Wow! I actually pretty much understood that. THANKS!!!
As time goes on, the numbers get larger, the time to check a new number goes up. Also, since the criteria scale linearly but the processor power of computers does not, the rules also state that the value of each new coin goes down periodically. So a new coin found today may be worth only 50% of what a coin mined last year was worth. (making that up as an example, I don't have hard numbers offhand) But this means that coins continue to be scarce and thus hold their value, even as computers get more powerful.
That's not clear: how can "the rules" affect the value of a publicly traded "commodity"?
Aren't all Bitcoins, whenever they were mined, worth the same amount today?
(
The £625m lost forever - the phenomenon of disappearing Bitcoins is a gut-wrenching read.)
