<p>The mining process is similar to a brute force attack and, assuming you already appreciate the nature of such attacks, mining is computationally intensive.  More specifically, mining involves repeatedly, and as fast as your computer allows, guessing at the solution to a problem that cannot be solved quickly by the human brain.  There are now dedicated computers, made specifically for the Bitcoin community, able to make billions of guesses per second.</p>

<p>The mining process is hard by design as it does make the Bitcoin generation process harder, almost like mining for gold.</p>

<p>The mining activity cannot be substituted by other hard labors in the physical world.  BUT, you can buy Bitcoins on an exchange with the dollars you earned in the physical world.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-07T07:57:46.077Z
thanks , but why not try to solve the problem with a creative algorithm rather then brute force just to simulate hard labour? If algorithms are invented that solve the problem without much effort (P=NP) then this system will fail?
Ali
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-07T08:13:38.507Z
You might enjoy https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/FAQ where the proof-of-work issue is linked to security. My understanding is that the entire system relies heavily on the decentralization of 'power', in this case the power to solve complex problems. If the problems could be solved more easily the official 'record' of transactions could be altered/subverted more easily. I acknowledge that this answer is now in the realm of interpretation.
user4020
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-07T07:51:08.723Z
2013-04-07T08:14:40.977Z
2013-04-07T08:14:40.977Z
user4020
<p>What makes this mining process so computationally intensive and can this mining activity be substituted by other hard labors in physical world?
Does this mining effort alone adds intrinsic value to the bitcoin like gold?</p>

<mining-theory>
How is mining of bitcoins done
Ali
# How is mining of bitcoins done

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-04-07)

What makes this mining process so computationally intensive and can this mining activity be substituted by other hard labors in physical world?
Does this mining effort alone adds intrinsic value to the bitcoin like gold?

**Tags:** mining-theory


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-04-07. Score: 3

The mining process is similar to a brute force attack and, assuming you already appreciate the nature of such attacks, mining is computationally intensive. More specifically, mining involves repeatedly, and as fast as your computer allows, guessing at the solution to a problem that cannot be solved quickly by the human brain. There are now dedicated computers, made specifically for the Bitcoin community, able to make billions of guesses per second.

The mining process is hard by design as it does make the Bitcoin generation process harder, almost like mining for gold.

The mining activity cannot be substituted by other hard labors in the physical world. BUT, you can buy Bitcoins on an exchange with the dollars you earned in the physical world.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: thanks , but why not try to solve the problem with a creative algorithm rather then brute force just to simulate hard labour? If algorithms are invented that solve the problem without much effort (P=NP) then this system will fail?  
> **username_1**: You might enjoy https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/FAQ where the proof-of-work issue is linked to security. My understanding is that the entire system relies heavily on the decentralization of 'power', in this case the power to solve complex problems. If the problems could be solved more easily the official 'record' of transactions could be altered/subverted more easily. I acknowledge that this answer is now in the realm of interpretation.  

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