online at: http://support.bitcoin.cz/Tickets/Ticket/View/KQR-***-*****

for me i must say all is every time fixed in one or two days

Glad to hear that you received an official response from support.  Hopefully, all of these issues are non issues just like they've always been in the past.

[Altoidnerd]

Ok, now I think I understand the Score system for payouts, sort of, maybe, a little. You don't get paid the amount your hardware is showing as shares found, this totals up in each block found and the total is then divided by the total found shares from everyone contributing to the block or something like that. Then you get a figure on your actual reward. Your total shares found should be shown as contributed to each block however long that block takes to complete. Sounds sort of like maybe understandable.

I picked Slush's Pool because he has been working with Bitcoin since almost it's start and the pool was recommended by several friends. I can't say I even begin to understand it because I've had several large shares found in the past 3 days one 18m and another at 44.7m that's 44,700,000 at one time and 18,000,000 on the other. Now neither amount has shown up on my shares contributed toward any pool block. Hmmm.

But since I don't really understand this pool yet I can't accuse the pool of stealing my found shares or hiding them etc and keeping them. It is concerning yes, but maybe it is just my misunderstanding on how the system works that makes me feel a little uncomfortable. I'm sticking with the Slush Pool just because maybe it is me and my not being able to fully understand the Score payout system like I mentioned above.

I'm not blindly following and trusting the pool yet as some state but I have to begin somewhere don't I. If we become uncomfortable with the pool I see no reason to post bad remarks about any pool. When you or I reach that level of not trusting a pool operator then what is stopping us from pulling plug and moving on to another pool and trying it!

Am I uncertain right now, yes, am I learning, yes, and I ready to accuse Slush of foul play, NO.  If I can't understand the payout system and can't figure why it show's I found large blocks which don't show up as credited towards the block then I either need to research more or move on right. Right.

Simply put, shares just before the block is found are the only ones that are relevant, to discourage pool hopping.  

The function is an exponential weighting, so the effect is extremely strong: if you mine many shares, but disconnect just before the block is found, your payout will reduce drastically.  

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1976.msg50002#msg50002

[KNK]

So are we seeing the system hitting a capacity wall?

No - there are much bigger pools, so it's possible, but more important is the way this pool is organized ... it's my guess, but I am quite sure it's correct ...
There are several servers processing the job done from the pool and even if we 'hit a wall' for their current capacity - additional server can be added to keep up, but ... additional server does not come for free (in terms of money and support time/headches) and can't be brought online instantly, so there is a small period of time when the processing power can be a (temporary) limiting factor. And still i don't think the glitches are caused from limited processing power, but more of protective measures that kick-in in some situations, before the things get screwed.

[Altoidnerd]

So are we seeing the system hitting a capacity wall?

No - there are much bigger pools, so it's possible, but more important is the way this pool is organized ... it's my guess, but I am quite sure it's correct ...
There are several servers processing the job done from the pool and even if we 'hit a wall' for their current capacity - additional server can be added to keep up, but ... additional server does not come for free (in terms of money and support time/headches) and can't be brought online instantly, so there is a small period of time when the processing power can be a (temporary) limiting factor. And still i don't think the glitches are caused from limited processing power, but more of protective measures that kick-in in some situations, before the things get screwed.

Slush's pool is designed for "set it and forget it."  His scoring system promotes this behavior. So when people hop and freak out glitches occur, which n00bs get very upset over. 

Just forget about it and let the coins come in.  :-)

[ccynthia]

I think this reply, comment sort of makes things fall into place for me and is what I have been feeling like doing and looking for and is what I am going to do. Thank you.

[/quote]

Slush's pool is designed for "set it and forget it."  His scoring system promotes this behavior. So when people hop and freak out glitches occur, which n00bs get very upset over. 

Just forget about it and let the coins come in.  :-)
[/quote]

[ccynthia]

See a total NOOB. I can't even figure out how to add a quote. Oh well, I enjoy this forum because I can learn so much!

[KNK]

Simply put, shares just before the block is found are the only ones that are relevant, to discourage pool hopping. 

The function is an exponential weighting, so the effect is extremely strong: if you mine many shares, but disconnect just before the block is found, your payout will reduce drastically. 

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1976.msg50002#msg50002

I'll try to explain it with an example ...

I (= the pool) have a huge field (= round) in which a treasure (= bitcoin block) is buried, but no one knows where (=when the round will end), so I need to dig until I find it.

