Bitcoin Wiki - User contributions [en]

Comparison of mining pools

2011-08-08T17:48:52Z

Night fall:

Reward types & explanation:
* '''PPS''' - Pay Per Share. Each submitted share is worth certain amount of BTC. Since finding a block requires <current difficulty> shares ''on average'', a PPS method with 0% fee would be 50 BTC divided by <current difficulty>. It is risky for pool operators, hence the fee is highest.
* '''SMPPS''' - Shared Maximum Pay Per Share. Like Pay Per Share, but never pays more than the pool earns. [http://eligius.st/wiki/index.php/Shared_Maximum_PPS]
* '''ESMPPS''' - Equalized Shared Maximum Pay Per Share. Like SMPPS, but equalizes payments fairly among all those who are owed. [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=12181.msg378851#msg378851]
* '''Prop.''' - Proportional. When block is found, the reward is distributed among all workers proportionally to how much shares each of them has found.
* '''PPLNS''' - Pay Per Last N Shares. Similar to proportional, but instead of looking at the number of shares in the round, instead looks at the last N shares, regardless of round boundaries.
* '''Score''' - Score based system: a proportional reward, but weighed by time submitted. Each submitted share is worth more in the function of time ''t'' since start of current round. For each share score is updated by: score += exp(t/C). This makes later shares worth much more than earlier shares, thus the miner's score quickly diminishes when they stop mining on the pool. Rewards are calculated proportionally to scores (and not to shares). (at slush's pool C=300 seconds, and every hour scores are normalized)
[http://eligius.st/~luke-jr/samples/800MH/ Visual examples of the various payout methods]

