HashFast announces specs for new ASIC: 400GH/s

[greenbtc]

Obviously people should be cautious if they're investing money. But simply pointing out there's no chip and no mask isn't really an argument.  There's no real evidence to suggest that these guys can't execute on a plan.  Not every company in the world is BFL.  

Great overall post, but this is the point I always come back to. The professional business world does not conduct themselves in the same manner that Butterfly Labs or Avalon does. There are companies who execute on every step where they failed perfectly because they know their business and have for years.

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The point is so blunt that it's embarrassing for me to be the one making it.  Yet this thread not grown to 20 pages of unchecked ASIC mania, so someone had to do it.  I see you're already orchestrating a group buy?  May i ask what it is you're buying?  

You gave a link to a paper coauthored by Simon Barber.  Bitcoin-related, for sure, but technical?  It's as relevant to ASIC design as The US Constitution.  Have you read it?  In case my point is again obscure, i'll spell it out:  The paper has nothing to do with any sort of silicon design.  Nothing.  Not relevant.

TL;DR:  What ASIC?  What specs?  Where's the cat?  Where's the cradle?

Again dude, so what?  The news here is that a high quality ASIC design company (Uniquify) is working on a bitcoin ASIC, and that company (Uniquify), not just HashFast, has said they've taped out and expect 400Ghash/sec.

Obviously people should be cautious if they're investing money. But simply pointing out there's no chip and no mask isn't really an argument.  There's no real evidence to suggest that these guys can't execute on a plan.  Not every company in the world is BFL.  

Wait, they're past tapeout?  The masks are at the foundry, waiting to become some serious chippage?  Which fab plant?  
And if you use "there's no evidence to the contrary,"  You should believe in Easter Bunny, Tinker Bell & the Fabulous Land of Equestria.
   Hint: Other than a snapshot of a dev board next to a cheap scope, there's no evidence that they can, or even are planning to, "execute on a plan."  Dude.

[FCTaiChi]

No evidence?  Except that the people involved have created things in the past successfully, and you have given no reason to think that they won't be able to continue this.  No I don't mean Simon and his paper.  I mention that to show that this isn't some new person coming out of the woodwork because they smell money.

edit- Thanks John, and gateway for the responses.  I'll try that email.

trigeek, I must have ignored your assumption about network hashrate, I was assuming 20% rise until then.

[crumbs]

No evidence?  Except that the people involved have created things in the past successfully, and you have given no reason to think that they won't be able to continue this.  No I don't mean Simon and his paper.  I mention that to show that this isn't some new person coming out of the woodwork because they smell money.

The people involved, the ones with "combined total of 100 years of experience"?  Not sure if the 3 folks listed on the site have a hundred years between them since birth, but since none of them list any HW experience, i assume that's exactly what they mean -- 100 years of life experience, from the cradle 'till today

[minternj]

Obviously people should be cautious if they're investing money. But simply pointing out there's no chip and no mask isn't really an argument.  There's no real evidence to suggest that these guys can't execute on a plan.  Not every company in the world is BFL.  

Great overall post, but this is the point I always come back to. The professional business world does not conduct themselves in the same manner that Butterfly Labs or Avalon does. There are companies who execute on every step where they failed perfectly because they know their business and have for years.

Right because professional businesses never miss a deadlines. Lol.

News flash, every single large IC type company has missed deadlines and by magnitudes of many many many months. It happens.

[Bitcoinorama]

Hashfast has just updated it's privacy policy, some is quite standard, but their clearly marketing orientated and looks like they are willing to sell your data;

http://hashfast.com/privacy-policy-2/

Not sure I'm happy with this...

[Bitcoinorama]

Then almost as fast, they pull it. Hopefully to change it. No Ibdin't agree to my details be shared and sold for marketing purposes. Where do you opt out for that?!!

[Vagnavs]

For what seems to be a very bright team. This has been a disaster from the start. I signed up for the mailing list and when I get in an email. This is the complete email

Hello! New entry was published on Hash Fast. Visit it by following next link: Privacy Policy Regards, Hash Fast team.
- -

Now wouldn't you send out a short email with the privacy policy information instead of 10 words and a link. You know, be kind of professional about it? Yes. Also looks like they will give your information out to anyone that asks for it. Maybe they want to maximize their profits, i.e. telemarketers calling all day. That or the FTC descending on your house at 6 a.m. and waking you up (not cool). Okay end of rant.
Regards,
Brian

here is their privacy policy: http://hashfast.com/privacy-policy/

It has to be one of the worst privacy policies I have ever seen.

