From: jamesd@echeque.com
Date: Tue, 9 Apr 1996 19:39:18 +0800
To: Jack Mott <cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: questions about bits and bytes
Message-ID: <199604090654.XAA16867@dns2.noc.best.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At 09:33 PM 4/8/96 -0400, Jack Mott wrote:
> a bit is 1 or 0
> 8 bits make up a byte (0-255)
> If I have a 5 byte key, does that make it a 40 bit key? 

Yes.  

> The only
> reason this doesn't make sense to me is it seems useless to use 5 byte
> keys, yet that is what companies export since the government limits keys
> to 40 bits.

Yes, a 40 bit key is useless.  What is it that does not make sense to you?
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
              				|  
We have the right to defend ourselves	|   http://www.jim.com/jamesd/
and our property, because of the kind	|  
of animals that we are. True law	|   James A. Donald
derives from this right, not from the	|  
arbitrary power of the state.		|   jamesd@echeque.com