13歲的兒子在網上賺錢了(II) (13-Year-Old Makes Money on Internet-Bitcoin Mining ...
作者：東方牛仔 於 2011-7-15 12:58 發表於 最熱鬧的華人社交網路--貝殼村
|7月18日是Andrew的14歲生日，這篇博客就算是爸爸送給Andrew 的生日禮物。
(July 18 is Andrew's birthday. This blog is his birthday gift from me as his dad.)
2011年6月初，離Andrew 的14歲生日還有一個多月，小Andrew就問：「爸爸，我生日會得到什麼禮物哇？」
(Early June 2011, a month before his birthday, little Andrew asked me: 「Dad, what kind of birthday I will get this year?」)
「你不是想要Apple的iMac嗎？」
(「I thought you want an Apply iMac?」)
「爸爸，是哪一種哇？$1200, 還是$1500?」
(「Which one, $1200 or $1500?」)
「How about between $1200 and $1500?」
第二天，小Andrew又問，「爸爸，可不可以不買iMac，而是給我錢?」 我馬上就意識到小Andrew又有新的project了。
(The next day, little Andrew asked me again: 「Dad, can I ask something else?」 I realized that Andrew had some new project.)
「是什麼project需要這麼多錢？」
(「What cost so much money?」 I asked.)
「Bitcoin」 小Andrew回答道。
(「Bitcoin.」 Andrew answered.)
這是我第一次聽到Bitcoin這個詞。
(This is the first time I heard 「Bitcoin」.)
6月6號，我收到小Andrew寫的依妹兒：
(On June 6th, I received an email from Andrew:)
「I would like to invest in a Bitcoin mining system for $600. Here are some resources to help you better understand what a Bitcoin is:
Bitcoin is a digital currency created in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto. The name also refers both to the open source software he designed to make use of the currency and to the peer-to-peer network formed by running that software.
Unlike other digital currencies, Bitcoin avoids central authorities and issuers. Bitcoin uses a distributed database spread across nodes of a peer-to-peer network to journal transactions, and uses digital signatures and proof-of-work to provide basic security functions, such as ensuring that bitcoins can be spent only once per owner and only by the person who owns them. - Wikipedia
How much is a Bitcoin worth?
At the current predictable market, the Bitcoin is currently sitting around $17 - $18. Just over a 10 months ago. They were worth less than a dollar.
How much can we make?
The system I am going to build has a total of 3 graphics cards. Each graphics card is able to be overclocked to be able to generate ~300 million hashes / second. With 3 of them, you'll be looking around at 1 billion hashes / second. At the current difficulty, you'll be able to generate 1.77 Bitcoins a day, worth $33.31. I'll be able to break even at 22 days.
Thanks, now you can understand why I am so interested in this. If it shall be, make it my early Birthday present to buy 2 of these systems at $600 each (no iMac).
If the market shall crash while I have the hardware. I'll return it to Newegg for a simple money back (even for opened items) within 30 days.」
我從來沒有收到過小Andrew寫的這麼長的依妹兒，他原來的郵件基本上就是一兩句話。看完兒子這麼長的項目計劃書，我很是激動，趕緊給他媽媽forward過去。當天吃晚飯時，又和小Andrew面對面交談，最後把信用卡給了他。當晚小Andrew就忙著order，沒想到晚上11點向爸爸彙報，原來看到的GPU已賣完，另一個網站的價錢要貴一些，總投資漲到$800。看到小Andrew那激動的樣子，我說了一句：」買「。
(I never received such a long email from little Andrew. The emails I got from him in the past were normally simple, with only one or two sentences. After reading Andrew』s project plan, I was so excited. I forwarded his email to his mom immediately. During dinner time, I had some discussions with him. And then I gave my credit card to him. Little Andrew was busy that night with ordering equipment. He told me at 11:00 that the equipment was sold out. But it』s available on another website with higher price ($800). Looked at his exciting face, I said one word: 「Deal」.)
這一套hardware包括：AMD CPU一個，msi 890FXA-GD70 Motherboard一個, RADEON HD 5830 GPU4個,Corsair TX850 power supply 一個。
(One set of equipment includes: 1 AMD CPU, 1 msi 890FXA-GD70 motherboard, 4 RADEON HD 5830 GPU, and 1 Corsair TX850 power supply.)
6月10日，UPS送來了package：AMD CPU2個，msi 890FXA-GD0 Motherboard 2個, RADEON HD 5830 GPU10個, Corsair TX850 power supply 2個，這些可以裝配成2套。
(On June 10th, UPS delivered the package, which contains 2 sets.)
