Browser Bitcoin Miner (No setup, no download, no configuration)

[donny]

I really like the idea and overall a pretty good implementation for a first go around. GPU Mining support would be a huge plus, but improving the performance of the current CPU mining implementation really needs to be done.

Using your site, my Core2Duo 2.2ghz gets about 660KHash/sec. Using Ufasoft's SSE2 miner, it gets ~5,500KHash/sec. I know that you are using Java and so can't exactly write to the instruction level of the hardware, but there should be some sort of optimizations that can help out at least a little bit.

I'm surprised the difference is that great. On my laptop, dual core 2.2 ghz I get 1700khash/sec using jgarzik's CPU miner, compared to 800-900khash/sec with my miner. Which is a lot less, but not as bad as you have it. There's a similar performance penalty on my desktop, a quad core - the applet is about 40% slower than a C miner.

Unfortunately raw math is one of Java's few weak spots in terms of speed. I'm not sure how much faster I can make it. I'm just happy of the performance compared to a JS miner (I wrote a demo one and was getting more like 5khash/sec vs 850khash/sec with my applet)

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[Nesetalis]

ulfasoft i get 4mhash/s per core.. through this im getting 800khash-1600khash

[donny]

ulfasoft i get 4mhash/s per core.. through this im getting 800khash-1600khash

One thing which could contribute a bit to the slower speeds: I deliberately set the thread priority to be the minimum. I wanted to make this so that you could run it all day, while you were actually using your computer (even gaming) and not notice that it was running.

[xenon481]

ulfasoft i get 4mhash/s per core.. through this im getting 800khash-1600khash

One thing which could contribute a bit to the slower speeds: I deliberately set the thread priority to be the minimum. I wanted to make this so that you could run it all day, while you were actually using your computer (even gaming) and not notice that it was running.

The numbers I'm quoting from Ufasoft's miner are with the process priority set to "Below Normal".

[casascius]

What's the math behind an idle computer and a CPU maxed computer?

I have a Kill-A-Watt meter... my iMac takes on another 35 watts as soon as I click "start generating" on the website.

In Safari it says it gets about 2500 khash, a share every 0.48 hours, which is impressive on its own for something running in a browser.

So a share measuring the CPU uptick only, is 0.035 kW * 0.48h = 0.017 kWh

If a share is worth 0.0024 cents and the 2500 khash is sustainable, its payout is similar to the power cost, so it is "profitable" to the user only if they are managing to stick somebody else with the costs.  (Something it shares in common with common crime)

Notably, this rate is higher than what others are reporting, it could be that Java for the Mac runs better (it's an i5 3.1GHz quad core processor).  Running this in IE / Safari for PC (in a virtual machine on the same Mac) consumes the same power but yields far less output.

[donny]

What's the math behind an idle computer and a CPU maxed computer?

I have a Kill-A-Watt meter... my iMac takes on another 35 watts as soon as I click "start generating" on the website.

In Safari it says it gets about 2500 khash, a share every 0.48 hours, which is impressive on its own for something running in a browser.

So a share measuring the CPU uptick only, is 0.035 kW * 0.48h = 0.017 kWh

If a share is worth 0.0024 cents and the 2500 khash is sustainable, its payout is similar to the power cost, so it is "profitable" to the user only if they are managing to stick somebody else with the costs.  (Something it shares in common with common crime)

Notably, this rate is higher than what others are reporting, it could be that Java for the Mac runs better (it's an i5 3.1GHz quad core processor).  Running this in IE / Safari for PC (in a virtual machine on the same Mac) consumes the same power but yields far less output.

I'd guess your hash rate is higher because you've got a fairly good processor - quad core 3.1 GHz is quite nice. You're getting about the same hash per total clock speed as I am (my 850/(2.2ghz * 2 cores) = 193khash, your 2500/(3.1*4) = 201)

Using your math for 0.017 kWh per share, I get the break-even price to be 14.1 cents per kWh. Where I am (Ontario) the off-peak cost is 6 cents, the peak-hour cost was recently increased to 10 cents - either way it's profitable.

[gigitrix]

One word:

WebGL.

It's the logical next step, and might provide some browser based GPU Mining for the masses.

[donny]

One word:

WebGL.

It's the logical next step, and might provide some browser based GPU Mining for the masses.

