Illegal Math
blog.prakashvenkat.com
Illegal Math
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Re: Illegal Math
#2Related: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_number
> Any image file or an executable program can be regarded as simply a very large binary number. In certain jurisdictions, there are images that are illegal to possess, due to obscenity or secrecy/classified status, so the corresponding numbers could be illegal.
Re: Illegal Math
#3Disclaimer: I agree with the author on the encryption debate.
However, it's a slippery slope to say that encryption can't be illegal because in is math, and math can't be illegal.
It's equivalent to say that making bombs is chemistry, and chemistry can't be illegal. It's an oversimplification.
Presenting the practical consequences of a backdoor produces a far more sound argument.
Re: Illegal Math
#4Seems a little like saying, you burn some gas and your car goes, and if it goes 80mph, that's just physics. You can't make it illegal to obey the laws of physics?
Plants are just biology and burning things is just chemistry. You can't make it illegal for a plant to grow and for a human burn it and inhale it, can you?
Well...if you pass a law that pi=3 it doesn't change the nature of the universe, but it does regulate human transactions, and human behavior can be and sure is regulated using some strange laws.
Re: Illegal Math
#5Related: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_number > Any image file or an executable program can be regarded as simply a very large binary number. In certain jurisdictions, there are images that are illegal to possess, due to obscenity or secrecy/classified status, so the corresponding numbers could be illegal.
I'm more of a fan of illegal primes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_prime
Re: Illegal Math
#6Poul-Henning Kamp (bsdphk) known from FreeBSD and Varnish, have speculated that the future will bring certification for using cryptography, where decryption keys will need be placed on government servers.
He says that to avoid this to happen the citizens need to demand access to strong cryptography.
[0] He writes about it here (danish to english): https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=da&tl=en&js=y&prev...
Re: Illegal Math
#7Poul-Henning Kamp (bsdphk) known from FreeBSD and Varnish, have speculated that the future will bring certification for using cryptography, where decryption keys will need be placed on government servers. He says that to avoid this to happen the citizens need to demand access to strong cryptography. [0] He writes about it here (danish to english): https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=da&tl=en&js=y&prev...
The future may not be now but it is near.
Re: Illegal Math
#8government on all levels is corrupt.
buy guns and do something about it, pussies.
you nerds are pathetic.
Re: Illegal Math
#9I enjoyed the article's major theme of encryption as math - but the dedication of the second & third paragraphs to disparaging analogies was distracting.
Educating HN and SV on this topic is throwing so many logs on the fire - I literally haven't met anybody in tech that doesn't strongly support Apple / encryption.
On the other hand analogies - like "locks, doors, and burritos" - are the only chance we have to sway the POPULAR opinion in this country which currently sits 52% in favor of handing the govt the keys. (2)
And Donald Trump has recently shown with great effect what speaking like / explaining thing simply (at a 3rd grade level in fact) can do to reach Americans. (3)
And, as for "Illegal Math" in general, unfortunately there's prior art in this department as well ;-) (4) (5)
(1) http://www.people-press.org/files/2016/02/2-22-2016-iPhone-r...
(2) http://www.people-press.org/files/2016/02/2-22-2016-iPhone-r...
(3) http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/08/donald-trump-...
(4) http://everything2.com/title/Copyrighting%2520a%2520number
(5) http://mathbric.blogspot.com/2009/01/just-how-small-is-small...
Re: Illegal Math
#10Poul-Henning Kamp (bsdphk) known from FreeBSD and Varnish, have speculated that the future will bring certification for using cryptography, where decryption keys will need be placed on government servers. He says that to avoid this to happen the citizens need to demand access to strong cryptography. [0] He writes about it here (danish to english): https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=da&tl=en&js=y&prev...
If this were ever to happen, the only people using secure (deniable) cryptography would be be the bad actors. Everyone else would be screwed.