Re: [8500 GH/s] Slush's Pool (mining.bitcoin.cz); TX FEES + UserDiff; ASIC tested

I'm wondering if combined mining is actually a waste of computational effort -

Bitminter has 11.5TH and got 17 BTC blocks today so far + 79 NMC blocks
Slush got just 9.7TH but got 25 BTC blocks today so far + 1 NMC block

So, if that's the case - I'd rather have BTC than MNC.

we can have both, nmc wont take anything at all away from btc. It just needs to be set up.

I don't think that's the case, Slush created the stratum protocol and has said merged mining doesn't work (yet or at all I'm not sure).

Stratum is not limited in terms of merged mining. It's a matter of adding merged mining to the pool software. Both Slush and BTC Guild have elected to stop supporting NMC with Stratum due to complete lack of development. NMC is based on bitcoin 0.3 code, has had NO active development in over a year. It is a failed experiment only being kept alive by people taking advantage of others with pump & dumps.