Andrew當然是輕車熟路，很快就把兩套設備裝好了。當天晚上8點就開始運轉了。每個GPU都overclocked, 每秒鐘hash速度達到3 million, 4個GPU就到1.2 billion / second。一天下來能收穫大約3個BitCoin,按照當時$17-18美元的比價，小Andrew可以一天賺到$55美元。
(Andrew of course quickly put the two sets installed. The operation began at 20:00. Each GPU overclocked and can generate 3 million hashes per second. With 4 GPU, the hash rate can hit 1.2 billion per second. With this rate, Andrew can harvest 3 Bitcoins each day. Based on the $17-$18 conversion rate, Andrew can make $55 a day.)
沒想到設備運轉幾天，問題就來了。這些GPU都是overclocked，不僅吵得很，而且產生熱量。家裡大大小小的電扇都用上了，還是熱得很。小Andrew從網上買了cable，把GPU分開放，有點效果，但還是不理想。最後當爸爸的作出犧牲，把一套移到我的書房。從此我的書房變成了機房，整天嗡嗡的。
(But issues began to show up after a fewer days. These GPU are overclocked. They not only make a lot of noises, but also generate a lot of heats. To solve the problem, Andrew bought some longer cables, which allow GPU to be more separated. It helped a little, but still not ideal. Finally I sacrificed. I asked Andrew to move one set to my study room. From that day on, my study room had become a hot computer lab, full of buzzing sounds.)
BitCoin 到底是什麼？
(What is really Bitcoin?)
儘管小Andrew對BitCoin作了多次解釋，我還是半懂不懂。至到幾天前小Andrew給我看了一篇中文關於BitCoin的文章，這扇神秘的大門才打開。(Although Andrew explained to me several times about Bitcoin, I still didn』t quite understand it. Until several days ago, Andrew showed me an article about Bitcoin, the door to the mystic world was finally opened.)
BitCoin，中文翻成比特幣，是一種前所未有的沒有政府控制的網路貨幣。有人盛讚它是貨幣的未來，具有潛在的革命性, 也有人擔心這是一場騙局。
(Bitcoin is an unprecedented network currency without any government control. Some praised it』s the currency for the future and has the potential revolutionary. Others worried that this is a hoax.)
2009年2月11日，一個叫中本聰（Satoshi Nakamoto)的人，在網上發帖(http://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf )，宣稱他發明了一個叫BitCoin的open source的P2P （peer-to-peer) 電子貨幣，與大多數貨幣不同的是，比特幣不依賴於特定的中央發行機構，而是使用遍布整個P2P網路節點的分散式資料庫來記錄貨幣的交易，並使用密碼學的設計來確保貨幣流通各個環節安全性
(February 11, 2009, a man named Satoshi Nakamoto posted on the Internet (www.bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf), claiming that he invented the Bitcoin, which was open source P2P (peer-to-peer) electronic money. Different from most other currencies, Bitcoin doesn』t reply on the specific central issuers. It uses a distributed database to record monetary transactions through the P2P network node.)
真正讓BitCoin出名的，還是一個叫作絲綢之路（silkroad.com)的秘密購物網站。Silkroad.com提供各種藥品，包括毒品。但上這個網站很複雜，一般的browser不能找到它，你必須安裝一個叫做TOR的匿名網路工具才行。絲綢之路只接受BitCoin，因為它是匿名支付，別人無法追蹤。
(What made Bitcoin famous is a secret shopping website called Silk Road (www.silkroad.com). Silkroad.com provides a variety of drugs. But it』s very complicated to access to this website through regular browsers. You must install a tool call TOR anonymous network. This website only accepts Bitcoin, because it is anonymous payment and nobody can trace it.)
當然，BitCoin現在在網路的用途越來越廣泛，越來越多的網站開始接受BitCoin。
(Of course, Bitcoins has been become more and more popular on Internet. More and more websites start to accept Bitcoin.)
2011年6月13日，alinvain稱自己的2.5萬個BitCoin被盜，按照當時的比價，損失為half million美元。6月20日，BitCoin最大交易網站MtGox.com遭到黑客襲擊，BitCoin與美元的比價從$18美元降到0.01美元。這兩起事件讓BitCoin在網路世界轟動一時。
(June 13, 2011, alinvain claimed that 25000 Bitcoin got stolen. According to the conversion rate at that time, the loss is about half million. June 20, MtBox.com, the biggest Bitcoin website got hacked and the conversion rate dropped from $18 to $0.01. Both events made Bitcoin top news on Internet.)