What is the purpose of a privacy policy, if there is no privacy?

[Bitcoinorama]

They appear to be playing some very underhand marketing tactics;

Pushing for $0.5 million funding and giving under 36 hours to express interest and hand over funds using an intermediary that spams straight out of newbie jail and locks thread to all but Simon's account and Gridfinity's own.

Shill marketing company that praises them in this thread with a twitter account they already follow.

Privacy Policy that is set to anything bar protecting your privacy so they can capitalise on it, with no opt out, and certainly nothing mentioned days before when I signed up.

And here is the really worrying bit, each time a voice is concerned they pull it straight away.

Gridfinity removes it's original message and then places a different one hours later. Hashfast distance themselves.

Shill marketing company deletes their twitter account. Despite numerous requests to explain. Silence, even though we all saw it.

Privacy Policy is pulled immediately giving an error 404 page at the link.

What gives Hashfast? Are you going to play fair, or what? There is enough lack of integrity witnessed in this forum. Damn straight I'm not going near a company that sells my personal details, you could make enough cash without that crap! Greed.

Perhaps John Skrodenis, presumably the person responsible, would like to tell us more about his expertise in 'traffic arbitrage'?!

Not cool, was actually warming to you lot prior, but this is shady...

[Ytterbium]

Wait, they're past tapeout?  The masks are at the foundry, waiting to become some serious chippage?  Which fab plant?  
And if you use "there's no evidence to the contrary,"  You should believe in Easter Bunny, Tinker Bell & the Fabulous Land of Equestria.
   Hint: Other than a snapshot of a dev board next to a cheap scope, there's no evidence that they can, or even are planning to, "execute on a plan."  Dude.

AMD has announced a Radeon HD 8000 series.  Do you know which fab plant they're sending the tape out too? Does that mean they're not going to exist?

The evidence is the letter from Uniquify that was posted at the start of this thread.  They said they expected to tape out in August and there's no reason to presume they won't be able too.  That's what the company does.  Maybe they haven't quite gotten to it yet, I don't know.

Either way, your comments are pretty ridiculous.  Simply pointing out over and over again that there's no chip currently doesn't meant there won't be a chip. They aren't even asking for anyone's money (except the weird Gridfinity thing - but in that case you can go and talk to them and see the details for yourself under NDA)

Seriously what's your problem.  A chip design company announced the design of a chip.  Is it possible they may run into problems?  Sure.  Is it reasonable to say that it's all fake or a scam?  Not without some evidence.

Unless they are going to start asking for money, there's no reason for them to even give out any details at all. Seriously, WTF?

If they start asking for money, we can look at their prices, and the information they put out at that point and decide if it's a good deal or not.  They may or may not be offering a good deal for the money.  We don't know.

I think a huge number of people do not understand the concept of investment risk at all, and think everything that isn't 100% certain is a "bad deal".

If someone ordered a Batch1 Avalon, an a BFL 60Ghash unit, they would have made back their investment by now even if they haven't gotten the BFL unit yet.

[Ytterbium]

They appear to be playing some very underhand marketing tactics;

Pushing for $0.5 million funding in under 36 hours using an intermediary that spams straight out of newbie jail and locks thread to all but Simon's account and Gridfinity's own.

Shill marketing company that praises them in this thread with a twitter account they already follow.

Privacy Policy that is set to anything bar protecting your privacy so they can capitalise on it, with no opt out, and certainly nothing mentioned days before when I signed up.

And here is the really worrying bit, each time a voice is concerned they pull it straight away.

Gridfinity removes it's original message and then places a different one hours later. Hashfast distance themselves.

Shill marketing company deletes their twitter account. Despite numerous requests to explain. Silence, even though we all saw it.

Privacy Policy is pulled immediately giving an error 404 page at the link.

What gives Hashfast? Are you going to play fair, or what? There is enough lack of integrity witnessed in this forum. Damn straight I'm not going near a company that sells my personal details, you could make enough cash without that crap! Greed.

Perhaps John Skrodenis, presumably the person responsible, would like to tell us more about his expertise in 'traffic arbitrage'?!

Not cool, was actually warming to you lot prior...

Yes, this is a concern. As we've seen, anyone can make a chip if they spend enough money.  The problem we've seen is getting it packaged and shipped to customers. But at the same time, this is a silicon valley startup, and most silicon valley startups are actually not very "professional" at all.

