you are completely correct.    all you need is 2 usb sticks to learn btc mining.

use one at a friendly easy pool like bitminter.com

 and here is a little secret use to second usb stick to solo mine.

  solo mining is hard to do   .  and solo mining is hard to win.

but 1 usb stick is 10-14 dollars it spends 2 watts of power and if you set it up correctly   each and every block could be won by you.   every 7 minutes give or take a minute a new block pops up.  about 216 a day.

a block is 25 coins  at todays price   that is more then 15k usd.

I encourage you to get 2 usb sticks and mine.. the one on bit minter  will earn under 10-20 bucks .  the solo mining stick most likely will never win a block but you could.  if you stay at the level I mention it would work.  you spend under 30 bucks maybe earn 10 bucks with the one on bit minter.(maybe only 5 dollars) .  or maybe hit a block.  and laugh all the way to the bank.


ckolivas   wrote cgminer and his program would allow you to mine solo.   All new people that want to join in.  and not spend a lot of money should do this buy 2  usb stick for about 30 bucks  and spend 4 watts a day in power.  (not counting the pc you keep turned on)   In fact you can only mine when the pc is turned on.

It is harmless fun if you stay at the levels I mention.

I try to promote the mining game at  the low level .  small amount of money put in.

 100 maybe 200 usd tops. I do some mining sell a little gear on this site and sell some on ebay. I think I got about 100 people started in mining.

    right now solo mining is really hard to win a block with 1 usb stick.  but what the heck you could maybe 1 time in 50 years.  your cost to have that small chance would be low.

Cholivas  I have been lazy teaching myself to mine solo.  you could really do some good with a real easy way to do it.  I need to play more with the software you wrote.  As I think my 2 usb small price entry to mining idea is good for new people.