Superabundant design: from waste to control in Bitcoin mining
Tiziana Terranova draws attention to the necessity of questioning how algorithmically enabled automation works “in terms of control and monetization” and “what kind of time and energy” is being subsumed by it (Terranova 387). Cryptocurrencies are payment technologies that automate the production of...
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ftsbaarhusojs:oai:ojs.tidsskrift.dk:article/116041 2023-05-15T18:31:35+02:00 Superabundant design: from waste to control in Bitcoin mining González, Pablo R. Velasco 2016-02-15 application/pdf https://aprja.net//article/view/116041 eng eng DARC (Digital Aesthetics Research Centre), Aarhus University https://aprja.net//article/view/116041/164219 https://aprja.net//article/view/116041 APRJA; Årg. 5 Nr. 1 (2016): Excessive Research; 60-69 A Peer-Reviewed Journal About; Vol. 5 No. 1 (2016): Excessive Research; 60-69 2245-7755 info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2016 ftsbaarhusojs 2021-05-06T21:21:45Z Tiziana Terranova draws attention to the necessity of questioning how algorithmically enabled automation works “in terms of control and monetization” and “what kind of time and energy” is being subsumed by it (Terranova 387). Cryptocurrencies are payment technologies that automate the production of money-like tokens (Bergstra and Weijland) following algorithmic rules to maintain a fixed production rate. Different kinds of energy and residues, which are not always acknowledged, are involved in this process. Here I distinguish between two closely linked layers in the Bitcoin token production: first, an algorithmic layer, which contains the instructions and rules for the creation of bitcoins; second, a hardware layer, which performs and embodies the former. While these layers work together, I will argue that they enact their own kind of logics of energy and waste. I will begin at the more visible end of the production cycle, the hardware layer, where the definition of waste and energy consumption is shared with many electronic devices; then I will trace back its algorithmic layer, which as I argue, follows a different logic. Article in Journal/Newspaper Terranova Aarhus University: OJS at The State and University Library A Peer-Reviewed Journal About 5 1 60 69 |
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Aarhus University: OJS at The State and University Library |
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English |
description |
Tiziana Terranova draws attention to the necessity of questioning how algorithmically enabled automation works “in terms of control and monetization” and “what kind of time and energy” is being subsumed by it (Terranova 387). Cryptocurrencies are payment technologies that automate the production of money-like tokens (Bergstra and Weijland) following algorithmic rules to maintain a fixed production rate. Different kinds of energy and residues, which are not always acknowledged, are involved in this process. Here I distinguish between two closely linked layers in the Bitcoin token production: first, an algorithmic layer, which contains the instructions and rules for the creation of bitcoins; second, a hardware layer, which performs and embodies the former. While these layers work together, I will argue that they enact their own kind of logics of energy and waste. I will begin at the more visible end of the production cycle, the hardware layer, where the definition of waste and energy consumption is shared with many electronic devices; then I will trace back its algorithmic layer, which as I argue, follows a different logic. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
González, Pablo R. Velasco |
spellingShingle |
González, Pablo R. Velasco Superabundant design: from waste to control in Bitcoin mining |
author_facet |
González, Pablo R. Velasco |
author_sort |
González, Pablo R. Velasco |
title |
Superabundant design: from waste to control in Bitcoin mining |
title_short |
Superabundant design: from waste to control in Bitcoin mining |
title_full |
Superabundant design: from waste to control in Bitcoin mining |
title_fullStr |
Superabundant design: from waste to control in Bitcoin mining |
title_full_unstemmed |
Superabundant design: from waste to control in Bitcoin mining |
title_sort |
superabundant design: from waste to control in bitcoin mining |
publisher |
DARC (Digital Aesthetics Research Centre), Aarhus University |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://aprja.net//article/view/116041 |
genre |
Terranova |
genre_facet |
Terranova |
op_source |
APRJA; Årg. 5 Nr. 1 (2016): Excessive Research; 60-69 A Peer-Reviewed Journal About; Vol. 5 No. 1 (2016): Excessive Research; 60-69 2245-7755 |
op_relation |
https://aprja.net//article/view/116041/164219 https://aprja.net//article/view/116041 |
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A Peer-Reviewed Journal About |
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5 |
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1 |
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60 |
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69 |
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1766215399003652096 |