I need diggers (=miners) to help me find that treasure and will divide it between them instead of paying fixed salary, so they will get more for their work, but ...
I have paid for that field (=pool infrastructure and support), so I will keep 2% of the treasure for me (=pool fee)
I don't have an excavator, but it's faster with it.
There is a risk that the some diggers will come for a day or two, with the hope that they will find the treasure fast and leave before we find the treasure.
There is a risk that the some diggers will stay on the field pretending to work

So ... I need a strategy to find such with:
 own excavators if possible, but even hand digging will do + to keep them with me until the treasure is found + not pay to those who are not actually working + divide it fair and quick, so we can move on the next field

To motivate those with excavators - I will need to pay based on the cubic meters of soil excavated per hour (=pool diff)

--- and now Slush specific strategy ---

Those who are lazy or just pretend to work will not bring soil often, so they should get less (=exponentially reduced reward)

To reach the goal I will write down the cubic meters brought at some location on a sheet of paper, but won't keep all of them - just the last one to divide it as fast as possible, so because of that ...

When it's full (=score reset) I will start a new one with a short summary of the previous, based on the same rules as if the treasure was found.

When the treasure is found I will divide it based on the cubic meters of soil excavated and brought at the location in the recent hours as:
 Those excavated during the last hour are counted in full
 Those in the hour before - in half ... and so on each hour reducing the volume paid in half until it falls below the minimum piece of the treasure (= 0.00000001 BTC)

 So if you stop working - you will loose your payment fairly quickly

Outcome:
 +
 If you have an excavator you will bring more and will be paid more, but if you are lazy you will bring it less often, then you will be paid less ... at the end you will be paid fairly for your work
 If you have no excavator, but hardworking - you bring less, but regularly ... you will be paid fair for your hard work

 -
 If you have an excavator, but it got broken (= internet connection down or miner down) and while fixing it, you missed the last hour of when the treasure was found ... you are paid less unfortunately
 If you have no excavator, but hardworking - you may still miss bringing soil in the last hour, because you need 1.5h per cubic meter (=low hasrate), but still be paid for all your work during the hours before ... you are paid less, because you are slow even it is not because you are lazy


Those who complain are the ones affected from the negatives of the strategy, but it's not mine (=the pool's) fault that your excavator got broken or you are too slow to keep up with the others.
You are free to dig for someone else (without complaints) if your excavator brakes too often or you are too slow compared to other workers and miss the payment of every digging campain

[ccynthia]

Simply put, shares just before the block is found are the only ones that are relevant, to discourage pool hopping.  

The function is an exponential weighting, so the effect is extremely strong: if you mine many shares, but disconnect just before the block is found, your payout will reduce drastically.  

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1976.msg50002#msg50002

I'll try to explain it with an example ...

I (= the pool) have a huge field (= round) in which a treasure (= bitcoin block) is buried, but no one knows where (=when the round will end), so I need to dig until I find it.

I need diggers (=miners) to help me find that treasure and will divide it between them instead of paying fixed salary, so they will get more for their work, but ...
I have paid for that field (=pool infrastructure and support), so I will keep 2% of the treasure for me (=pool fee)
I don't have an excavator, but it's faster with it.
There is a risk that the some diggers will come for a day or two, with the hope that they will find the treasure fast and leave before we find the treasure.
There is a risk that the some diggers will stay on the field pretending to work

So ... I need a strategy to find such with:
 own excavators if possible, but even hand digging will do + to keep them with me until the treasure is found + not pay to those who are not actually working + divide it fair and quick, so we can move on the next field

To motivate those with excavators - I will need to pay based on the cubic meters of soil excavated per hour (=pool diff)

--- and now Slush specific strategy ---

Those who are lazy or just pretend to work will not bring soil often, so they should get less (=exponentially reduced reward)

To reach the goal I will write down the cubic meters brought at some location on a sheet of paper, but won't keep all of them - just the last one to divide it as fast as possible, so because of that ...

When it's full (=score reset) I will start a new one with a short summary of the previous, based on the same rules as if the treasure was found.

