4 ms·

Predigital libraries offered both these things. Compression: Microfilm. Encryption: Well, not encryption exactly, but encryption is just an end to a means, wh

Predigital libraries offered both these things. Compression: Microfilm. Encryption: Well, not encryption exactly, but encryption is just an end to a means, which is privacy of communication. Libraries offer private reading rooms and generally refuse to release lending history to any random person who asks.

vundercind 2y ago
Yeah, I mean you can come up with some nonsense to make anything “true” but books generally don’t have encryption or compression and are some of the best communication technology ever. Among a whole bunch of others. The original assertion that communication technologies without both(!) those things are “toys” is just weird nonsense. [edit] downvoting will not make this: > Communication technologies without both [encryption and compression] are no more than toys. Anything but a stupendously and obviously incorrect claim. How about street signs? Letters? Newspapers? PA systems FFS? All toys I guess.
- chongli 2y ago
  Wikipedia is roughly analogous to a university library and notice that Wikipedia connects with https by default now. Why should we care that our connection to Wikipedia is encrypted (assuming we’re not going to log in)? Because encryption protects our privacy when browsing the encyclopedia. In a physical library your privacy is protected by logistics: if someone wants to spy on what you’re reading they need to actually travel to the library or otherwise set up some kind of physical surveillance there. Unencrypted communications over the internet do not present any logistical challenge whatsoever for would-be snoops. All unencrypted traffic can be scooped up and catalogued automatically to build a detailed dossier on all users. This sort of dragnet surveillance was never feasible at physical libraries.

4 ms·

Predigital libraries offered both these things. Compression: Microfilm. Encryption: Well, not encryption exactly, but encryption is just an end to a means, wh

by Calavar 2y ago

vundercind 2y ago
Yeah, I mean you can come up with some nonsense to make anything “true” but books generally don’t have encryption or compression and are some of the best communication technology ever. Among a whole bunch of others. The original assertion that communication technologies without both(!) those things are “toys” is just weird nonsense. [edit] downvoting will not make this: > Communication technologies without both [encryption and compression] are no more than toys. Anything but a stupendously and obviously incorrect claim. How about street signs? Letters? Newspapers? PA systems FFS? All toys I guess.
- chongli 2y ago
  Wikipedia is roughly analogous to a university library and notice that Wikipedia connects with https by default now. Why should we care that our connection to Wikipedia is encrypted (assuming we’re not going to log in)? Because encryption protects our privacy when browsing the encyclopedia. In a physical library your privacy is protected by logistics: if someone wants to spy on what you’re reading they need to actually travel to the library or otherwise set up some kind of physical surveillance there. Unencrypted communications over the internet do not present any logistical challenge whatsoever for would-be snoops. All unencrypted traffic can be scooped up and catalogued automatically to build a detailed dossier on all users. This sort of dragnet surveillance was never feasible at physical libraries.