They're not being very transparent, but they're also not asking for money publicly either. It sounds like most of their marketing is being done in person - fly out to S.F. to meet them, sign an NDA and they'll give you the details.

[minternj]

AMD has announced a Radeon HD 8000 series.  Do you know which fab plant they're sending the tape out too? Does that mean they're not going to exist?

uhm globalfoundries..

edit - and tsmc for gpu

[greenbtc]

Obviously people should be cautious if they're investing money. But simply pointing out there's no chip and no mask isn't really an argument.  There's no real evidence to suggest that these guys can't execute on a plan.  Not every company in the world is BFL.  

Great overall post, but this is the point I always come back to. The professional business world does not conduct themselves in the same manner that Butterfly Labs or Avalon does. There are companies who execute on every step where they failed perfectly because they know their business and have for years.

Right because professional businesses never miss a deadlines. Lol.

News flash, every single large IC type company has missed deadlines and by magnitudes of many many many months. It happens.

No shit, but the way they handle it is completely different. Stop using this argument as it does not apply to BFL or Avalon.

[Bitcoinorama]

Yes, this is a concern. As we've seen, anyone can make a chip if they spend enough money.  The problem we've seen is getting it packaged and shipped to customers. But at the same time, this is a silicon valley startup, and most silicon valley startups are actually not very "professional" at all.

They're not being very transparent, but they're also not asking for money publicly either. It sounds like most of their marketing is being done in person - fly out to S.F. to meet them, sign an NDA and they'll give you the details.

An NDA means nothing. In principle, yes, but in reality it' a formality, unless you can provide specific proof an individual breeched, which is obv. near impossible. Though it shows they wish to remain tight lipped, which could be a good thing.

Shady marketing though, speaks volumes. I now don't buy the 'we'll limit sales to promise ROI' mantra, yet we want to hire marketing to build huge lists. With Gridfinity they were offering preferred distribution supposedly, so once you pay a premium for the franchise you get get capped on sales? Unlikely, when you are privacy policy is soley focused on buying and selling customer info, which is precisely what John's expertise in 'traffic arbitrage' is;

http://www.digitalmarketing-glossary.com/What-is-Traffic-arbitrage-definition

Not cool.

Sort it out, you don't offer people the option of joining a list to keep abreast with your company on the grounds we're forced into agreeing you get to sell our personal info! Do you honestly think we wouldn't see that??

[Syke]

but they're also not asking for money publicly either.

They will.

[crumbs]

Wait, they're past tapeout?  The masks are at the foundry, waiting to become some serious chippage?  Which fab plant?  
And if you use "there's no evidence to the contrary,"  You should believe in Easter Bunny, Tinker Bell & the Fabulous Land of Equestria.
   Hint: Other than a snapshot of a dev board next to a cheap scope, there's no evidence that they can, or even are planning to, "execute on a plan."  Dude.

AMD has announced a Radeon HD 8000 series.  Do you know which fab plant they're sending the tape out too? Does that mean they're not going to exist?

I'm sorry, but i'm sick of hearing different permutations of this fail. Listen:

1.  AMD is an established company with proven track record, HashFast?  Lolz.  
2.  If i was investing money in AMD, you'd better believe i'd know more about them than "Derp, 28nm and awesomeness."
3.  If AMD posted on this forum with the amount of fuqups these guys did, i'd run for the hills.

TL;DR:  These guys ain't AMD.

The evidence is the letter from Uniquify that was posted at the start of this thread.  They said they expected to tape out in August and there's no reason to presume they won't be able too.  That's what the company does.  Maybe they haven't quite gotten to it yet, I don't know.

Unless they simply haven't updated their day-old site, i can answer that for you:  NO, they haven't gotten to it.  Now you know.  No tapeout.

Either way, your comments are pretty ridiculous.  Simply pointing out over and over again that there's no chip currently doesn't meant there won't be a chip. They aren't even asking for anyone's money (except the weird Gridfinity thing - but in that case you can go and talk to them and see the details for yourself under NDA)

Of course they're asking for money.  In this very forum.  Just a few posts above, a user setting up a group buy asked for contact info.  Instead of replying "There's nothing to buy yet, you goof," The contact info was instantly offered.  No other questions are addressed.  Ever.  

Seriously what's your problem.  A chip design company announced the design of a chip.  Is it possible they may run into problems?  Sure.  Is it reasonable to say that it's all fake or a scam?  Not without some evidence.

