Why start a company? Why not just buy miners and mine, like we used to?
Discussion
Why doesn’t everyone grow all of their own food, raise their own beef, do their own taxes, make their own electricity, etc. I’m not saying I entirely disagree, but mining require technical competency and we would not be achieving the hash rate we have today if it was just plebs running it on a spare laptop. Then comes the profit motive. Why not get a bunch of people together and buy more miners, and you’re right back to forming a company.
Mining isn't that difficult - when ASICS are running at home you can also use that excess heat for other purposes. It was never envisaged that bit centralised mining companies would form and in the long term more smaller miners would help cut their incentive motive back a bit
Tinkerers need to keep at it and integrate mining into various home appliances. I like the space heaters and hot water tanks. When I eventually buy a home I plan to incorporate stuff like that. Still have to factor in energy prices, which may be the biggest factor. Eliminate the current crop of lunatic politicians and allow ourselves to produce cheap energy and it may become easier for normal people to mine a little. Corporate entities actually could help distribute mining as well. I have a dream where I’m running an energy company and right next to my nuclear power plant is a massive mining facility, and then I have an incentive program whereby my electric customers can run miners at home and contribute to the pool and get rebates.
I am serious though, a non-profit mining company could actually be a thing. Perhaps by operating pools with the social benefit of securing Bitcoin.
All excess revenue, after payroll and capital reinvestment, would be distributed to devs.
Or any charity for that matter. Could probably be a boon for local communities.
If I was better at writing software there'd already be a not for profit mining company, since it's on the cards.