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How could you even suggest that rot13 is similar to one time pad encryption? They could not be more different. One is kindergarten crypto, while the other is mathematically proven to be unbreakable.


How could you even suggest that rot13 is similar to one time pad encryption?

That's a really good question, and I'm glad I never did it. My code used rot13 for demo purposes (as explained in my post); actual usage involved a proper crypto JS lib (as explained in my post).

Some assembly required, though. I left it up to users to decide what crypto lib they wanted to use.


Advertisers pay platform owners to have sex with user data. That does not sound nice, but it's an analogy that most people can understand.

The advertisers are the Johns (paying customers). The platform owners are the pimps. The users are the whores. Once you understand that, things become crystal clear. The more whores a platform owner has, the more they can charge the Johns to fuck the data. Pimps fight over whores and try to keep them from leaving. They fight over territory too.

What you want? White males between 24 and 28 in the 12345 zip code who like sports cars and are college graduates. We've got 18,000 of them. How much cash you got?

It's big business. Smart money is on the G pimp. They own more street corners.


Crass, but oh-so-on-the-money...

(I might have to A/B test this against my usual "if you're not paying for it, you're not the customer, you're the product" version...)


But the F pimp has vastly more whores.


Woz is a real technologist. He loves hardware and software. I really admire him.


Once again, I must post the link to Jessica Livingston's full, extraordinary interview of Steve Wozniak. In case someone has not yet grokked it.

http://www.foundersatwork.com/steve-wozniak.html


Love that interview, especially his brilliant hack to create color.


Small nitpick: I believe you're misusing the word "grok".


It's a shame that so few of the big figures in tech really exude passion and enthusiasm (like the other other Steve also did).


Violence is far easier and much less expensive. No need to hire a PhD in physics/math and purchase expensive equipment. Why bother? Violence is universally understood (no language barrier). All you need is a few guys who have no feelings. They could buy the equipment they need at Walmart. A few hammers and some pliers. Job done.


Netbooks have replaceable keyboards. You'd never know.


200 years ago, every man could own a rifle and all rifles were assault rifles. Citizens were equal with their governments. They could ban together and form armies. Today, looking at the vast differences between arms that governments posses versus what their citizens may legally posses and you'll soon realize that the only technological equality we have remaining is strong encryption thus the governments attack that technology accusing everyone who uses it of being either a state sponsored terrorist or a child porn monster (why else would anyone use it... what do they have to hide). They themselves use encryption extensively, but they don't want me and you to do so.

The United States once classified some encryption algorithms as a munition and banned exports. We citizens can't buy tanks or air craft carriers or satellites, but we can legally use AES 256 encryption (at least for now) and we should. That's all we have left.


every man could own a rifle

In 1810, the 1 in 6 Americans that were enslaved were not allowed to own guns. In another twenty years even free black men were no longer allowed to own guns (varied by state).

Not terribly relevant, but it is easy to forget where we come from and how far we've come in a relatively short time.

the only technological equality we have remaining is strong encryption – um, I can think of too many counter examples to even begin.

The United States once classified some encryption algorithms as a munition and banned exports. – remember to thank Al Gore for having the stones to let that be lifted and bringing us a fine SSL future with secure(ish) commerce in the Internet. (Ancient history, back in his VP days.)


I am not convinced, that all that much has changed at the core -- despite Ed Bernay's work and the American Dream. Today, 1 in 6 Americans that were enslaved are rotting in prison etc. Another sign of a larger problem tp is alluding to.

And Al Gore -- besides obviously having invented the InterTubes -- was only reacting post festa. The PGP printout-book was scanned Down And Under (take that Regulators!), and free implementations of strong crypto were popping up everywhere (ie .de). Banning export was useless. If you can't beat them, join them, and Let the Commerce Profit! Recent history, given his commercial interests of the Intertube days (iGOOG Board). The Doors (of revolving perceptions :).


Indeed; it was said best below by another commenter:

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3253811


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