Razer releases an app that will make your PC mine cryptocurrency when idle

[Skanky Sylveon]

Yes, you heard that right.  Razer, a company that's known for it's gaming peripherals is releasing an app called SoftMiner that according to Razer “utilizes the idle GPU processing power of gamers’ battle stations to solve complex blockchain-based puzzles on the back-end.” 

 

https://www.slashgear.com/razer-softminer-uses-your-gpu-to-mine-cryptocurrency-but-you-dont-get-the-coins-12557762/amp/

 

You might be thinking "so Razer is making an app that allows users to earn cryptocurrency? That's not too bad" but you would be wrong.

 

While we all could make the too little too late argument, you won't even earn actual cryptocurrency with SoftMiner.

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The app Razer SoftMiner sends data to Razer and Razer rewards the owner of the PC running the app with Razer Silver. Razer Silver is not the same as regular silver, nor is it the same as any sort of fiat money. It is not the same as a United States Dollar. You cannot trade Razer Silver for dollars – you can only give this currency to Razer for digital goods.

 

You heard it folks, Razerbucks!  Have your GPU potentially shorten it's life, and have your electric bill increase just so you can give your hard earned cryptocurrency to Razer, and in return Razer gives you fake currency that you can trade in for their, and ONLY their products.

 

Needless to say, I find this practice distasteful, since Razer has full control on the value of their Razerbucks, and no, I'm not calling it Razer Silver.

 

So, how much will a single Razerbuck be worth?  How much is Razer going to profit off of your computer's hard work?  Work that could very well shorten the lifespan of your components mind you.

 

Honestly, I don't see this catching on and even if it does, it isn't going to affect me in any way, I just find it distasteful. 

 

Edit: Min-Liang Tan has responded to the controversy regarding the Razer SoftMiner app, thanks to @RorzNZ for the update.

https://insider.razer.com/index.php?threads/clarifications-on-softminer.45056/

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I've been reading some misconceptions about Razer Gold and Razer Silver and I thought I'd clear it up.

Razer Gold is the world's leading virtual credit that can be used for paying for games. Razer Silver is a loyalty point system that can be used for redeeming for Razer hardware, games and much more.

The main way to earn Razer Silver is to spend Razer Gold. However, we wanted to find new, fun (and optional) ways for gamers to earn Razer Silver - including Paid to Play (where you rack up Razer Silver just by playing games on the PC and Mobile with Razer Cortex). We've also worked with third parties like Esports Mogul and GammaNow to allow you to earn more Razer Silver.

I've seen complaints about Esports Mogul that gamers who aren't into esports can't earn Razer Silver there. Also, I've seen accusations that GammaNow's Softminer is a rip off.

Those are all ADDITIONAL ways of earning Razer Silver - you don't need to participate in them if you don't like it. On top of that, I've seen people claiming that GammaNow's Softminer is a scam because some have "calculated" that if you mined for cryptocurrency directly, you would be able to claim for the Razer hardware faster etc. Well, all those "calculations" don't take into consideration that you're also earning Razer Silver for free in many other ways as well as while spending Razer Gold. Plus - it was never meant to be the main way to earn Razer Silver!

So in short - it's really up to you how you want to earn Razer Silver - if you like a certain way like Paid to Play - by all means. Or if you enjoy esports, Esports Mogul's a great way. But if you dislike any method, you don't need to participate!

 

 

This doesn't change my opinion on the subject at all.  Also, the "you don't need to participate" statement rubes me the wrong way, not sure why, but I think it's because Razer doesn't take any time to educate a would be downloader of SoftMiner the potential risks involved.

I think @Froody129 stated it best.

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They're not targeting us. They're targeting the 12 year old who doesn't know what crypto is and just knows that if they install this app they get free stuff. 

 

And this is the issue.  This isn't targeted at us, or anyone who is knowledgeable of cryptocurrency.

This is targeted towards the uneducated, and makes no effort in explaining what the Razer SoftMiner app actually does, and the potential risks of mining cryptocurrency.

 

As far as the rest of the refute, it doesn't really matter.  I didn't know about Razer Gold, but i'm not surprised.  However, that's not really relevant, the only arguments that can now be potentially be refuted is that you can't gain enough Razer Silver to get anything worthwhile.

 

Everything else, such as the fact that you aren't earning any form of ACTUAL currency, potentially valuing the Razer Silver MUCH lower then just mining cryptocurrancy, etc.

