there is that talk of 'profitability' ...
i look at in a very different way - and ive stated before - when you sit crypto with fiat and compare them side by side - that form of 'profitability' flies out the proverbial window ...
im ALWAYS profitable - because my OUTLOOK is different ... it costs me to do anything in life ... so when mining is a project that i undertake - it is something im willing to 'spend' ( or lose - depending on which way you look at this ) in order to 'gain' crypto coins ... this means im always profiting in 'coin' rather than fiat ... to that end - its always in a 'profit' with all that i do ...
if i were to always compare / convert crypto back to 'fiat' - then im always expending fiat - and the 'profit' everyone talks about ( and it ONLY fiat 'profit' that is ALWAYS referenced ) is non-existent ...
the main reason satoshi created this form of 'currency' is to move AWAY from fiat - not continuously compare to it and convert back to it ...
another form of payment system - not just a conversion to a 'fiat' system that the governments ( and the puppeteers that control the governments ) completely and utterly control ... so many people lose sight of this ... it is another form exchange for services and products IF the provider of those services / products is willing to accept this form of exchange ...
If someone is spending a lot of time researching the best coin to mine the motivation is simply for profit.
Otherwise they would pick based on a catchy name or some philisophical reason (Cannabis coin anyone?).
Mining for the most part is profit motivated with exceptions such as yourself who have other interests in
specific coins.
There is, however, a certain gambling appeal to crypto mining, particularly in solo mining where luck
has a larger effect.
As for crypto becoming an alternative to fiat, I have to say I'm very disappointed in the acceptance level.
I would have expected online retailers, particularly electronics, to be early adopters, but I can't find any.
There is a BTC ATM in town so I can skim off some fiat until I find another use for crypto. There is also
the issue of the shear number of crypto currencies. Only one or two will stand out from the pack with maybe
a few others finding niches but 95% or more will ultimately disappear. The only appeal of these doomed
coins is mining for a quick profit.