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name !! Location !! Hashrate (GHash/sec)<ref name="hashrate">Hashrate is given in gigahash/second.</ref><ref name="hashrate2">Note that pool hashrate is largely irrelevant but can be seen as a popularity measurement. Note however that it is a theoretical security issue if one pool gains above 50% of the total computational power of the network, thus consider joining a pool based on other metrics.</ref> !! Reward Type !! Transaction fees !! Fee PPS !! Fee Prop / Score !! Audits<ref name="auditing">Auditing can be accomplished by third-parties if the pool publishes proofs-of-work for every share.</ref> !! Protocol !! Launched !! Forum Thread !! Homepage
|-
| [[21bitcoin|21bitcoin]] || CN, HK || 2 || Prop. || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-20 || [https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=33586.0] || [http://www.ABCPool.co Link]
|-
| [[ABCPool.co|ABCPool.co]] || USA || 4 || PPS || kept by pool || 0.1% || || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-08-02 || [http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=33586.0 Link] || [http://www.ABCPool.co/ Link]
|-
| [[ArsBitcoin|ArsBitcoin]] || USA || 370 || SMPPS || kept by pool || 0%<ref name="donations">Donations are possible</ref> || || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-15 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=18567.0 Link] || [https://arsbitcoin.com/ Link]
|-
| [[Betcoin.co_Pool|Betcoin.co Pool]] || USA || 10 || PPLNS || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-07-07 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=26439.0 Link] || [http://pool.betcoin.co/ Link]
|-
| [[Bitarama|Bitarama.com]] || USA || 0.08 || Prop || kept by pool || || || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-08-02 || || [http://www.bitarama.com/ Link]
|-
| [[Bitclockers|BitClockers]] || USA, EU || 80 || Prop. || kept by pool || || 2% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-05-27 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=10127.0 Link] || [http://bitclockers.com/ Link]
|-
| [[Bitcoin_Pool|Bitcoin Mining Pool]] || USA || 272 || Prop. || kept by pool || || 0%<ref name="donations">Donations are possible</ref> || ? || RPC (+LP) || Unknown || [http://bitcoinpool.com/forum/ Link] || [http://www.bitcoinpool.com/ Link]
|-
| [[Bitcoin_Pooled_Mining|Bitcoin Pooled Mining (Slush)]] || London || 1491 || Score || kept by pool || || 2% || ? || RPC || 2010-11-27 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=1976.0 Link] || [http://mining.bitcoin.cz/ Link]
|-
| [[Bitcoinitalia]] || Italy|| 4.5 || Prop. || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-07-12 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=26634.0 Link] || [http://www.btcfarm.us/ Link]
|-
| [[Bitcoins.lc]] || EU || 624 || Prop. || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-05-27 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=10121.0 Link] || [http://www.bitcoins.lc/ Link]
|-
| [[BitLotto Pool]] || Los Angeles || 1 || Prop || kept by pool || || || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-08 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=13794.0 Link] || [http://www.bitlottopool.com/ Link]
|-
| [[BitMinter]] || USA || 15 || Prop. || kept by pool || || 0% || Yes<ref name="auditnote2">Access to proofs-of-work is available on request.</ref> || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-18 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=27062.0 Link] || [https://bitminter.com Link]
|-
| [[Bitp.it]] || USA || 100 || ESMPPS || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-08 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=12181.0 Link] || [https://pool.bitp.it Link]
|-
| [[BTC Guild]] || USA, EU || 2800 || Prop. || kept by pool || || 0%<ref name="donationsf">Donations are possible to unlock features</ref>|| ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-05-09 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=7760.0 Link] || [http://www.btcguild.com/ Link]
|-
| [[BTCMine]] || UK || 480 || Score || kept by pool || || 2% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-03-11 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=4251.0 Link] || [http://www.btcmine.com/ Link]
|-
| [[btcmp.com]] || Germany || 27 || Prop || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-28 || || [http://www.btcmp.com/ Link]
|-
| [[Btcserv.net|BTCSERV.net]] || Germany || 3 || Prop || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-07-09 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=27101.0 Link] || [http://btcserv.net/ Link]
|-
| [[Btcworld.de]] || Germany || 28 || Prop || kept by pool || || ? || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-18 || || [http://btcworld.de/ Link]
|-
| [http://chwpool.kr105.com/ CHWpool] || Chile || 10 || Prop || kept by pool || || 1% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-30 || || [http://chwpool.kr105.com/ Link]
|-
| [[Coinotron|Coinotron (BTC,NMC)]] || Poland || 20 || Prop || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-07-06 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=26727.0 Link] || [http://www.coinotron.com Link]
|-
| [[Continuum]] || Canada || 16 || Score || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-05-17 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=8660.0 Link] || [http://www.continuumpool.com/ Link]
|-
| [[DeepBit]] || Germany || 4180 || PPS / Prop. || kept by pool || 10% || 3% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-02-26 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=3889.0 Link] || [http://deepbit.net/ Link]
|-
| [[Eclipse Mining Consortium]] || USA / Europe / AU / Asia || 90 || Score (Meni) || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-14 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=16385.0 Link] || [https://eclipsemc.com Link]
|-
| [[Eligius]] || Germany || 570 || SMPPS || kept by pool || 0.000001%<ref name="donations">Donations are possible</ref> || || Yes<ref name="auditnote">Access to Eligius proofs-of-work is available on request.</ref> || RPC (+LP) || 2011-04-27 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=6667.0 Link] || [http://eligius.st Link]
|-
| [[Mineco.in]] || UK || 170 || PPLNS || Shared || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-15 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=17310.0 Link] || [https://mineco.in/ Link]
|-
| [[Mining Team Reddit (MtRed)]] || USA, EU || 212 || Prop || kept by pool || || 0%<ref name="donations">Donations are possible</ref> || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-05-25 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=15929.0 1] [http://reddit.com/r/mtred/ 2] || [http://www.mtred.com/ Link]
|-
| [[NoFeeMining]] || USA || 48 || Prop || Shared || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-17 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=18301.0 Link] || [http://www.nofeemining.com/ Link]
|-
| [[Ozco.in]] || AUS || 85 || Prop || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-08 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=14085.0/ Link] || [http://www.ozco.in Link]
|-
| [[P2Pool]] || n/a (P2P) || 5 || Prop || shared || || 0.5% || ? || RPC (+LP)<ref name="p2pool">Against a local p2pool node</ref> || 2011-06-17 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=18313.0 Link] || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=18313.0 Link]
|-
| [[PolMine]] || Poland|| 143 || Prop. || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC || 2011-06-13 || [http://forum.polmine.pl/ Link] || [https://polmine.pl/ Link]
|-
| [[PoolMunity]] || France|| 8 || Score || kept by pool || || 1.5% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-07-24 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=22036.0 Link] || [https://poolmunity.com/ Link]
|-
| [[rfcpool]] || UK || 29 || Prop & PPS || kept by pool || 7% || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-07-05 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=26164.0/ Link] || [https://www.rfcpool.com Link]
|-
| [[Simplecoin]] || Unknown || 1.4 || Prop|| kept by pool || || 0%<ref name="simplecoin">While in testing.</ref> || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-02 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=11186.0 Link] || [http://simplecoin.us/ Link]
|-
| [[Swepool]] || Sweden || 13 || Prop || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-05-14 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=8288.0 Link] || [http://swepool.net/ Link]
|-
| [[Triplemining]] || Europe || 45 || Prop || kept by pool || || 1% || Yes<ref name="auditnote2">Access to proofs-of-work is available on request.</ref> || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-28 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=23664.0 Link] || [http://tinyurl.com/triplemining Link]
|-
| [[UnitedMiners]] || US || 30 || PPLNS || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-28 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=23664.0 Link] || [http://tinyurl.com/triplemining Link]
|-
| [[x8s]] || Germany || 95 || Prop || kept by pool || || 1% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-08 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=13275 Link] || [http://btc.x8s.de/ Link]
|-
| [[ZA Bitcoin]] || South Africa|| 0.4 || Score || kept by pool || || 0% || ? || RPC (+LP) || 2011-06-14 || [http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=17830.0 Link] || [http://www.zabitcoin.co.za/ Link]
|}

