So it boils down to we need enough hash power to expect a result of statistical significance +/- 5%. In order to acheive that in a 14 day period there has to be a number we need to reach or pass in hash power. I think we did fine with 1% or more of network speed. I am sure someone can do the math, but just a guess is 1 to 2% of total should get us within a range that we can honestly say you make the same here or there over time.
I played poker for a living back in the day. I know AA vs KJ is 80% fav, but I would not want to have to base my poker career of one hand. I would never want to bet it all on that one hand. Now if someone gives me those hands and says winner best of 100, I might bet it all on the AA. If they gave me best of 10,000 it is a no brainer I will take the bet for sure. So how many hands doe we need to play in 14 days (hash power) to expect a result of any statistical significance?
I was thinking the same. I found an option that gives me a reasonable choice. I'm not promoting another pool here but Nicehash has an option when you mine with them. So all you have to do is set what you want to earn/thash using the password field. Then if they don't have work for you at a given rate that you want to earn say .0275/Thash then the site will lock you out until it has hash for you. Pretty simple and a way to diversify.
I would actually recommend that all hashers have some balance in where they hash. This does make it more easy to take the dry spells.
I actually started dabbling on CEX.io and have been making a little buying hash. It is like the stock market buy them low and sell them high. But at the same time you hold them they hash for you. So if you buy a thash ~4 BTC you can earn an extra ~.13 BTC or so like i did and sell at a good time and make on the sale.
I know that buying ghash at the rates that they have does not make sense to hold long term. But to sell them higher and have them hashing while you hold them is pretty cool. Also the maintenance fees are about half what you making hashing but still I can make .0002/ghash I have in a given day if I watch the rates. Just somehting for my BTC to do while I'm waiting for them to turn into $5000 ;-)
I think the simple fact the the bigger pools payout so fast and often that new hashers just like seeing the numbers clicking into their BTC account. If the veterans of the trade can sit for a week and watch 3 blocks go by then more power to them. I do agree that the difficulty is ticking. And we need to get as many block solved as soon as possible.
And I thought that using 1 miner as solo and naming it the lotto ticket was hilarious. I might just try that myself on bitsolo.org. ;-)
Fahlcor