[GUIDE] B's A More Ethical & Trustworthy Miner Sellers Trustworthiness Guide

[Bicknellski]

 Is Spondoolies perfect? No.

There are always issues and not every customer is going to be 100% satisfied but it is in those moments of duress that a good company will show what is required to be a great company. I still think customers consider Spondoolies to be a great company even when problems occur they always do what is required in resolving the issue without resorting to name calling and backhanded comments. Bitmain should really learn that lesson and do more. Especially in cases where they and other fabricators employ or contract spokesmen that are rude and disrespectful to the community members they should immediately reprimand or fire such an individual. Professionalism is coming to bitcoinland and it is about time. Too bad it has to happen when home mining becomes obsolete if only there were competition early on in the FPGA days BFL and other scams would have had less of an impact.

Two recent cases in point.

Edgar

best of luck HerbPean!!

After over 2 weeks of non-support, i was finally permitted to return the DOA already RMA'd board back yesterday.

hopefully the next one wont be a dud, and if it is the returns process hopefully wont be so prolonged like this time.

with the accusations & attitude

quite disappoint-Ed


@Gordon - did you get sorted out yet?

and HerbPean

Allright,

RMA is close, Unit will be on my way tomorrow (I guess).

Hope I can hash a bit more coins with it ;-)

In an act of good faith they replaced one of my faulty board that had a short on the first ASIC (0) causing the ASIC (1) to not usable.

The replacement board has also a bad ASIC 0 but I will be able to use the ASIC 1.

Thanks you for this !

It wasn't tested before shipping back to you?

The unit will be shipped tomorrow. It has already been tested.

[Bicknellski]

Did Dogie sell top spot on his guide to Bitmain while other allegations are now surfacing from a number community members about unethical behavior on Dogie's part.

It is interesting in theory and it seems Spondoolies is in the act making some waves in Dogie's thread about unethical behavior that Bitmain was involved with that Dogie knows about. Interesting and I started this thread knowing full well it was a jab at Dogie for his BIAS rating system. Given recent allegations of scams involving VAT tied to Dogie as well as being caught in a number of lies he has told recently the trend is clear Dogie is less than reputable and consumers should avoid his "shop" as well as ratings of fabricators.

Bitmain dropped 10 points when I became involved with them.
Canaan Creative dropped 3 points when I became involved with them.
Spondoolies' rating has risen over the same period, even during the problems of under performing SP30 preorders.

Please don't bring the minuscule dropping of points into discussion because I already showed the real reasoning for this small drop(this was just a small step out of many steps for getting Bitmain to the top). If you want I can always refresh your memory.

Disclaimers
I provide technical support for 2 companies - Bitmain and Canaan Creative. Neither of these contracts has any influence over company ratings.
...

I don't believe this statement is true

Bitmain dropped 10 points when I became involved with them.
Canaan Creative dropped 3 points.
Spondoolies' rating has risen over the same period, even with the problems of under performing SP30 preorders.

I don't have a proof, but I think you know some stuff about Bitmain ethics which you refrain from taking into account.
I can't reveal what it is.

[MyRig]

Sad to see this... 

To better service our customers, now, we have a live chat and accept audio call via Skype BitmainEnglish (No SMS or TEXT chat via skype, not yet...)

Now, native Russian Language Support is added via Support@bitmain.zendesk.com

Live Chat can be via
https://v2.zopim.com/widget/livechat.html?key=2ZaJsbRPVUUFCqOE8MmgXgbFFdNYxOBP

Telephone: +1-844-248-6246 (North American Number but can accept International Calls)
Telephone UK: 020-8144-6246


Please Please Please!!  Only Purchase Bitmain Product from http://www.bitmaintech.com or Bitmain shop on DHGate.com or Amazon.

  Very UNLIKE Dogie's (removed by mod 's) version of how to treat a customer where fraud, faulty miners and abuse are claimed. Professionalism is something he lacks:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1018906.msg11184729#msg11184729

[MyRig]

 

Our International Support Teams are working around the clock and we will do our best to better ourselves.  Show us some LOVE! 

I look forward buying Spondoolies gear.

[Bicknellski]

Our International Support Teams are working around the clock and we will do our best to better ourselves.  Show us some LOVE!  

I look forward buying Spondoolies gear.

B2B or consumer grade products would be the question I ask PatSNL?

If you are still into home mining in the next 4 to 6 months I wonder if either Spondoolies or BITMAIN will be selling to home miners then.

[Evan]

Our International Support Teams are working around the clock and we will do our best to better ourselves.  Show us some LOVE! 

