Trying to understand what these numbers mean.

[chynnc]

I am using cgminer with a small antminer u2 [wanted to test waters before getting something slightly bigger]

When mining it say: Accepted [enter some numbers and letters here] Diff 2/2 AMU 0
 I am just wondering what "diff 2/2" means and what the 0 after AMU means.

[1713946167]

1713946167

[1713946167]

1713946167

[1713946167]

1713946167

[1713946167]

1713946167

[1713946167]

1713946167

[1713946167]

1713946167

[cp1]

Diff 2/2:  The second number is the difficulty you're shooting for and the first is the difficulty you hit.  Even though difficulty 2 is no where close what's needed to solve a block, you submit it to the pool to show them that you're doing work.  They pay you based on how many of these shares you submit.

AMU 0:  If you have more than one miner these will show up as different numbers to let you know which miner submitted the share.

[chynnc]

Diff 2/2:  The second number is the difficulty you're shooting for and the first is the difficulty you hit.  Even though difficulty 2 is no where close what's needed to solve a block, you submit it to the pool to show them that you're doing work.  They pay you based on how many of these shares you submit.

AMU 0:  If you have more than one miner these will show up as different numbers to let you know which miner submitted the share.

Sorry, one more question. Once in a while the diff says something like 54/2 is that better?

[cp1]

It means that the hash you got was difficulty 54.  It doesn't make a difference, it still counts as one share as far as I know.

[silverthornne]

Diff 2/2:  The second number is the difficulty you're shooting for and the first is the difficulty you hit.  Even though difficulty 2 is no where close what's needed to solve a block, you submit it to the pool to show them that you're doing work.  They pay you based on how many of these shares you submit.

AMU 0:  If you have more than one miner these will show up as different numbers to let you know which miner submitted the share.

So now I have a question. Using that example, if difficulty 2 is nowhere close to what's needed to solve a block, that means that all work submitted while on a low difficulty is just worthless? This is something that I've been trying to understand for a while but haven't really found much concrete info about.

[nwoolls]

So now I have a question. Using that example, if difficulty 2 is nowhere close to what's needed to solve a block, that means that all work submitted while on a low difficulty is just worthless? This is something that I've been trying to understand for a while but haven't really found much concrete info about.

Define "worth".

It is "worthless" as far as actually solving a block goes. But the pool files it away and says "yup silverthornne has been doing work". Then when someone submits a share that does solve a block, instead of them getting the whole kit-and-kaboodle, it gets split between all those who submitted "good enough" shares.

[-ck]

Using that example, if difficulty 2 is nowhere close to what's needed to solve a block, that means that all work submitted while on a low difficulty is just worthless?

Correct it is worthless, hence the term "proof of work". It is just proving to the pool that you are working because you can't fake those shares..

[silverthornne]

That's interesting. So that means that even though all submitted shares were work that was performed, not every share has an equal chance of solving a block; some simply can't solve it. How would we know which ASIC's can actually solve a block? Their specs just give a hashing rate but that hashing rate could come from a few powerful chips or from a whole bunch of lesser chips.

[-ck]

It makes no difference. ASICs just hash the work that's given to them and return work of a desired diff or better. They have no concept of solving blocks nor any clue what they're hashing nor does it change the algorithm of hashing in any way at the chip level. The ASIC is just a shovel and the software driver is there to look at what the shovel has dug up and decide whether it's a shovel full of dirt or a diamond but hands it on to the pool regardless, and only the diamond has any real value. If you dig enough dirt you will eventually find a diamond. The position of the diamonds is random and the type of shovel is totally and utterly irrelevant as to choosing where to dig. The more they dig (the hashrate), the more likely they are to find a diamond. As network diff rises, the diamonds are spaced further and further apart.

[silverthornne]

Great analogy. Thanks for taking the time to explain it.