You're forgetting where you are.  This is the bitcoin forum.  Stop.  Think.  Do you want to ask that question?  When a company like BFL, with proven track record, has everyone bawing, when friedcat, the ASIC golden boy, is falling out of favor with the batch 3 crowd, why should i trust a company that hasn't offered anything but dirt-dumb pitches & fail PR?

Unless they are going to start asking for money, there's no reason for them to even give out any details at all. Seriously, WTF?

How many times have i told you that they are asking for money.  In this very thread.  In a separate, locked thread.  Now there's a user setting up a group buy.  WTF do you want, a hand on your wallet?

If they start asking for money, we can look at their prices, and the information they put out at that point and decide if it's a good deal or not.  They may or may not be offering a good deal for the money.  We don't know.

I think a huge number of people do not understand the concept of investment risk at all, and think everything that isn't 100% certain is a "bad deal".

I think a great deal of people do.  That's why they're pointing fingers and laughing.

If someone ordered a Batch1 Avalon, an a BFL 60Ghash unit, they would have made back their investment by now even if they haven't gotten the BFL unit yet.

Yes, yes, i know.  I have an aunt who found a huge diamond in her toilet bowl.  If you want to start diamond mining in yours, you go right ahead, i'm not gonna stop ya.

[Bitcoinorama]

Wait, they're past tapeout?  The masks are at the foundry, waiting to become some serious chippage?  Which fab plant?  
And if you use "there's no evidence to the contrary,"  You should believe in Easter Bunny, Tinker Bell & the Fabulous Land of Equestria.
   Hint: Other than a snapshot of a dev board next to a cheap scope, there's no evidence that they can, or even are planning to, "execute on a plan."  Dude.

AMD has announced a Radeon HD 8000 series.  Do you know which fab plant they're sending the tape out too? Does that mean they're not going to exist?

I'm sorry, but i'm sick of hearing different permutations of this fail. Listen:

1.  AMD is an established company with proven track record, HashFast?  Lolz.  
2.  If i was investing money in AMD, you'd better believe i'd know more about them than "Derp, 28nm and awesomeness."
3.  If AMD posted on this forum with the amount of fuqups these guys did, i'd run for the hills.

TL;DR:  These guys ain't AMD.

The evidence is the letter from Uniquify that was posted at the start of this thread.  They said they expected to tape out in August and there's no reason to presume they won't be able too.  That's what the company does.  Maybe they haven't quite gotten to it yet, I don't know.

Unless they simply haven't updated their day-old site, i can answer that for you:  NO, they haven't gotten to it.  Now you know.  No tapeout.

Either way, your comments are pretty ridiculous.  Simply pointing out over and over again that there's no chip currently doesn't meant there won't be a chip. They aren't even asking for anyone's money (except the weird Gridfinity thing - but in that case you can go and talk to them and see the details for yourself under NDA)

Of course they're asking for money.  In this very forum.  Just a few posts above, a user setting up a group buy asked for contact info.  Instead of replying "There's nothing to buy yet, you goof," The contact info was instantly offered.  No other questions are addressed.  Ever.  

Seriously what's your problem.  A chip design company announced the design of a chip.  Is it possible they may run into problems?  Sure.  Is it reasonable to say that it's all fake or a scam?  Not without some evidence.

You're forgetting where you are.  This is the bitcoin forum.  Stop.  Think.  Do you want to ask that question?  When a company like BFL, with proven track record, has everyone bawing, when friedcat, the ASIC golden boy, is falling out of favor with the batch 3 crowd, why should i trust a company that hasn't offered anything but dirt-dumb pitches & fail PR?

Unless they are going to start asking for money, there's no reason for them to even give out any details at all. Seriously, WTF?

How many times have i told you that they are asking for money.  In this very thread.  In a separate, locked thread.  Now there's a user setting up a group buy.  WTF do you want, a hand on your wallet?

If they start asking for money, we can look at their prices, and the information they put out at that point and decide if it's a good deal or not.  They may or may not be offering a good deal for the money.  We don't know.

I think a huge number of people do not understand the concept of investment risk at all, and think everything that isn't 100% certain is a "bad deal".

I think a great deal of people do.  That's why they're pointing fingers and laughing.

If someone ordered a Batch1 Avalon, an a BFL 60Ghash unit, they would have made back their investment by now even if they haven't gotten the BFL unit yet.

