For the technical choices faced by former Ethereum miners, the most useful starting points are hardware repurposing, other proof-of-work networks and operating economics; each answers a different part of the question.
Ethereum Mainnet mining ended with The Merge in September 2022. Current Ethereum participation uses proof of stake, so historical Ethash terminology must not be presented as a current Mainnet mining method.
Hardware Repurposing
Evaluate hardware repurposing with a small evidence chain: source, timestamp, unit, boundary and calculation. Follow the same chain for other proof-of-work networks. This prevents a precise-looking result from combining incompatible observations and makes future updates less dependent on undocumented assumptions.
- Evidence: a dated record for hardware repurposing.
- Cross-check: compare it with other proof-of-work networks.
- Review trigger: repeat the check after a material change affecting hardware repurposing.
Other Proof-of-work Networks
When reviewing other proof-of-work networks, preserve the raw observation before creating an average or percentage. A raw record makes later troubleshooting possible and shows whether a change coincided with operating economics. Note configuration, network or environmental events that occurred during the same interval.
- Evidence: a dated record for other proof-of-work networks.
- Cross-check: compare it with operating economics.
- Review trigger: repeat the check after a material change affecting other proof-of-work networks.
Operating Economics
A decision involving operating economics should include a baseline and a review trigger. The baseline describes ordinary conditions; the trigger defines when the analysis must be repeated. Include hardware repurposing in that trigger when it can materially change the interpretation of operating economics.
- Evidence: a dated record for operating economics.
- Cross-check: compare it with hardware repurposing.
- Review trigger: repeat the check after a material change affecting operating economics.
The technical choices faced by former Ethereum miners: evaluation sequence
- Write the exact decision involving hardware repurposing.
- Collect other proof-of-work networks using the same observation period.
- Test how the conclusion changes when operating economics moves.
- Save the source values, conversions and date of review.
Reference for Ethereum Mining History
Verify the underlying context with Ethereum.org: historical mining. For values that change over time, use a current source and record its retrieval date.
