So, my mining tower that controls my rigs and was the heart of my tiny operation bit the dust a little over a week ago, shortly after TodaysGandalf conflated me using curse words in my posts with using them to 'prove' a point. Not going back to quote, but to get this out there: Curse words do no prove points. They act as a kind of discourse marker in many instances. Somewhere between punctuation and adjectives. They are special, and I fucking love them. They are more laborious, yet more effective than most emoticons, of which I'm not generally fond.  

I'm sorry to see that not much has changed in the way of problems plaguing the site (notice I don't say 'pool' - my KnC kept going the whole time, except with a hiccup that I assume is tied to the notice regarding outdated - or 'broken' - firmware... noted and updated). Nice to see that people still are not reading previous posts and repeating questions and information on the very page they post them. I'd be disappointed if too many users started to display a little gumption. Also glad to see that next to people wondering if the pool's down (guess failover is passe), the number one point of conflict is the stats page. I've noticed often in the past the graphs suffer, but the numbers regarding how much I have until next payout works. I think I would be fine just seeing my pool hashrate in current increments (maybe one or two less options), and what I'm earning. Sure, who doesn't love graphs? But, if they are a source of constant discussion of a negative kind, and a FREE service to which many users now feel entitled, I question the logic of attempting such robust metrics if those who might complain are not paying for a product they claim to either desperately want or need. Some mention that these stats help them keep track of their miners while away. That's not the provider's problem, though a consideration it should be. I'm not callous to the need. I install software on my PC and phone so I can monitor everything while I'm away and shut it all down if needed. If I think the house will burn up, I push a button, and the draw at the wall falls significantly. I can also check whether my miners are connected to the pool, or failover has taken place. Pretty convenient.

Why is it that all things BTC are a magnet for DDoS? Seriously. Why? Do the attackers really think the can ransom a few hundred bucks per day by causing some glitches in site use that be both overcome, and eventually, hopefully - with the right tools and resources (saw a user offering to help, as he does this often - good idea, but understand perhaps some hesitation to move any duties related tot he site beyond the two core members). Still, I don't quite get why BTC-related sites are such a magnet. I'm not online much (main computer is often offline, even), but I don't see this problem as often elsewhere. No one need take much time to explain it. The technical aspects will go over my head, though the philosophical ones likely won't. I'm more certain you have better things to do with your time.

It's nice to be back Eligius thread. It's as though I never left (that's meant both positively and wryly at the same time - some of you are very funny [see post directly above], and I enjoy the banter... the whining is always a downer, though).