Anyone know about bitcoin mining?

[adelicatequestion]

My son is 13 this week and has asked for either:

money towards building his own computer

or ASICs to do bitcoin mining.

What do you buy for bitcoin mining. Is it just a scam or would he be able to use an ASIC? Is it easy to plug in? Will he need anything else?

I am clueless when it comes to this.

All suggestions gratefullt received as I'm running out of time and need to make a decision.

TIA

It's not a scam, but you need to be careful exactly what product you're buying.

Have a look at the Ars Technica article on mining for a very brief overview.

Before buying him anything it might be worth digging around the Bitcoin forums on Reddit or having a look through The Bitcoin Foundation site - run by some of the early (commercial) adapters.

If he gets to the point he wants to sell any, then go via a reputable exchange such as Mt.Gox. (Not without its detractors, but they are honest/upright).

Thanks

I will have a look at those links.

Am erring on the side of an entry level gaming pc that he can upgrade over time bit by bit and still use the graphics card for bitcoining.

Thankyou for the response