4 ms·

It's a very good explanation, but I think it could benefit from a simpler base case, and then the explicit addition of "rounds". So, the base case is "FOLIO is

It's a very good explanation, but I think it could benefit from a simpler base case, and then the explicit addition of "rounds". So, the base case is "FOLIO is on page 655(?)" and Alice gives Bob the number 655. Now, there are only 12 five-letter words on page 655, so she's actually giving a pretty good hint away. Instead, she picks the second word of the first line, and give the page of that. Depending on how secure she wants the verification to be, she can repeat this process, with each round making the one-way-function 1000(?) times harder to reverse.

deleted 14y ago
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jgrahamc 14y ago
I've added a PS. Thanks for the suggestion.
- 205guy 14y ago
  While you're taking editing suggestions, there are 2 points that are missing in the narrative: - Alice and Bob must have identical copies of the dictionary. Different editions could have slightly different definitions. The risk is not large, but it throws off all confidence. - Alice tells Bob her procedure. Either they do it in real-time together or she tells him the procedure along with the encrypted word. But nowhere in the text as written does Alice communicate the "algorithm" to Bob. Also, Bob does not know if Alice completed the puzzle until he completes the puzzle (or the solution is published) [actually that one clue, but Alice could've chosen any clue, possibly the last one that Bob finds]. The story made me believe Bob would know if Alice completed the puzzle immediately, so by definition of the problem, before he completed it. Is there a protocol that would allow this? [I think that's where we need 3rd party trusted sources]
dhimes 14y ago
she picks the second word of the first line, and give the page of that You've lost me. I think OP does it in a way that people don't have to guess at what he's talking about, which is important (very important) when introducing an idea). There are certain tweaks we can argue about to be sure, but I think this serves as an intro that everybody can "get." She's not securing a $100,000 account. If someone were to get interested in this and pursue more knowledge she would quickly realize that she couldn't use this algorithm to secure important accounts. Note: I assume you mean that she picks the second word of the first line, looks that word up in the dictionary and gives the page number of that word.
- mseebach 14y ago
  JGC is a better writer than me - I did not suggest the exact language, just the structure of an alternative approach to the explanation that I think would make it simpler.
  - dhimes 14y ago
    He is also a better writer than I am. What I was trying to suggest is that picking an example that is easy to clearly write to is also very important for introductory vignettes. Otherwise, you're left trying to explain things that you weren't even trying to explain. (I've done this in class many times and it's a pain in the ass. You end up spending a fair amount of the class off topic.) I will note here, however, that in this thread OP agrees with you.

deleted 14y ago

[deleted]

jgrahamc 14y ago

I've added a PS. Thanks for the suggestion.

205guy 14y ago
While you're taking editing suggestions, there are 2 points that are missing in the narrative: - Alice and Bob must have identical copies of the dictionary. Different editions could have slightly different definitions. The risk is not large, but it throws off all confidence. - Alice tells Bob her procedure. Either they do it in real-time together or she tells him the procedure along with the encrypted word. But nowhere in the text as written does Alice communicate the "algorithm" to Bob. Also, Bob does not know if Alice completed the puzzle until he completes the puzzle (or the solution is published) [actually that one clue, but Alice could've chosen any clue, possibly the last one that Bob finds]. The story made me believe Bob would know if Alice completed the puzzle immediately, so by definition of the problem, before he completed it. Is there a protocol that would allow this? [I think that's where we need 3rd party trusted sources]

dhimes 14y ago

she picks the second word of the first line, and give the page of that You've lost me. I think OP does it in a way that people don't have to guess at what he's talking about, which is important (very important) when introducing an idea). There are certain tweaks we can argue about to be sure, but I think this serves as an intro that everybody can "get." She's not securing a $100,000 account. If someone were to get interested in this and pursue more knowledge she would quickly realize that she couldn't use this algorithm to secure important accounts. Note: I assume you mean that she picks the second word of the first line, looks that word up in the dictionary and gives the page number of that word.

mseebach 14y ago
JGC is a better writer than me - I did not suggest the exact language, just the structure of an alternative approach to the explanation that I think would make it simpler.
- dhimes 14y ago
  He is also a better writer than I am. What I was trying to suggest is that picking an example that is easy to clearly write to is also very important for introductory vignettes. Otherwise, you're left trying to explain things that you weren't even trying to explain. (I've done this in class many times and it's a pain in the ass. You end up spending a fair amount of the class off topic.) I will note here, however, that in this thread OP agrees with you.