<references/>

== See also ==
*[[Pooled mining]]
*[http://bcx.me/ Bitcoin Mining Pool Tracker]

[[Category:Mining]]

BTCrow

2011-06-28T16:29:35Z

Night fall:

An escrow-like service that allows safer payment by securely holding a buyer's coins in escrow until the terms of the sale are met.

The service offer two option:

1) Bitcoins from disputes unresolved will go to Bitcoin Faucet.

2) BTCrow will mediate disputes.

At the time of launch the resolution policy had not been published.

==Fees==

The service charges a 1% to 2% fee.

1% fee if you choose donation option

2% fee if you opt for dispute resolution service

==History==

The site was launched on June 23rd, 2011<ref>[http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=21544.0 BTCrow.com - New Bitcoin Escrow Service]</ref>.

The site launched two transaction options on June 28rd, 2011

==See Also==

* [[Secure Trading]]

==External Links==

* [http://BTCrow.com BTCrow] web site

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Escrow services]]

BTCrow

2011-06-28T16:29:08Z

Night fall:

An escrow-like service that allows safer payment by securely holding a buyer's coins in escrow until the terms of the sale are met.

The service offer two option:
1) Bitcoins from disputes unresolved will go to Bitcoin Faucet.

2) BTCrow will mediate disputes.

At the time of launch the resolution policy had not been published.

==Fees==

The service charges a 1% to 2% fee.
1% fee if you choose donation option
2% fee if you opt for dispute resolution service

==History==

The site was launched on June 23rd, 2011<ref>[http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=21544.0 BTCrow.com - New Bitcoin Escrow Service]</ref>.
The site launched two transaction options on June 28rd, 2011

==See Also==

* [[Secure Trading]]

==External Links==

* [http://BTCrow.com BTCrow] web site

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Escrow services]]

BTCrow

2011-06-28T16:28:41Z

Night fall:

An escrow-like service that allows safer payment by securely holding a buyer's coins in escrow until the terms of the sale are met.

The service offer two option:
1) Bitcoins from disputes unresolved will go to Bitcoin Faucet.
2) BTCrow will mediate disputes.

At the time of launch the resolution policy had not been published.