I look forward buying Spondoolies gear.

Then FIX and update the C1 software please

[PatSNL]

B2B or consumer grade products would be the question I ask PatSNL?

I would take either type of product line.  For me it's about product reliability and efficiency.

The five Antminer S5's I've just sold off, or two Spondoolies SP20's.  I'll work with either.

[MyRig]

Evan,

give us some info, what you think we should fix on C1? 

[PatSNL]

Our International Support Teams are working around the clock and we will do our best to better ourselves.  Show us some LOVE! 

I appreciate your support teams.

Please show us  users  some love and answer this thread about S2 Upgrade please.

[Bicknellski]

Has Spondoolies seen the hardware writing on the wall and made a deal to keep it viable?

Interesting and probably bad news for any Spondoolies competition seeing as how they will have more than miners in their product portfolio. This is the future of mining consolidation beyond pools, clouds and hardware farms.

I wonder how this will shake out longer term?

Will we see others like BitFury and Bitmain do the same?

http://www.spondoolies-tech.com/blogs/news

Big News Regarding the Future of Spondoolies-Tech

Spondoolies-Tech Signs Letter of Intent to Merge with Bitcoin Shop
Fully Integrated Transaction Verification Services Business Expected to Drive Diversification and Revenue Growth

Dear Bicknellski,

Big things are happening on our end.

In these very moments, we are publishing a very important press release with the different media outlets and wanted share the great news with you as well.

The content of the press release can be found below.

If you have any questions feel to reach out to us by email, facebook, or twitter.

Best Regards,

Guy Corem and the Spondoolies-Tech Team

Arlington, VA – (Marketwired – April 28, 2015) – Bitcoin Shop, Inc. (OTCQB: BTCS) (“BTCS” or the “Company”), a blockchain technology company that engages in transaction verification services, announced today that it has signed a Letter of Intent (“LOI”) to merge with Spondoolies-Tech Ltd (“Spondoolies”), a digital currency server manufacturer. BTCS is embarking on a mission to build a fully integrated transaction verification services business using Spondoolies' state-of-the-art bitcoin mining technology. In the bitcoin network, transactions are typically verified by operators of specially designed servers which ensure speed, efficiency, security and accuracy. Currently, there are only five companies globally manufacturing these servers and Spondoolies is widely recognized as a leader in the space. Both companies believe the anticipated combination of BTCS and Spondoolies will create the world’s first publicly traded company to produce Bitcoin transaction verification equipment and deploy Bitcoin mining resources. The merger is subject to a number of conditions, including satisfactory completion of diligence and execution of definitive agreements. There can be no assurance that the conditions to closing will be satisfied or merger will be completed.
 
“Our key goal in 2014 was to create the partnerships needed to build an ecosystem and start laying the foundation to put our vision into place,” said Charles Allen, CEO of BTCS. “Once completed, our merger with Spondoolies would be a significant leap forward in making this ecosystem a reality. We believe this merger once completed would create significant value for BTCS and Spondoolies shareholders, customers, and employees and serve to accelerate the strategic plans in which both companies have invested. As a collective, our next objective will be to complete the development and production of a next generation chip to drive our transaction verification services business and to generate revenue from the combination.”
 
“Over the last several months, we've worked closely with Charles Allen and the BTCS team to establish the nature of our potential partnership,” said Guy Corem, CEO of Spondoolies. “The synergy between the teams is amazing. I have the utmost of confidence that together we will build a very successful and prosperous company by growing and expanding our business beyond bitcoin mining equipment.”
 
About BTCS:
BTCS is a blockchain technology company that provides transaction verification services for digital currency. BTCS is building a universal digital currency platform with the goal of enabling users to engage in the digital currency ecosystem through one point of access. BTCS continues to actively partner and integrate with strategic digital currency technology companies who provide products or services that are complementary to its business strategy. BTCS operates its public beta site (www.btcs.com) where consumers can purchase products using digital currency such as bitcoin, litecoin and dogecoin, by searching through a selection of over 250,000 items. For more information visit: www.btcs.com
 
About Spondoolies-Tech:
Founded in 2013 by a group of Israeli high-tech veterans, Spondoolies is a digital currency hardware manufacturer. Spondoolies raised ten million dollars in capital from leading Israeli venture capital firms and assembled a team of leaders in the Israeli Semiconductor industry, with the goal of building the infrastructure on which digital currencies will flourish. Building bitcoin transaction verifying servers from the bottom up, Spondoolies is producing machines that are designed for efficiency and performance. During 2014, Spondoolies successfully launched five different products.
 
