From: Jim Choate <ravage@ssz.com>
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 1998 01:44:12 +0800
To: cypherpunks@ssz.com (Cypherpunks Distributed Remailer)
Subject: Measure of information-v-time (fwd)
Message-ID: <199801281739.LAA07399@einstein.ssz.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text



Hi,

As a result of a completely non-crypto interest a discussion recently came
up about how information worth/accuracy goes down with time. A proposal was
made that I thought might be of some interest as a base for discussions of
data havens and how to treat the relative worth of information.

Forwarded message:

> From: "Richard A. Flores" <cybernot@gte.net>
> Subject: Re: dates in UWPs?
> Date: Wed, 28 Jan 1998 10:33:49 -0600
> Reply-To: traveller@mpgn.com

> SD Mooney <dom@cybergoths.u-net.com> wrote:
> 
> >Put it [the date notation] in the extended data set (as posted
> >by Marc) as a single (hex) code eg M0 is 0, etc and expand
> >as new milieus arise. This removes the problem of linking to
> >the dating system and adding in a -tve for Milieus prior to
> >M0. I mean, an Ancients set would otherwise be -200000!
> >
> Perhaps a simple logarithmic notation.  Something like:
> code
> #    Years since last survey
> 0                0 to 3 years
> 1                3 to 7 years
> 2                7 to 20 years
> 3              20 to 55 years
> 4              55 to 148 years
> 5            148 to 403 years
> 6            403 to 1,097 years
> 7         1,097 to 2,981 years
> 8         2,981 to 8,103 years
> 9         8,103 to 22,026 years
> A      22,026 to 59,874 years
> B      59,874 to 162,755 years
> C    162,755 to 442,413 years
> D    442,413 to 1,202,604 years
> E 1,202,604 to 3,269,017 years
> F 3,269,017 to 8,886,111 years
> 
> This single hexadecimal # would give us a time scale beyond anyone's
> estimates of possible dates on useful intelligence.


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