When the treasure is found I will divide it based on the cubic meters of soil excavated and brought at the location in the recent hours as:
 Those excavated during the last hour are counted in full
 Those in the hour before - in half ... and so on each hour reducing the volume paid in half until it falls below the minimum piece of the treasure (= 0.00000001 BTC)

 So if you stop working - you will loose your payment fairly quickly

Outcome:
 +
 If you have an excavator you will bring more and will be paid more, but if you are lazy you will bring it less often, then you will be paid less ... at the end you will be paid fairly for your work
 If you have no excavator, but hardworking - you bring less, but regularly ... you will be paid fair for your hard work

 -
 If you have an excavator, but it got broken (= internet connection down or miner down) and while fixing it, you missed the last hour of when the treasure was found ... you are paid less unfortunately
 If you have no excavator, but hardworking - you may still miss bringing soil in the last hour, because you need 1.5h per cubic meter (=low hasrate), but still be paid for all your work during the hours before ... you are paid less, because you are slow even it is not because you are lazy


Those who complain are the ones affected from the negatives of the strategy, but it's not mine (=the pool's) fault that your excavator got broken or you are too slow to keep up with the others.
You are free to dig for someone else (without complaints) if your excavator brakes too often or you are too slow compared to other workers and miss the payment of every digging campain

WOW, thank you for taking the time to put it in a simple and easy to understand example. I get it now! Great this should help everyone and if it doesn't what more can be done for them. This is a good post. Great job!!!!

[ccynthia]

May I suggest you have this example placed in the Knowledgebase as an example for us simple minded n00bs to read? It really helped me to understand a lot more how Slush pool works.

[musicmaker613]

Simply put, shares just before the block is found are the only ones that are relevant, to discourage pool hopping. 

The function is an exponential weighting, so the effect is extremely strong: if you mine many shares, but disconnect just before the block is found, your payout will reduce drastically. 

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1976.msg50002#msg50002

I'll try to explain it with an example ...

I (= the pool) have a huge field (= round) in which a treasure (= bitcoin block) is buried, but no one knows where (=when the round will end), so I need to dig until I find it.

I need diggers (=miners) to help me find that treasure and will divide it between them instead of paying fixed salary, so they will get more for their work, but ...
I have paid for that field (=pool infrastructure and support), so I will keep 2% of the treasure for me (=pool fee)
I don't have an excavator, but it's faster with it.
There is a risk that the some diggers will come for a day or two, with the hope that they will find the treasure fast and leave before we find the treasure.
There is a risk that the some diggers will stay on the field pretending to work

I would also add that while this is happening on Slush's "field", there are several other fields where people are also digging for treasure.  Not long after cooperative (pooled) digging (mining) was created, people realized they could stop by each of the fields for a few minutes to "contribute" to the work load.  They dig a couple of small holes and sneak away to the other fields.  In the end, they were getting portions of the treasures from ALL of the fields they went to, even though they never hung around long enough to make meaningful contributions.  In the bitcoin world, this is called POOL HOPPING.  Slush implemented the scoring system we now use specifically to prevent such hopping from field to field (pool to pool) and taking rewards for mostly useless work.

[KNK]

I am glad it's understandable ... i am usually accused of being too detailed, which makes it complicated, so i've tried to be short, but yes - there are many more details worth explanation.

[Altoidnerd]

I am glad it's understandable ... i am usually accused of being too detailed, which makes it complicated, so i've tried to be short, but yes - there are many more details worth explanation.

Despite his algorithms which are perhaps complicated, Slush's pool invites relaxing. Look how simple his page is. His math is elegant. He updates news almost never. I personally locked my payout address so security is not a problem. So basically, I never look. I get an email when there's a payout. Excellent.

I like the slush culture...once you understand it, and you set it and forget it, it's a great pool.

[PostMixer]

+1

Keep it positive! That's what brings the " luck "!

[kkurtmann]

its about time people stopped whining. good for you guys! I suggest every n00b read all 711 pages of this thread before being able to post complaints against Slush or his pool. do some research please

[Testit]

its about time people stopped whining. good for you guys! I suggest every n00b read all 711 pages of this thread before being able to post complaints against Slush or his pool. do some research please

Yes I been mining @ Slush since mid 2012 and i believe he is a stand up guy and runs a fare pool, I tested lot off other pools, some of those scammed me and closed down

 

[stewdk]

do some research please

Certainly. I've overall been happy with slush's pool, but this is why I'm thinking about switching to another pool.  Here are the results from "ping -t stratum.bitcoin.cz":

https://i.imgur.com/KpwMZwH.png

The time-outs happen regularly.  The problem is NOT with my own internet connection.  I had another ping session running simultaneously (ping -t stratum.btcguild.com), and BTC Guild only had one time-out the entire time.  My location is USA.

[KNK]

ICMP is not guaranteed way to test connection over internet - many routers have ICMP limit, which causes the packet to be dropped
Check with mtr and there will be no losses on the last hop