user32793: I am new to using bitcoin, and I don't have any mining hardware, just my computer. I got GUIminer, and set the server to other, and the host name to http://api.bitcoin.cz, port 8332. I entered my username and worker name, and it's now mining (very slowly, as expected) but still mining, however, it says on slush's server that i don't have any active workers and I'm not mining, anybody know what the problem is? I also have 1 stale share, what is that, and how did i get it?

user5406: Your hashpower is magnitudes too low. It is so low, that the pool doesn't accept your work, because it will never amount to any use. You are competing with a teaspoon in a world of Bucket-wheel excavators. You will be expending energy and never gain any revenue. Please check out In the ASIC-age, is it worth starting mining Bitcoin at home? for a more comprehensive overview of the mining situation.
Shares are simpler portions of work at a lower difficulty than blocks. They are used by mining pools to gauge the contribution of miners. You apparently found a single share, but it was found after the pool had started working on a new block. When your guiminer told the pool about it, it was already outdated.

32793: <p>I am new to using bitcoin, and I don't have any mining hardware, just my computer. I got GUIminer, and set the server to other, and the host name to <a href="http://api.bitcoin.cz" rel="nofollow">http://api.bitcoin.cz</a>, port 8332. I entered my username and worker name, and it's now mining (very slowly, as expected) but still mining, however, it says on slush's server that i don't have any active workers and I'm not mining, anybody know what the problem is? I also have 1 stale share, what is that, and how did i get it?</p>
 5406: <p>Your hashpower is magnitudes too low. It is so low, that the pool doesn't accept your work, because it will never amount to any use. You are competing with a teaspoon in a world of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucket-wheel_excavator" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Bucket-wheel excavators</a>. You will be expending energy and never gain any revenue. Please check out <a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/41276/5406">In the ASIC-age, is it worth starting mining Bitcoin at home?</a> for a more comprehensive overview of the mining situation.</p>

<p>Shares are simpler portions of work at a lower difficulty than blocks. They are used by mining pools to gauge the contribution of miners. You apparently found a single share, but it was found after the pool had started working on a new block. When your <code>guiminer</code> told the pool about it, it was already outdated.</p>