Absolutely. I'd love to get that working, I'll try and spend some time on it. It might be tough to have it be unobtrusive like the miner is right now, but I'll try.

[casascius]

This Browser based miner would be a great thing to introduce people to Bitcoin mining.

I suppose it would have to say, "OK, you're mining now, although you aren't really earning anything significant", and the person might earn a share or two after they leave it on for a while.  Just having crossed the mental hurdle of being successful in mining (even if negligibly) helps promote BTC.

[fpgaminer]

Very nice! 

[donny]

This Browser based miner would be a great thing to introduce people to Bitcoin mining.

I suppose it would have to say, "OK, you're mining now, although you aren't really earning anything significant", and the person might earn a share or two after they leave it on for a while.  Just having crossed the mental hurdle of being successful in mining (even if negligibly) helps promote BTC.

Yup, that's precisely what I'm going for, introducing people to bitcoin and increasing the popularity. Later on hopefully I can add a way for them to earn more significant amounts.

[casascius]

Yup, that's precisely what I'm going for, introducing people to bitcoin and increasing the popularity. Later on hopefully I can add a way for them to earn more significant amounts.

While someone is mining, perhaps there can be a "now that you're mining" FAQ... e.g.

Q. Now how exactly am I helping the network? Why would someone want to pay me to do this?

A. By running this program, you are helping to provide part of the decentralized database that allows Bitcoin to operate and track all the transactions without needing a bank.  The database, which is an electronic journal of all Bitcoin transactions ever made, is spread across the computers, or "nodes", of the network.  Nodes can join and leave the network any time without any harm to the network.  You get paid because you collect part of the fees people pay to use Bitcoin, and while the currency is still new and in its distribution phase, you get to receive a small portion of the new currency as it is automatically distributed.  The pay from web browser mining isn't very significant (Bitcoin's fees are very low after all), but some people earn significant income from mining by investing in specialized equipment, using software that can earn shares very quickly.

Q. Why is this increasing my CPU usage to 100%?

A. One of the most important aspects of a trustworthy Bitcoin network is having a single reliable accurate transaction record.  The way the Bitcoin network protects itself from fraudulent transactions, and from network node operators wanting to cheat, is with a sort of voting mechanism, where the CPU time is spent creating "votes" for the correct transaction records.  Your CPU time is being spent creating records that vote for the transaction history as seen by this website's operator, who is running an honest network node that votes only for valid transactions.  Quite simply, everyone like you who donates CPU time to the network helps to make it difficult for someone to create fraudulent Bitcoin transactions, and benefits the integrity of Bitcoin and everyone who uses it.

[lacedwithkerosene]

The only problem with the advent of browser miners is that if they become really widespread, no one will be able to break even with electricity, pending a large increase in btc price.

Awesome awesome idea though. Do you have any experience with web design, OP? I am wanting someone to code modules for my sites that aggregate data and spit it out in feeds similar to twitter, and I want them to look real attractive.

[aahzmundus]

This is simply amazing, I would love a secure url feature to pass out to friends.

[Anonymous]

Id love to have an embeddable miner at witcoin.com with any proceeds deposited to peoples accounts there.

 

[Alex Beckenham]

Holy crap this is now on Slashdot:

http://news.slashdot.org/story/11/05/19/0149234/Mint-It-Yourself-With-a-Browser-Based-Bitcoin-Miner

[lacedwithkerosene]

Holy crap this is now on Slashdot:

http://news.slashdot.org/story/11/05/19/0149234/Mint-It-Yourself-With-a-Browser-Based-Bitcoin-Miner

lol did you post that yourself ?     jk i wouldn't care if you did.

[Alex Beckenham]

Holy crap this is now on Slashdot:

http://news.slashdot.org/story/11/05/19/0149234/Mint-It-Yourself-With-a-Browser-Based-Bitcoin-Miner

lol did you post that yourself ?     jk i wouldn't care if you did.

No actually, a friend IRL actually told me about it, and he's not even on this forum yet as far as I know.

[BitcoinsWallet]

Great proyect!

I'm testing too... 

[xenon481]

According to the Generate Bitcoin page,

Payouts this session = 11



But, when I go to My Account and look at the transaction list, I only see 10 transactions which include 4 payouts (shares) that I generated in a previous session. So, it is only display 6 of the 11 payouts reported for this session.