The Great Mining Algorithm Debate

Ravencoin’s community is not shy about voicing its opinion on which mining algorithm to adopt next. This is despite the fact that just five months ago, they forked their network in an attempt to bolster ASIC resistance. As lead developer Tron Black points out, discussions are heating up as GPU miners rally for change, testing various alternatives that may or may not have a fighting chance against ASICs.

The Ups and Downs of Previous Forks

Ravencoin’s journey began with the introduction of the x16r algorithm back in April 2018, aimed at keeping ASICs at bay. But, oh boy, it hasn’t been smooth sailing! Reports in 2019 showed a single mining pool steadily increasing its slice of the mined blocks, raising eyebrows and concerns. By July of that year, this pool had assumed a terrifying 45% of the network’s mining. How did that happen? Let’s put on our detective hats!

The Hard Fork That Wasn’t Permanent

Enter the hard fork on October 1, 2019, which transitioned the Ravencoin network to the x16rV2 algorithm—a temporary solution, meant to offer at least a little breathing space from ASICs. However, the triumph was short-lived, with Tron Black noting in early 2020 that these pesky ASICs seemed to be back, aiming to take over once more. Can we get a *facepalm* here?

New Features Amidst the Chaos

While all this algorithm drama unfurls, Raven enthusiasts have something to cheer about. Five major features were activated on their platform’s main net during February, including messaging and dividends. At least the community can communicate their frustrations and share dividends, right?

Ravencoin’s Growing Popularity

Also, let’s not overlook the shiny new partnerships! Ravencoin scored listings on exchanges like OKex and SFox, bringing RVN into the spotlight. Black mentioned that this listing would entice users from all over the globe, and the trading numbers prove it—$586,000 worth of RVN traded on OKex in just 24 hours!

Conclusion: What Lies Ahead?

As discussions continue and developers test alternative algorithms, one has to wonder—can Ravencoin finally achieve true ASIC resistance? Or will this be a never-ending game of hide and seek with those sneaky mining pools? Only time will tell and maybe even the next algorithm update!