Bitcoin挖礦
Bitcoin Mining
任何人都可以下載並運行BitCoin軟體而參與制作BitCoin。這種方式被稱為挖礦（BitCoin Mining). 根據BitCoin的演算法，比特幣的總量為21 million. 直到2011年7月仍只有670萬枚比特幣存在，剩餘的未被挖掘的比特幣僅存1430萬枚。每當1個區塊（block）的數學問題計算之後，所參與的挖礦人（BitCoin Miner) 可拿到50 BitCoin的獎勵。小Andrew就是一個小礦工。
(Anyone can download and run Bitcoin software involved in the production of Bitcoin, which is called Bitcoin Mining. Based on Bitcoin algorithm, there is only totally 21 million. By July 2011 only 6.7 million Bitcoin has been mined and there is still 14.3 million to be mined. Whenever a block of math problem is solved, all participation of mining, Bitcoin miners, will get a reward of 50 Bitcoin. Little Andrew is one of them.)
有意思的是，CPU不是理想的的挖礦工具。目前的BitCoin Mining的難度係數為567385，如果你的CPU可以執行的每秒400萬的Hash，你可能需要19年解決一個區塊（block）。GPU支持parallel processing, 其中涉及利用圖形處理單元的計算能力,這就為什麼GPU成為理想的挖礦工具，而用的最多的就是Andrew買的Radeon HD 5830.
(Interestingly, the CPU is not the ideal mining tool. The current Bitcoin mining difficult factor is 567385. If your CPU can execute 4 million hashes per second, it will take you 19 years to solve a block. GPU supports parallel processing, which makes the GPU an ideal mining tool. The most popular equipment is RADEON HD 5830.)
另一個有意思的話題是電費。GPU雖然運算快，但是一隻耗電魔獸。如果你用GeForce GTX590挖礦，假如你生活在美國東北部或加州，第一年你將損失776美元。事實是沒有任何GeForce卡能讓你在第一年盈利。 就拿Radeon HD 5830來說，一年的電費差不多$169-325/year。美國的電費各州不一，假如你住在美國電費較貴的New York, Connecticut,或Alaska，你就要三思而行。假如你是住在Hawaii,那你就該忘記BitCoin Mining，還不如天天到海邊surfing.
(Another interesting topic is the electricity bill. GPU is faster, but consumes too much electricity. If you use GeForce GTX590 and you live in the northeast or California, you will lose $776 for the first year. If you use RADEON HD5830, it probably costs you $169-325 a year. If you live in New York, Connecticut, or Alaska, you have to think twice. If you live in Hawaii, then you should forget Bitcoin mining. Instead you should go to beach and surf.)
BitCoin 也吸引了越來越多的國人的參與。這是一個中文的BitCoin 網站：http://www.bitecoin.com/
因BitCoin孕育而生的各種交易平台越來越多，你可以隨時和幾個大貨幣兌換，包括人民幣。7月14日, BitCoin與人民幣的比價是￥96.00. 這是一個中國交易平台, https://btcchina.com/.
小Andrew每天都向爸爸彙報當天的挖礦戰績,到7月8日，Andrew賬上一共有了112 個BitCoin。按當天的匯率，值$1760.00,可以說成本拿回來了。賬上有這麼錢，小Andrew心裡又痒痒了。
(By July 8th, he already earned 112 Bitcoin. Based on the conversion rate on that day, it』s worth $1760. With that money, Andrew had some new idea.)
「爸爸，我想把這110個BitCoin trade 2套hardware。」Andrew試探爸爸。
(「Dad, can I trade these 112 Bitcoin for 2 additional equipment?」)
13歲的小孩就懂得「擴大再生產」，難得，難得。我忙說，「行。」當天晚上，Andrew用110 個BitCoin與加拿大的一礦工trade 2套hardware，與Andrew現有的設置一樣， 下星期寄到。
(Wow, a 13-year-old kid already knows how to expand production line. I quickly replied, 「Good idea」. That evening, Andrew traded his 110 Bitcoins with another miner in Canada for 2 sets of hardware.)
這幾天Andrew天天都提起他的新的挖礦工具，而他老爸我在天天等我的電費帳單，就希望到時候不要大吃一驚。
(During those days, Andrew kept talking about his 2 new GPU, while I was anxious to see my electricity bill. Hopefully I won』t have any big surprise when receiving it.)
BitCoin挖礦，固然好玩，而且來錢直接，但並不creative，是個人，都可以買來工具挖。我把這點看法告訴Andrew，沒想到Andrew早有此感。他正在做一個與BitCoin有關的project，買GPU挖礦只不過是給他賺點錢，提供經濟基礎。
(Bitcoin mining of course is fun and it generates money directly. But it』s not very creative. Everyone can buy tools and dig it. I shared my comments with Andrew. Andrew already felt this way. He told me that he is working a bigger project based on Bitcoin.)
小Andrew，生日快樂。希望你的project早日成功。
(Happy birthday to you, little Andrew. Dad wishes you have a big success in your new project.)
為他高興，生日快樂~·