==Fees==

The service charges a 1% to 2% fee.
1% fee if you choose donation option
2% fee if you opt for dispute resolution service

==History==

The site was launched on June 23rd, 2011<ref>[http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=21544.0 BTCrow.com - New Bitcoin Escrow Service]</ref>.
The site launched two transaction options on June 28rd, 2011

==See Also==

* [[Secure Trading]]

==External Links==

* [http://BTCrow.com BTCrow] web site

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Escrow services]]

BTCrow

2011-06-28T16:16:08Z

Night fall: /* Fees */

An escrow-like service that allows safer payment by securely holding a buyer's coins in escrow until the terms of the sale are met.

The service will mediate disputes though at the time of launch the resolution policy had not been published.

==Fees==

The service charges a 1% to 2% fee.

==History==

The site was launched on June 23rd, 2011<ref>[http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=21544.0 BTCrow.com - New Bitcoin Escrow Service]</ref>.

==See Also==

* [[Secure Trading]]

==External Links==

* [http://BTCrow.com BTCrow] web site

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Escrow services]]

Secure Trading

2011-06-26T20:03:45Z

Night fall: /* Use an escrow */

''Secure Trading Online''

This topic is a guide on how to set up your online identity and best practices for trading with others in the Bitcoin community.

==Introduction==
Within the Bitcoin community, many are very careful with their security and identity. This is primarily for two reasons:
# There is no violent body to cover your back for you, or, more simply, there are no courts to seek assistance from if your transaction sours.
# One’s reputation is the most important thing that any user has; traders will take very little risk with new users who have not proven themselves (as they could just be last week’s scammer with a new identity).

The Bitcoin community uses a few tools to help protect privacy, and thus identity. The first and most important is a [[Securing Your Computer|Secure Computer]]. 

'''Before proceeding please make sure you have completed the [[Securing Your Computer]] guide; this guide assumes that your computer is secure both physically and in software.'''

If you are trading within Canada you are encouraged to use Interac e-transfer and Clearcoin as outlined on [[Secure Trading-CAD-interac|this page]].

==Creating a secure identity==
The first step is to create a cryptographically secure public-private key-pair. This will be used as the basis of keeping both your wallet (see [[Securing your wallet]]) and your identity secure.

===Creating your first PGP key-pair===
A PGP key-pair serves two very important functions:
# To sign information with an unforgettable signature
# To decrypt things that other people encrypt for you

This allows you to both conduct business privately (encryption), and give out promises that you cannot deny making (signature).

==== Microsoft Windows:====
* Install GPG4Win: http://www.gpg4win.org/ 

This contains all the key management and generation tools for Microsoft Windows.

====All:====
# Install Thunderbird: https://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-GB/
# Setup your email account with Thunderbird.
# Install the Enigmail plugin for Thunderbird: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/enigmail/ 

Upon loading Enigmail, Thunderbird will ask you to make a new ‘identity,’ follow this wizard and you will have created your identity. 
You should backup your private key in a secure place. Secondary, you should create a revocation certificate and store that in a different secure place (maybe print it out and store it in your fire safe).

===Register with [#bitcoin-otc]===
Follow the guide here: http://wiki.bitcoin-otc.com/wiki/Using_bitcoin-otc

===Register the same username at the popular places:===
* [[Bitcoin Forum]]
* [[Bitcoin.it_Wiki|Bitcoin Wiki]]
* [[Bitcoin:Community_portal#IRC_Chat|Freenode IRC]]
Use a strong and different password for each of these places, keeping your passwords in a secure place. This will allow other people in the community to track you across the different Bitcoin related sites. Also making identity theft online more challenging.

==Best Practices with trading==
===Use Bitcoin-OTC===
* Always require the user to become registered with #bitcoin-otc.
* Require a signed message from the fingerprint quoted at: http://bitcoin-otc.com/viewgpg.php
* Follow additional [http://wiki.bitcoin-otc.com/wiki/Using_bitcoin-otc#Risk_of_fraud recommendations] for avoiding fraud.

===Make sure both parties agree to the terms of the trade with signed messages===
* Get a PGP signed quote, and check the signature.
* Send a PGP signed receipt.
This allows either party to go public if the trade has become sour and stops your trading partner from claiming the details of the agreement were somehow different. 

Search the Bitcoin Forum for the username of the person that you are trading with. Check if the user has provided constructive and useful advice to other parties. And, most importantly, check for any claims that the user has scammed.

