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Bitcoin Mining on Mac Classic
68k mac bitcoin miner... Giving a mac a job to do that won't finish before the heat death of the universe...

Features:​

  • Real Bitcoin Mining: Connects to actual mining pools using Stratum protocol
  • 68000 Assembly Optimized: Hand-tuned SHA-256 implementation for 2-3x performance
  • MacTCP Support: Network mining via TCP/IP
  • Authentic Mac OS 6.8 UI: Classic rounded buttons and text fields
  • Real-time Statistics: Hash rate, shares found, shares accepted


Posted by: DrewyNucci on 2025-12-09 17:51:31
Crypto is most assuredly not for me, but I respect the dedication and thoroughness. A few questions: what is Mac OS 6.8 (do you mean 6.0.8), and what is the screenshot from? (It's not from the Mac Plus that you mention, that's for certain.)

I think some qualification of "slowest Bitcoin miner ever" may be worth doing --- you could well be the slowest miner directly connected to real mining pools, but the work of Ken Shirriff is interesting to consider all the same.


Posted by: stepleton on 2025-12-09 20:48:16
I doubt this is a real project. The screenshot is certainly not from a vintage Mac and everything looks very AI generated.

Posted by: robin-fo on 2025-12-09 23:33:15
I just looked at the commit history, specifically the "instrctions.docx" [sic] file that was later deleted. This is blatantly the work of an agent or LLM.

Posted by: Boctor on 2025-12-10 01:05:12
LOL, you guys are such hater nerds! I don't know how to code, yes its LLM driven, I thought it would be fun and funny to make a program that can actually mine bitcoin on my mac classic I just restored... I think if you start out with the thought in your head of, "oh man! that's so funny and awesome" and then judge the project based upon that starting point its easier to evaluate it as intended; a useless and fun exercise in futility...

Posted by: DrewyNucci on 2025-12-10 09:42:20
Crypto is most assuredly not for me, but I respect the dedication and thoroughness. A few questions: what is Mac OS 6.8 (do you mean 6.0.8), and what is the screenshot from? (It's not from the Mac Plus that you mention, that's for certain.)

I think some qualification of "slowest Bitcoin miner ever" may be worth doing --- you could well be the slowest miner directly connected to real mining pools, but the work of Ken Shirriff is interesting to consider all the same.
good catch, i kept seeing "6.8" on the page but couldn't quite make the connection i was missing the ".0" much appreciated for the correction 🙂


Posted by: DrewyNucci on 2025-12-10 09:43:33
do you.... actually know if it works?

Posted by: zigzagjoe on 2025-12-10 09:53:54
do you.... actually know if it works?
not yet... running down an issue with a via chip that needs to be replaced, its still a work in progress, hence no asset uploaded yet


Posted by: DrewyNucci on 2025-12-10 09:54:50
WTF?

Posted by: luRaichu on 2025-12-10 10:36:49
...I think if you start out with the thought in your head of, "oh man! that's so funny and awesome" and then judge the project based upon that starting point its easier to evaluate it as intended...
Man, that's brilliant. I gotta start using that one at work.

I agree the concept is fun, and I'm glad you're having fun with it. Just needed a bit of polish before releasing to the world. I expect we'll be seeing it on Hackaday soon regardless.


Posted by: obsolete on 2025-12-10 10:50:52
what

Posted by: cheesestraws on 2025-12-10 10:59:31
Man, that's brilliant. I gotta start using that one at work.

I agree the concept is fun, and I'm glad you're having fun with it. Just needed a bit of polish before releasing to the world. I expect we'll be seeing it on Hackaday soon regardless.
Thank you! I appreciate you seeing the humor in the concept! 🙂


Posted by: DrewyNucci on 2025-12-10 11:06:57
🤦‍♂️

Posted by: joshc on 2025-12-10 12:16:17
what

Posted by: finkmac on 2025-12-10 12:24:35
The concept is quite fun but the execution is shallow. In addition… you need to know your audience better… this really isn’t the best forum for showing off AI generated software. Most of us here value the thought and effort that goes into a project as much as the end result, and AI stuff brings almost nothing of the individual personality to the table. That’s why you’re getting the reaction you’re getting.

Posted by: croissantking on 2025-12-10 13:35:58
The concept is quite fun but the execution is shallow. In addition… you need to know your audience better… this really isn’t the best forum for showing off AI generated software. Most of us here value the thought and effort that goes into a project as much as the end result, and AI stuff brings almost nothing of the individual personality to the table. That’s why you’re getting the reaction you’re getting.
Thank you for the explanation, but I believe you to be mistaken. I wasn't mystified or somehow upset by a reaction of people who clearly know github way better than I, to be able to do detective work and judge the value of a joke (mining bitcoin on a 68k cpu) based upon whether I wrote it all by myself or with crayon or pissed it into a snowbank or whatever...

I was more commenting on how those people are nerds who think their value system of "pure code" and "value" in their work being anything other than res ipsa locuator. (layman explanation: the value of the work is self evident based upon its intrinsic value regardless of method of creation). So just as you have explained something that didn't need explaining I have done the same for you in return...

Again everyone that is critical of its perceived value or its "craftsmanship," you are a huge nerd and can suck an egg... Anyone who would like to make it better or can just appreciate the absurdity and uselessness; congrats you get the joke and the purpose. 🙂


Posted by: DrewyNucci on 2025-12-10 14:12:14
ah, you reached the "everyone must think I'm wonderful" meltdown faster than most. Congratulations on being a failed adult, I guess?

Posted by: cheesestraws on 2025-12-10 14:15:57
not yet... running down an issue with a via chip that needs to be replaced, its still a work in progress, hence no asset uploaded yet
and my floppy drive gear just crumbled, so until the new gear comes in, it will be a bit until I can work on it again...


Posted by: DrewyNucci on 2025-12-10 14:16:14
ah, you reached the "everyone must think I'm wonderful" meltdown faster than most. Congratulations on being a failed adult, I guess?
Thank you, I guess, as well... hahaha... I get it, if i had an ego, I too would think these are all personal slights and attacks. I just don't see it that way. What would you like to contribute/see done in the future? I am always up for some constructive suggestions.

Credentialism is kinda moot here, I already said I don't know how to code.. so all the egg sucking nerds are basically punching down on someone who doesn't know anything much like a child who has an exciting idea and tries to awkwardly execute it. So is that a way you can understand my position?


Posted by: DrewyNucci on 2025-12-10 14:18:31
I expect we'll be seeing it on Hackaday soon regardless.
This in particular got me good.


Posted by: Boctor on 2025-12-10 14:28:08