 

This just seems like damage control to me.  Honestly, this story got a lot bigger then I thought.

[DrMacintosh]

Can't I use my PC to mine crypto currency? Why do I need an app? 

 

But seriously I would much rather my PC mine for oil than anything else. 

[Skanky Sylveon]

@DrMacintosh Damn you're a fast reader!

[ARikozuM]

Razerbucks! For the most posh (read: pretentious) of enthusiasts. 

[Enderman]

That's pretty stupid.

[DrMacintosh]

1 minute ago, Cinnabar Sonar said:

@DrMacintosh Damn you're a fast reader!

Reading? What's that? Don't we all just comment based on the title? 

[PlayStation 2]

Could be worse: could be mining vbucks for you instead

[Crunchy Dragon]

Ew

[JoshB2084]

*slowly process to uninstalling Razer softwares*

[XR6]

@handymanshandle Then again it's a great way to make money. Imagine all the money you could make on a discount vbucks store. Sell a bit lower than usual and bam easy business. 

[Guest]

Razer has actually become such a scummy company as of late. Their products are highly overrated, become like Alienware before their refresh.

[Arika]

16 minutes ago, Cinnabar Sonar said:

Razer Silver is not the same as regular silver, nor is it the same as any sort of fiat money. It is not the same as a United States Dollar. You cannot trade Razer Silver for dollars – you can only give this currency to Razer for digital goods.

what an incredibility pointless nothing. do people buy razer products THAT often that they need to be able to "mine" for some bullshit currency that can't be use for anything else? 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Arika S said:

what an incredibility pointless nothing. do people buy razer products THAT often that they need to be able to "mine" for some bullshit currency that can't be use for anything else? 

This is more likely a money grabbing move that Razer are using user's PCs to mine a real digital currency and giving users a subsidised coin made by them (for nothing).

[XR6]

16 minutes ago, RorzNZ said:

Razer has actually become such a scummy company as of late. Their products are highly overrated, become like Alienware before their refresh.

I've never liked Razer anyway. Too overpriced and the products aren't worth the money. Their switches are even worse. I'd rather my MX Reds than clone mx browns (although tbh i hate mx brown anyway) 

 

[WereCat]

1.) Buy Razer laptop

2.) Install SoftMiner and let it mine 24/7

3.) Wait till it breaks

4.) RMA

5.A.) RMA accepted, receive replacement, buy another Razer laptop for RazerSilver and sell it on ebay for profit

5.B.) RMA denied, go to step 1.)

6.) (optional) Dont buy anything from Razer and live happy ever after

[D13H4RD]

So I can raise my electricity bill, shorten the line of my GPU and have a really pricey to run space heater just for that Chroma RGB mousepad? 

 

Great fuckin' deal right there, Min! /S

[Skanky Sylveon]

36 minutes ago, handymanshandle said:

Could be worse: could be mining vbucks for you instead

Everything could be worse.  Razer could only allow you to receive RGB dildos in exchange for Razerbucks.

Actually, that's a great idea!  It gives a whole new meaning to screwing you over!

[givingtnt]

So.. Folding@Home but you're not contributing to anything...
ookkkk....

[Fnige]

5 minutes ago, givingtnt said:

So.. Folding@Home but you're not contributing to anything...
ookkkk....

You're contributing to the downfall of the economy... Yeah

[Skanky Sylveon]

1 minute ago, SlimyPython said:

You're contributing to the downfall of the economy... Yeah

I was going to say that you are contributing to the eventual heat death of the universe, but that works as well.

[SupaKomputa]

Yeah you'll make money, i mean pennies...

[Fnige]

7 minutes ago, Cinnabar Sonar said:

I was going to say that you are contributing to the eventual heat death of the universe, but that works as well

Heat is an illusion!!!

[Techstorm970]

Razer: "Here!  Download this app and get 'FREE' MONEY!"

Your computer:

 

[Arika]

26 minutes ago, Cinnabar Sonar said:

Razer could only allow you to receive RGB dildos

The all new Razer Rod Chroma: Go fuck yourself

 

 

[Froody129]

They're not targeting us. They're targeting the 12 year old who doesn't know what crypto is and just knows that if they install this app they get free stuff. 

 

This is blatant manipulation of a younger customer Base, and has further soured my opinion of Razer