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There are many discussions going on when it comes to Ethereum and its future downsizing solutions. One of the main topics of the debate is a solution under the name of ProgPoW. This programmatic test of labor implementation can be potentially revolutionary for Ethereum, both for good and for bad. Some sources claim that it aims to get rid of ASIC, although this is not necessarily entirely correct.
The purpose of ProgPoW
While one must praise enthusiasts and developers to examine the different ways of moving Ethereum in the next phase of development, some ideas raise more questions than answers. In the case of Ethereum, the solution known as ProgPoW has caused little discussion over the last few months. This is normal, as the idea is a bit controversial first of all.
To put ProgPoW in perspective, it is a new work test algorithm. Most people already know that Ethereum will pass the game test at some point in the future. So far, there is no official date yet when that switch will take place exactly. Until the implementation of the PoS will be available, first of all other solutions to combat the bomb of mining difficulties will have to be explored. Especially with Constantinople behind the corner, ProgPoW can be quite interesting to explore.
The proposal itself aimed to do Mining GPU more efficient. At the same time, it reduces the efficiency of ASIC mining. While some sources erroneously state that this means that Ethereum will completely free itself of the ASIC miners, this is all but the case. Inside, the ASIC miners will not go away anytime soon, although there is a case to be done to improve on the GPU extraction. Bridging the efficiency gap between the two will be quite challenging and, without this new PoW algorithm, it may not even happen.
Under the hood, ProgPoW modifies the Keccak algorithm to reduce the impact on total energy consumption. Furthermore, the reading of the DRAM also increases. While both of these changes can be countered through a customized ASIC, it remains to be seen if any manufacturer will dedicate research and development to that particular aspect. As such, it appears that the existing ASICs will remain, but will not necessarily offer much benefit if this algorithm will ever be implemented.
The main question is whether ProgPoW will be implemented or not. The general community of Ethereum did not respond too kindly to this concept at the beginning, mainly because there are many uncertainties about this proposal. Moreover, Constantinople's fork will already reduce the reward of the block, so there does not seem to be any immediate reason to modify the Etheruem algorithm at this stage. If ProgPoW was proposed several years ago, things could end differently. For now, not many people are convinced that this concept is even necessary.
While it is nice to see several proposals come to fruition on Ethereum, one has to ask whether ProgPoW will have an important role or not. If the community does not agree with this proposal, it seems unlikely that developers will implement it. So far, other options have been considered to make Ethereum a more robust ecosystem in the future. What road will be undertaken after the change of Constantinople, remains in the air at this time.
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