[masterpool.eu] DISCONTINUED - shut down at the end of Feb

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nodemaster
Posts: 172
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 12:46 pm
os: linux

[masterpool.eu] DISCONTINUED - shut down at the end of Feb

Post by nodemaster »

The pool at a glance:

MasterPool started as a Namecoin Pool but was the first pool who implemented merged-mining (http://dot-bit.org/Merged_Mining).
  • first merged mining pool (and the only one who also was tested publicly on testnet so far)
  • PPLNS payouts of block rewards including its transaction fees
  • no mining fee substracted instead you pay a payout fee
  • scheduled payouts each night (with 1% fee)
  • instant payouts (with 2% fee)
  • redundant master servers located in east and south germany
  • email notifications
  • micro forum for feedback, suggestions and small talk
  • JSON stats for website and your miners
If you want to have a look at the pool I'd suggest to start on our statistics page: https://www.masterpool.eu/statistics. There you'll find a countdown for merged mining, too. If you want to start mining right away please join at: https://www.masterpool.eu/signup.
Last edited by nodemaster on Sat Jan 28, 2012 6:01 pm, edited 8 times in total.
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nodemaster
Posts: 172
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 12:46 pm
os: linux

Re: [masterpool.eu] New beta stage NMC Pool

Post by nodemaster »

Yeah next Block solved! We are waiting for confirmation. Thank you for your support!
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Bulkin
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 8:52 pm
os: windows

Re: [masterpool.eu] New beta stage NMC Pool

Post by Bulkin »

Started a minute ago, still everything is fine. I used this string:
poclbm.exe --user=<Workername> --pass=<password> -o balancer.masterpool.eu -p 8888 -d0 --verbose
Is this right?

I'm USER10, I'll be grateful if you check if everything is OK with me. Now mining

nodemaster
Posts: 172
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 12:46 pm
os: linux

Re: [masterpool.eu] New beta stage NMC Pool

Post by nodemaster »

This configuration seems quite okay. The pool however didn't receive any shares from you. I'll keep an eye open.

Edit BTW: You can verify this easily ATM by having a look at: http://masterpool.eu/statistics. The Pool size is so small that you definitely should show up as "Top Contributor" there after 15 minutes at latest.
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nodemaster
Posts: 172
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 12:46 pm
os: linux

Re: [masterpool.eu] New beta stage NMC Pool

Post by nodemaster »

Weeeeeeeee! We just faced a problem where pushpoold sucked up nearly all CPU cycles. Thus I had to restart the daemon. I'll add some specific monitoring for the daemon. I hope this won't happen too often :roll: If this is the case I have to change the balancing in order to move workers to other pool nodes if one pushpoold is on rampage...

Thank you guys! This are exactly the kind of problems I need you to produce in order to scale the pool correctly 8-)
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nodemaster
Posts: 172
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 12:46 pm
os: linux

Re: [masterpool.eu] New beta stage NMC Pool

Post by nodemaster »

OMG! Seems as if probability wants to cheat... > 50,000 valid shares and still no block solved. I'll throw all my CPUs in. It would be silly to think we might not succeed :D
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nodemaster
Posts: 172
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 12:46 pm
os: linux

Re: [masterpool.eu] New beta stage NMC Pool

Post by nodemaster »

Probability doesn't favor us at the moment :( 93,000 shares and counting. I however have some good news as well. Yesterday the pushpoold was on rampage again. But thanks to the monitoring I managed to restart it quickly enough so that the downtime was not too long.

Furthermore I tuned the network stack of the servers. That resulted in a better connectivity, lowers the latency and reduces the risk for crashing pushpoold significantly.

I verfied all payouts as well as the splitting of the 50 NMC Bounty. Regarding the math everything is perfect. As no one claimed that he is missing some NMC I guess that in praxis it works as well.
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nodemaster
Posts: 172
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 12:46 pm
os: linux

Re: [masterpool.eu] New beta stage NMC Pool

Post by nodemaster »

I had a feature request lately. But as there might be others that have the same request I'd like to post it here. After solving the block you have no possibility to see your "estimated reward". The block needs 120 confirmations but you as user have no possibility to check what is in you pipeline. I know that this is a bit clumsy. I was asked to add something like an "unconfirmed reward" thingy. This however will not be implemented on masterpool.eu :D

Instead I'm working on direct payout. This means the pool will pay for a block right after it found him. Thus as a user you don't have to deal with confirmation stuff. We find a block, you get your NMCs! Should be that easy.

This however makes some precautions nessesary. As the pool will pay its members for blocks that are unconfirmed (and thus unpaid) I had to fund the pools wallet. This is already done. But as the pool takes all the risk the other system needs to be rock solid. Thus please bear with me while I get this feature implemented 8-)

Another thing that is different from most other pools (at least from BTC pools I know) is that the Pool Fee is a Payout Fee. Unlike most other pools, what you see is NOT what you get on Payout. This means the Fee (currently 2%) is not substracted until you withdraw NMC. I have heard that this might be a bit misleading thus I want to explain my intention:

1. Transparency. You see what you have "donated" to the pool in your transactions
2. Services. This is the most important reason for this system. I'm thinking about offering additional services (like trading for BTC or register Domains). This services should have another (or no) fee.
3. Discounts on the Fee. If there are users who dedicate some of their time to the pool they should be awarded. Being a Beta tester, acquiring new users, or translating the website in foreign languages could be gratificated with a discount on payout fees for a period of time or even for lifetime of the account.

I hope that explains this special "Payout Fee that is not found anywhere else"?!
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doublec
Posts: 149
Joined: Mon May 23, 2011 12:47 am
os: linux
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Contact:

Re: [masterpool.eu] New beta stage NMC Pool

Post by doublec »

nodemaster wrote:Instead I'm working on direct payout. This means the pool will pay for a block right after it found him. Thus as a user you don't have to deal with confirmation stuff. We find a block, you get your NMCs! Should be that easy.
This is what I do in my pool as well. You just need to make sure you have enough coins to cover the withdrawals during maturity, or tell the user that funds are low and you're waiting for blocks to mature. Worst case is 120*50 coins - but that's a bit unlikely :) The pool operator will also lose out if any of the generated blocks become invalid/orphaned.

nodemaster
Posts: 172
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 12:46 pm
os: linux

Re: [masterpool.eu] New beta stage NMC Pool

Post by nodemaster »

doublec wrote:This is what I do in my pool as well. You just need to make sure you have enough coins to cover the withdrawals during maturity, or tell the user that funds are low and you're waiting for blocks to mature. Worst case is 120*50 coins - but that's a bit unlikely :) The pool operator will also lose out if any of the generated blocks become invalid/orphaned.
I traded some spare Bitcoins to get enough Namecoins. May I ask how many invalid/orphaned block you get on your pool?
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