Forward Looking Statements:
Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation those set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, not limited to Risk Factors relating to its digital currency business contained therein. Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
 
BTCS Investor Relations:
Michal Handerhan
Bitcoin Shop, Inc.
(202) 430-6576
IR@BitcoinShop.us
 
Spondoolies Media Relations:
Stefanie Guzikowski
E & G Public Relations, LLC
(603) 501-0052
sguzik@egpublicrelations.com
Copyright © 2015 Spondoolies-Tech, All rights reserved.

[sidehack]

So "BTCS is a blockchain technology company that provides transaction verification services for digital currency", doesn't that just mean "BTCS solves blocks"?

[Bicknellski]

So "BTCS is a blockchain technology company that provides transaction verification services for digital currency", doesn't that just mean "BTCS solves blocks"?

http://www.btcs.com/index.php

Check em out here Sidehack.

They do more than verify transactions.

[sidehack]

That doesn't actually answer my question.

But four things I love above all else are one-stop-shops (O Glorious WalMart!), publicly traded companies, management speak (like "leveraging" and "strategic partner"), and feigning approval in a highly sarcastic manner. Call me old-fashioned but I'm gonna have to pass on that one. To be completely honest, aside from their effective customer service, I pretty much disagree with most of the decisions Spondoolies has made so far.

[Bicknellski]

That doesn't actually answer my question.

But four things I love above all else are one-stop-shops (O Glorious WalMart!), publicly traded companies, management speak (like "leveraging" and "strategic partner"), and feigning approval in a highly sarcastic manner. Call me old-fashioned but I'm gonna have to pass on that one. To be completely honest, aside from their effective customer service, I pretty much disagree with most of the decisions Spondoolies has made so far.

Didn't say I liked it or it was good for anyone other than those companies. Just said it is how the market will go.

As for your question. Better ask Guy if you want to know more or do not want to read about what there potential merger partner does in the Bitcoin economy. Are they just a huge mine? I think there is more to it than that given their website.

I am pretty much resigned to the fact Bitcoin mining companies will all adapt / be absorbed into larger and larger entities until you have one or two companies that dictate the network it has always been a rich persons game if you even go back to CPU / FPGA days. I didn't see many poor people mining did you?

Anyhow Bitmain / Avalon etc won't be able to compete in the ever shrinking marketplace if there are deals where those that farm bitcoins also own all the fabrication. That is something that is not going to be stopped. BitFury KnC etc... that is how it goes. If you are building then selling you are dead in the water come 2016.

Personally distributed mining in the hands of EVERYONE on the planet is the only fair and equitable way to run bitcoin properly. That will never happen and was never intended to happen given expectations by Satoshi. Bitcoin is fundamentally flawed in that respect.

[brontosaurus]

This should come as no surprise, trouble is, several people saw this opportunity a long time ago so they're way behind the curve.

Its a shame that individuals will lose out but it was inevitable if you chose to effectively finance companies that didn't care about the little guy by buying their products.

[Guy Corem]

... I pretty much disagree with most of the decisions Spondoolies has made so far.

?

[sidehack]

To be fair, the question was for the most part rhetorical, and a commentary on making yourself sound important by adding a lot of syllables to a really common task. I know they do a whole lot more, but to use that many big words to say "mining farm" is pretty clearly self-inflation.


Regarding Spondoolies, it's mostly from an engineering standpoint. They're the only company that's made a single large chip work well so far, partly because they built the darn thing to run at 120C continuous to avoid exotic cooling requirements. In general, I don't like high power density and the constraints that puts on a system. Tiny inefficient fans, really low intake temperatures to avoid cooling issues, stuff like that. I don't like BGA packages. I don't like that they require multi-phase 200A DC-DC converters. I don't like the nonstandard IO protocol with its own FPGA implementation. I don't like complexity because it adds cost and a lot of potential failure points.

I'm impressed that they've gotten the efficiency they did out of the Rockerbox and its regulator requirements. I'm impressed that they can keep a chip running that's dissipating well over 100W through about one square inch of surface area using only forced air and a standard heatsink. I also, as mentioned, have nothing to complain about regarding the effectiveness of their customer support - those guys are on the ball. But I would much rather see a more modular miner with a matrix of small chips. I won't say "Well here's how I'd do it if I was gonna do it" because there's enough of that in the thread where I am doing it. But I'll probably never build a miner around a Spondoolies chip if they keep doing chips the same way, even if their chips are awesome, because the complexities required to power and interface to them tend to violate our general engineering philosophy of simplicity and durability.