===Use an escrow===
Trading might benefit from an escrow such that bitcoins are disbursed only after contract terms have been met. 

A popular online escrow is [[ClearCoin]].

Another non-established one is BTCrow

Found in Bitcoin's community are trusted individuals willing to act as independent, third-party escrow brokers.

[[de:Sicheres_Handeln]]
[[zh-cn:交易安全]]

Secure Trading

2011-06-26T20:03:26Z

Night fall: /* Use an escrow */

''Secure Trading Online''

This topic is a guide on how to set up your online identity and best practices for trading with others in the Bitcoin community.

==Introduction==
Within the Bitcoin community, many are very careful with their security and identity. This is primarily for two reasons:
# There is no violent body to cover your back for you, or, more simply, there are no courts to seek assistance from if your transaction sours.
# One’s reputation is the most important thing that any user has; traders will take very little risk with new users who have not proven themselves (as they could just be last week’s scammer with a new identity).

The Bitcoin community uses a few tools to help protect privacy, and thus identity. The first and most important is a [[Securing Your Computer|Secure Computer]]. 

'''Before proceeding please make sure you have completed the [[Securing Your Computer]] guide; this guide assumes that your computer is secure both physically and in software.'''

If you are trading within Canada you are encouraged to use Interac e-transfer and Clearcoin as outlined on [[Secure Trading-CAD-interac|this page]].

==Creating a secure identity==
The first step is to create a cryptographically secure public-private key-pair. This will be used as the basis of keeping both your wallet (see [[Securing your wallet]]) and your identity secure.

===Creating your first PGP key-pair===
A PGP key-pair serves two very important functions:
# To sign information with an unforgettable signature
# To decrypt things that other people encrypt for you

This allows you to both conduct business privately (encryption), and give out promises that you cannot deny making (signature).

==== Microsoft Windows:====
* Install GPG4Win: http://www.gpg4win.org/ 

This contains all the key management and generation tools for Microsoft Windows.

====All:====
# Install Thunderbird: https://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-GB/
# Setup your email account with Thunderbird.
# Install the Enigmail plugin for Thunderbird: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/enigmail/ 

Upon loading Enigmail, Thunderbird will ask you to make a new ‘identity,’ follow this wizard and you will have created your identity. 
You should backup your private key in a secure place. Secondary, you should create a revocation certificate and store that in a different secure place (maybe print it out and store it in your fire safe).

===Register with [#bitcoin-otc]===
Follow the guide here: http://wiki.bitcoin-otc.com/wiki/Using_bitcoin-otc

===Register the same username at the popular places:===
* [[Bitcoin Forum]]
* [[Bitcoin.it_Wiki|Bitcoin Wiki]]
* [[Bitcoin:Community_portal#IRC_Chat|Freenode IRC]]
Use a strong and different password for each of these places, keeping your passwords in a secure place. This will allow other people in the community to track you across the different Bitcoin related sites. Also making identity theft online more challenging.

==Best Practices with trading==
===Use Bitcoin-OTC===
* Always require the user to become registered with #bitcoin-otc.
* Require a signed message from the fingerprint quoted at: http://bitcoin-otc.com/viewgpg.php
* Follow additional [http://wiki.bitcoin-otc.com/wiki/Using_bitcoin-otc#Risk_of_fraud recommendations] for avoiding fraud.

===Make sure both parties agree to the terms of the trade with signed messages===
* Get a PGP signed quote, and check the signature.
* Send a PGP signed receipt.
This allows either party to go public if the trade has become sour and stops your trading partner from claiming the details of the agreement were somehow different. 

Search the Bitcoin Forum for the username of the person that you are trading with. Check if the user has provided constructive and useful advice to other parties. And, most importantly, check for any claims that the user has scammed.

===Use an escrow===
Trading might benefit from an escrow such that bitcoins are disbursed only after contract terms have been met. 

A popular online escrow is [[ClearCoin]].
Another non-established one is BTCrow

Found in Bitcoin's community are trusted individuals willing to act as independent, third-party escrow brokers.

[[de:Sicheres_Handeln]]
[[zh-cn:交易安全]]