From: Tim May <tcmay@got.net>
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1998 12:21:11 +0800
To: cypherpunks@cyberpass.net
Subject: Re: First "Crypto Refugee"?
In-Reply-To: <199809040233.TAA29401@netcom13.netcom.com>
Message-ID: <v03130314b29cdad2d976@[209.66.101.206]>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



At 11:04 AM -0800 12/15/98, tony@secapl.com wrote:
>> the shakespeare analysis seems like a good idea to
>> me. I am not aware of literate papers that try to
>> analyze it with frequency analysis instead of
>> just vague assertions by the authors. there is
>> a huge set of literature that tries to link of
>> the writings of shakespeare to someone else, but
>> as far as I know not much of it is computer analysis.
>
>  This was what brought William Freidman to Riverside, where he both
>created monographs on cryptanalysis and met his wife. (described in detail
>in Kahn.)

And computerized textual analyses of Shakespeare was one of the most
publicized applications of the computers in the 60s. I remember reading
several stories about this then. And I recall an exhibit on the results of
such computerized search, as of around 1968 or so, at the Folger
Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. (a class outing).

As when Detweiler or someone proposed this as a "neat thing for Cypherpunks
to do" a couple of years ago, the idea was old before 98% of this list were
born.

Not saying it's not still an interesting research topic, just that it's a
well-established field. And most of the low-hanging fruit has been picked.

--Tim May


Y2K -- LMGALMAO -- Loading my guns and laughing my ass off
---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:----
Timothy C. May              | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money,
ComSec 3DES:   831-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero
W.A.S.T.E.: Corralitos, CA  | knowledge, reputations, information markets,
Licensed Ontologist         | black markets, collapse of governments.