Comment by adwn
2 months ago
The idea is that you can start with the next head earlier than all the others, giving you an edge in being the first to find the next block.
2 months ago
The idea is that you can start with the next head earlier than all the others, giving you an edge in being the first to find the next block.
But what do they gain by doing that? What's the edge? Starting earlier doesn't give you any advantage.
> Starting earlier doesn't give you any advantage
It's a race. Starting earlier obviously gives an advantage?!
No it's not a race, it's a lottery.
It would be like saying you've an edge if you start earlier at the roulette.
7 replies →
There is an advantage because occasionally you find the second block while the first block is still secret, then you release the two blocks in quick succession. That’s the edge.
What advantage does it provide vs not withholding? If you don't keep your first block secret and find a 2nd block, you get the same rewards.
On the other hand, if someone finds a block while you're keeping yours secret, it's very likely you'll lose the reward of your block.
So, you get a chance to discard the block of another miner, but you have to put your own block at risk of being discarded. Maybe there's a gain here, but it's not clear.