Yes, yes, i know.  I have an aunt who found a huge diamond in her toilet bowl.  If you want to start diamond mining in yours, you go right ahead, i'm not gonna stop ya.

Look I don't doubt the real hardware talent is there, and they will tapeout in just over a week now as promised. They have to, they've made the bold statements, and that's been verified by the third party responsible.

What concerns me is the sleazy business practices of shady marketing that also exists and they have pulled blatantly several times this week alone. They don't give two ****s about using your personal info for their gain. They know how eager people are motivated for serious contenders in this area and will hand over their info without thinking, and they've just openly admitted they plan to sell it on and have hired at least one guy specialising in just that.

When caught red handed they initially try giving a flaky excuse, when that backfires, silence. This is Mickey Mouse marketing where the marketing 'guru' justifies his existence through numbers duped, as opposed to numbers of loyal and happy clientele...

Change the privacy policy now. Even then, to be fair I don't think I trust my data to be safe now one an email address has proven to exist it has value, and like the issue with the NDA, a breach is near impossible to attribute to any one entity unless you set up a bespoke one off email addy. It's the same crap all the payday loan companies do in the UK where they buy or 'acquire' your info and spam your phone. Legally they have to give you the chance to opt out, by texting 'STOP', but that just confirms a live number, most of these agencies exist outside the UK and the jurisdiction for legal recourse, or they just fragrantly break the law, knowing they can't be traced for stealing your data, which they then resale.

Maketing BS pisses me off.

You offer two three boxes;

Do you oblige by our T&Cs: Y/N
Do you consent to us sending you marketing email?: Y/N
Do you consent to us selling your personal details or sharing them with select companies (everyone): Y/N

You don't just edit your privacy policy giving you permission to sell our personal info, or take a hike, then send it to everyone that has recently signed up, after they have signed up, hoping no one will read it!

[Loredo]

What concerns me is the sleazy business practices of shady marketing that also exists and they have pulled blatantly several times this week alone. They don't give two ****s about using your personal info for their gain. They know how eager people are motivated for serious contenders in this area and will hand over their info without thinking, and they've just openly admitted they plan to sell it on and have hired at least one guy specialising in just that.

Change the privacy policy now. Even then, to be fair I don't think I trust my data to be safe now. Maketing BS pisses me off.

So now, if you're right, we can add potential sale of your personal information to the ever widening list of Why You Tell Pre-Order Schemes No Thanks.  Some of the others are undoubtedly thinking, "Shit, why didn't I think of that?  Oh, wait.  I did do that."

It's beginning to look like our boys here suffer from Too Clever By Half ("2C/2") syndrome.  The problem for 2C/2 here is people's scam radar is so highly tuned.  The half-life of a bad marketing idea, as we have all seen with these boys already, is measured in minutes.   But the recollection is immutable, and they get too many, they're toast.

With that, I'm calling the officially the week end.

[FCTaiChi]

crumbs, nobody here trusts them completely, we're all just watching.  


I am not asking you to trust them.

I am asking you to stop trolling.  Saying that because they haven't made a chip yet proves they can't make a chip does nothing for the thread.  It is circular reasoning, a complete fallacy.
Look at the criticism Bitcoinorama made, that is well balanced and fair.

[crumbs]

...Look I don't doubt the real hardware talent is there, and they will tapeout in just over a week now as promised. They have to, they've made the bold statements, and that's been verified by the third party responsible.

What concerns me is the sleazy business practices of shady marketing that also exists and they have pulled blatantly several times this week alone. They don't give two ****s about using your personal info for their gain. They know how eager people are motivated for serious contenders in this area and will hand over their info without thinking, and they've just openly admitted they plan to sell it on and have hired at least one guy specialising in just that.

When caught red handed they initially try giving a flaky excuse, when that backfires, silence. This is Mickey Mouse marketing where the marketing 'guru' justifies his existence through numbers duped, as opposed to numbers of loyal and happy clientele...

Change the privacy policy now. Even then, to be fair I don't think I trust my data to be safe now. Maketing BS pisses me off.

I don't think our outlooks are that far apart, i simply haven't seen anything other than horrible marketing thus far.  I haven't even bothered dropping a line to Uniquify to ask them to confirm or deny the "Project Status Report," though it would take only minutes. (Project status report?  From Senior VP of *Marketing*?  4realz?)  

Other than their fail marketing and PR, they've given us nothing.  They offer nothing else for us to discuss objectively.