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RE: Discrete logs 1
[...Interesting discussion of logarithms deleted...]
The discrete logs used in crypto have very different mathematical
properties than regular logarithms, but I thought this bit of history
would spark some memories in old-timers and give a new perspective for
younger people.
Hal
As an apparent old-timer (calculators weren't common until my college days,
which puts me a couple of years before you, I guess) I enjoyed the
retrospective, and I even recall the joke that goes with the punchline you
quoted. It's amazing to realize that only a few years ago, we were
calculating orbital trajectories using logarithms by lining up marks on
little sticks of wood! I have to admit, though, that I was a little
disappointed after your opening paragraph, because what I was really hoping
to hear was a straightforward explanation of discrete logs, which, as you
say, are entirely different. A simple layman's explanation of what they
are and how they're useful in crypto would be nice, especially since PGP is
moving toward this (just when I was beginning to get a handle on RSA!).
Now that I have an interest in all this, I wish Rich Schroeppel still
worked here (he worked at Inference when I started here in '88, and has
since done a lot of pioneering work on discrete logs). Me, I'm still
trying to figure out what sort of seed is best to plant in a Galois
field...
Tunny
======================================================================
James A. Tunnicliffe | WWWeb: http://www.inference.com/~tunny
Inference Corporation | PGP Fingerprint: CA 23 E2 F3 AC 2D 0C 77
[email protected] | 36 07 D9 33 3D 32 53 9C
======================================================================
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