With the completion of the allmine cryptoshell for the Bittware CVP-13 we will be getting back into bitstream development. We have 3 designs that will be released shortly from community developers, but their profitability is nothing amazing. We will start putting together our Phi2 design which will hopefully be released in the next 1-2 weeks. There is more to come, but I don't want to say what at this time.
Most of the developers don't have a lot of base code to work from. We've offered to open up our code base to them if they'd release through the shell as well as provide BCU-1525 units for completion of designs. Unfortunately, that still hasn't attracted a lot of developer attention. Many of those claiming to be fpga developers on discord have disappeared
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Here's a question for you..
There are about 5000 BCU-1525 in the wild, 1000 CVP-13s coming, 500-1000 VCU-1525, BTU9Ps, various clones, etc out there.
How many units would a developer need to own themselves for it to provide the same revenue as a 5% fee from the units that are already out there (which would additionally require no up front capital investment from the developer)? Answer: about 400... Which would cost them > $1.5M.
So, they can make a $1.5M investment and have the same revenue as not making ANY investment but just releasing their code. What would you do? I'm quite sure only an insane person would spend $1.5M to make the same amount of money as not spending $1.5M.
Most of the developers don't have a lot of base code to work from. We've offered to open up our code base to them if they'd release through the shell as well as provide BCU-1525 units for completion of designs. Unfortunately, that still hasn't attracted a lot of developer attention. Many of those claiming to be fpga developers on discord have disappeared
. Why are people buying these cards? Aren't the only ones who make money the ones who develop their own bitstreams? Feels like eating very expensive leftovers.
Here's a question for you..
There are about 5000 BCU-1525 in the wild, 1000 CVP-13s coming, 500-1000 VCU-1525, BTU9Ps, various clones, etc out there.
How many units would a developer need to own themselves for it to provide the same revenue as a 5% fee from the units that are already out there (which would additionally require no up front capital investment from the developer)? Answer: about 400... Which would cost them > $1.5M.
So, they can make a $1.5M investment and have the same revenue as not making ANY investment but just releasing their code. What would you do? I'm quite sure only an insane person would spend $1.5M to make the same amount of money as not spending $1.5M.
What about private bitstreams? Wouldn't it be more profitable to just release the code?
It depends on how much was over-paid for the private bitstreams, but in most cases, yes, it would be more profitable to just release the code. The person buying the bitstream doesn't know if someone else will invent the same and take their earnings before they've recovered. The developer has to trust the person who bought it won't try to resell it and cut the developer out. The person who buys it isn't sure if the developer will sell it to others.
Seems like a risky proposition all around versus releasing it and being sure they'll get some fee % of the mining.
A lot of what people have been talking about regarding this has been fud. Some is truth or at least based on truth. Obviously larger customers have been trying to acquire 'private bitstreams'; wouldn't you if you were them? But, I'm not sure they fully appreciate the situation of how much they'd have to pay to get that 'privately'. Some are buying 'private' bitstreams that are sold to many of these customers, all of them thinking they're the only one
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