I haven't realized until recently how many different crypto-currencies have emerged the last years; coinmarketcap.com lists around 60 of them* and it seems that it isn't even a complete list (for example allahcoin that I've read about recently at HN is not listed).
I guess most of them are derived from Bitcoin and are somehow different trying to solve a real problem, eg Litecoin being more efficiently mined to reduce energy costs, but some are simply clones with only minor twists if any at all, or trying to appeal only specific audiences (gaming community, sex shoppers etc).
I think it would be interesting for me and others, a simple comparison list that explains in a few words how the concept of each currency is different to Bitcoin and what problems are they trying to solve, and not other details such as market capitalization, initial reward, who created it etc.
Related lists:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cryptocurrencies (interesting but doesn't explain the differences of the concept)
- https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/List_of_alternative_cryptocurrencies
- https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=134179.0 (by far the most complete list and quite close to what I'm asking, but doesn't explain clearly IMHO in all items what are the differences from Bitcoin)
* Follows the list of currencies found in coinmarketcap.com that I'm interested in; description of additional active ones are of course welcome: Litecoin, MasterCoin, Peercoin, Nxt, Namecoin, Quark, ProtoShares, WorldCoin, Megacoin, Primecoin, Feathercoin, Infinitecoin, DogeCoin, Novacoin, Zetacoin, Devcoin, Anoncoin, Digitalcoin, Freicoin, Copperlark, Terracoin, Ixcoin, Cryptogenic Bullion, NetCoin, GoldCoin, Tickets, BBQCoin, StableCoin, Sexcoin, Fastcoin, Deutsche eMark, Unobtanium, MemoryCoin, Datacoin, GrandCoin, Yacoin, FlorinCoin, Mincoin, I0Coin, Tigercoin, BetaCoin, Luckycoin, TagCoin, Diamond, GlobalCoin, BitBar, CasinoCoin, EZCoin, Philosopher Stones, Phoenixcoin, Orbitcoin, Bytecoin, GameCoin, Argentum, Franko, HoboNickels, Noirbits, Joulecoin, CraftCoin, Elacoin, Junkcoin, Spots.