This question is important for the main part of miners. Valeriy Marshalin, Minerall.io CTO tells how to not get into a puddle with testing pools.
— How to conduct tests to get a real result?
— Parallel testing (AB test) for two control groups — there is all you need. There are few strict rules to do it. Pools must be:
1. on the same equipment;
2. in the same volumes;
3. at the same time — in parallel (due to a possible change in profitability associated with a change in the complexity of the network over time);
3. The optimal test time depends on the method of payments on pools: (consider the two most popular) PPS and PPLNS from 2 weeks — to smooth out the unstable indicator of varnish on pools.
In addition, it is necessary to understand that PPS pools can easily manipulate data, such as adding coins. So, according to their plan, pools protect themselves from hoppers. We haven’t explored the direction of PPS and PPS +, therefore we don’t consider such a test.
— What is the difference between PPS + and PPS?
— Each pool makes its own calculus and puts its own concepts. And therefore, PPS+ at different pools can be really different: it can be “pay per share” and something else plus. And this is something that may differ on different pools. All consider the method of payment in their own way (their rules for each pool).
— Can we compare PPS and PPLNS?
— When you test AB, you can’t stop one of the tests. But to compare an ungrateful business, how can you influence, for example, if the owner of the pool gives a coefficient plus a percentage, how to influence? The longer the gap you take, the greater the likelihood that the pool will cease to donate.
The whole PPS campaign is designed to simplify the life of a miner in terms of planning. He sees how much he gets for today. The approximate amount, it changes during the day. In PPS it is protected, but the nominal margin is fixed.
In the PPLNS concept, the miner doesn’t know how much he will receive — maybe 80 and 140. Why our pool is advantageously used against other pools, this is because everyone who uses the accrual system to the standard value, they use the forecast tied to the average over the network generally. Our platform is not a network average, so the result is higher. All PPS pools try to fit. For the user, this is a guaranteed income and there is no transparent accrual and can attract donate. The system of fines may allow defending against pool hoppers. If we were a pool hopper counting on short rounds. Only for the share they sent.
— What popular delusions exist?
— The main delusion is that miner can compare every pool to another. You can compare the profitability of two pools on the same method by calculating the average size of the block that pool do for a certain period of time. It is important how much money you have on your balance sheet and how much money really came. This is the only way to compare. We can find 1 block instead of 1 THr/s, if we compare then we find 100 blocks with an average of 3 or all 100 blocks are uncle, they also find one of 100 blocks with an indicator of 5. Which pool do you choose?
There is one and only indicator — how many coins on the wallet. Everything else is nonsense. The computing systems are always different. All other comparison methods are not valid!