I also lean heavily toward supporting individual miners rather than large businesses. I will admit that most of our income from power supplies has come from bulk customers, but about half of that bulk business was resellers with more visible outlets than our own boring website and forum presence. I don't like supporting the big guy, and we got into selling server PSUs so individuals could get quality power for cheaper than the retail options they'd previously been stuck with. My hosting facility actually has a maximum per-customer power draw, not a minimum, and an open-shelving setup to accomodate any kind of hardware, because I don't want to share out our space to rich guys with their stacks of fancy rack-mounted gear - that's the whole reason we set up that side of the shop to begin with. So I know it's what literally everyone is doing, and I know the internally-focused economic reasons for it, but I also can't fully endorse anyone that bails on individuals in favor of catering to a handful of wealthy industrial customers.


That's my opinion. I'm well aware that my opinions are generally polar opposite to going trends. There's more Spondoolies stuff hosted on my shelves right now than any other manufacturer, so the customers have spoken for sure, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

[Bicknellski]

To be fair, the question was for the most part rhetorical, and a commentary on making yourself sound important by adding a lot of syllables to a really common task. I know they do a whole lot more, but to use that many big words to say "mining farm" is pretty clearly self-inflation.

Agreed.

As for the rest those that fight to keep the big WalMart out to save the mom and pop stores are fighting a noble battle and one that really can be won. In this battle I don't see how it can be won unless mom and pop team up with WalMart to at least get the chips.

Bitmain will take the same deal if offered as Spondoolies.
Avalon will take the same deal if offered as Spondoolies.

Who does that leave the consumer or this community?

The only way for you vision to work is to collectivize / socialize your mom & pop shops and build & design your own chips. Unfortunately that would require millions of dollars and a team. Given the economies on chips and hardware trying to overcome the head start these other companies who are transitioning and transitioned I don't see a lot of potential for making enough to pay wages of those who are putting in their time and effort.

You can try but at some point those Bitmain and Avalon chips are going to be overpriced and more likely they will just dry up as BitFury chips did one day they exist the next day they don't. Mining is a dead end for an individual users unless a large number of people volunteer time and money to change that dynamic are you going to lead that revolution?

[sidehack]

I dunno. Maybe. If a revolution results from me doing what I want to do for folks, then yes. Otherwise, no, but I'm still gonna do what I want to do. I wouldn't take the same deal that was offered to Spondoolies because I think being a publicly traded company is stupid, and nobody will ever be able to pay for the right to make decisions about my company. I doubt we'd get to having our own chip fab anytime soon - if ever - because I'm unwilling to take in outside investment money, especially on things that aren't guaranteed, so I'll have to settle for buying chips from the big guys. But if we ever get to being able to mass-produce our own miners affordably you can bet the prices we offer to million-dollar farms will be the same as we offer to mom and pop. No selling out, and no favoritism for the rich. If that way of doing business becomes a revolution, the more the merrier. All I can guarantee is there'll be at least one outfit doing it.

But there's no real reason to clutter up your thread with off-topic opinions.

[Bicknellski]

I dunno. Maybe. If a revolution results from me doing what I want to do for folks, then yes. Otherwise, no, but I'm still gonna do what I want to do. I wouldn't take the same deal that was offered to Spondoolies because I think being a publicly traded company is stupid, and nobody will ever be able to pay for the right to make decisions about my company. I doubt we'd get to having our own chip fab anytime soon - if ever - because I'm unwilling to take in outside investment money, especially on things that aren't guaranteed, so I'll have to settle for buying chips from the big guys. But if we ever get to being able to mass-produce our own miners affordably you can bet the prices we offer to million-dollar farms will be the same as we offer to mom and pop. No selling out, and no favoritism for the rich. If that way of doing business becomes a revolution, the more the merrier. All I can guarantee is there'll be at least one outfit doing it.

But there's no real reason to clutter up your thread with off-topic opinions.

No this thread is a going the way of the dodo soon as there will be only 1 or 2 sources of hardware for the little guy left at the end of the spring and more likely ZERO left in early 2016, except those flogging used units and possibly scraping together what chips are left over and making USB miners for education. I think it is fair to debate the direction of HARDWARE in the HARDWARE section.

---

Well there is reckoning coming. Chips won't be available much longer. I bet your version of the home miner being offered will be the last. Avalon/Bitmain/Sfards are looking for mergers/deals where they go 100% mining farm or partner with those who want massive farms. Bitmain has farms and Sfards/Avalon will as well as they are located in China if they don't already. If they don't they are dead by 2016. The winter is coming John Snow. No chips, no mom and pops, but that has been said a million times before by a million people more visionary than me since 2013 or even earlier.