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Da Vinci Code Message Revealed

Ironsides writes "The message embedded in the Da Vinci Code ruling earlier this week has been cracked. The message reads 'Smithy Code Jackie Fisher who are you Dreadnought' and is a reference to an event from about 100 years ago. The encryption scheme itself was based on the Fibonacci number Sequence which is the same one used in the novel."

17 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. And then... by gowen · · Score: 5, Funny
    The encryption scheme itself was based on the Fibonacci number Sequence which is the same one used in the novel
    At which point Dan Brown announced his intention to sue the judge for copyright infringement.

    "I'm the only one allowed to endlessly recycle the plot of 'The DaVinci Code' into other works", said Brown.
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  2. "An event"? by stjobe · · Score: 4, Informative
    From TFA:
    The judge admires Admiral Jackie Fisher, who developed battleship HMS Dreadnought, which launched in February 1906, 100 years before the case began.

    In a statement, Mr Justice Smith said: "The message reveals a significant, but now overlooked event that occurred virtually 100 years to the day of the start of the trial."
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  3. Re:it's good to see by ComaVN · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You might need to lighten up. Not everything anyone ever does needs to be 100% productive to society, you know. Posting on slashdot comes to mind.

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    Be wary of any facts that confirm your opinion.
  4. Uh? by CCFreak2K · · Score: 2, Informative

    Maybe I'm just ignorant, but the article is about someone's own Da Vinci-like code, not THE DaVinci code, as the title/summary suggests.

    Another fine Slashdot entry?

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    "Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master."
  5. Yeah yeah, very clever... by j.a.mcguire · · Score: 5, Funny

    das dratsab srehpargotpyrc og emoh!

  6. Re:again, again! by VanillaBabies · · Score: 4, Funny

    Not sure about you, but i already need a crack team of lawyers and interpreters to know what most legislation and court rulings mean. Lets keep the codes to a minimum.

  7. An event indeed. by Gorath99 · · Score: 4, Informative

    "John Arbuthnot Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher, RN (January 25, 1841 - July 10, 1920), commonly known as "Jackie" Fisher, was a British admiral known for his efforts at naval reform. He had a huge influence on the Royal Navy in a career spanning more than 60 years, starting in a navy of wooden sailing ships armed with muzzle-loading cannon and ending in one of battlecruisers, submarines and the first aircraft carriers. The argumentative, energetic, reform-minded Fisher is often considered the second most important figure of British naval history, after Lord Nelson."

    "The sixth HMS Dreadnought of the British Royal Navy was the first battleship to have a uniform main battery, rather than having a secondary battery of smaller guns. She was also the first large warship to be powered by steam turbines, making her the fastest warship of her size. So advanced was Dreadnought that her name became a generic term for modern battleships, whilst the ships she made obsolete were known as "pre-dreadnoughts". Her introduction helped spark off a major naval arms race as navies around the world rushed to match her, particularly the Germans in the build up to the First World War."

    Taken from wikipedia.

    1. Re:An event indeed. by Duhavid · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Quite true, but realize that American was building the South Carolina class ( laid down in 12/06,
      planning had to have begun before Dreadnought's launch ).

      And what is with the downmods? Dreadnought was brought up in the topic,
      but we cant talk about it?

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      emt 377 emt 4
    2. Re:An event indeed. by Duhavid · · Score: 2, Informative

      You have a good point, but, the biggest idea was the uniformity
      of weaponry. For America, there was little point in moving to
      turbines just yet as the fleet speed would still have been low,
      and only two ships of this class would be built.

      Warships1.com rates South Carolina and on as Dreadnought battleships,
      and as does Hazegray.org, specifically not lumping them in with
      the pre-dreadnoughts. Hazegray had this to say: ( about the South Carolina class )

      "The first US dreadnoughts, and by design the first all-big-gun ships in the world. However, they were directly developed from the predreadnought designs, and were quite conservative in many areas; as a result, they were not as effective or satisfactory as other nations' first-generation dreadnoughts. During WWI they served with the predreadnoughts in secondary roles."

      Warships1's rating may well be based on the commission date being after
      Dreadnought's, so I dont know what kind of weighting to give that.

      So, classification wise I have yet to see anything that
      rates them as pre-dreadnought, but your point is a very good one.

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      emt 377 emt 4
  8. Article Devoid of Facts by zaguar · · Score: 5, Informative

    The article failed to mention how he solved it. It was a Polyalphabetic Cipher with the key being the Fibonnaci sequence. For those who want to crack it, the sequence of numbers for the key is 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34 etc, in recursive form: T(n+1)=T(n)+T(n-1)

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  9. Re:ummm... by danceswithtrees · · Score: 2, Interesting
    give grounds for the plaintiff for a retrial?

    I don't think so. Perhaps it just proves that he read at least one of the books involved- which is a good thing. The whole case was about the first book's ideas (a book which was not about fiction but new interpretations of the relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalen, ie NON-FICTION) being used as the basis for a FICTIONAL story. The whole basis for the case was a bit fishy.

    In any case, sales of the first book have skyrocketed and the author of the first book must be happy (if this was his plan, kudos). Dan Brown (author of the DaVinci Code) won the case, the movie is just coming out, and the whole ordeal has created even more publicity (any publicity is good publicity). In other words, both parties came out ahead! No need for a retrial because both parties are happy.
  10. Re:again, again! by NoTheory · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Actually, judges in the US insert all sorts of stuff into their rulings depending on how bored/pissed off they are at a particular case, lawyer, etc.

    Exhibit 1.

    Other examples include rulings written entirely in rhyming couplets, and more. Apparently Law Schools test their n00b students' ability to research cases by asking they dig up such arcane trivia.

    IANAL but I know a number of law students.

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    There are lives at stake here!
  11. Re:ummm... by SachiCALaw · · Score: 4, Informative

    I am a lawyer, and to put it succinctly, no, being a fan of the book would not be grounds for reversal. Judges cannot have financial interests in cases, and should not have personal entanglements with parties, but reading a party's book is not such a personal entanglement that would be ground for reversal.

  12. Re:Time well spent by SachiCALaw · · Score: 3, Insightful

    EVERY workplace is improved by a bit of light-heartedness, including courts. I've appeared in court many times, and things definitely work much more smoothly (and faster!) in courtrooms where the judges and court officials are open to a bit of humor. Think of your own jobs - don't you get more done, overall, in jobs when you can have a bit of fun in contrast to those where you are tied to a grumpy ball and chain?

  13. No, wrong key... by Junta · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smithy_code
    There is a twist on the sequency not quite being the Fibonacci sequence. Evidently, a twist derived from the Holy Blood, Holy Grail work.

    If you don't want to work through it, they even give python code so you can see the 'jackie fister who are you dreadnough' decode for yourself.

    --
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  14. How Ben Hoyle cracked the code by frank249 · · Score: 3, Interesting
    One of the facts that the linked article failed to mention is that it was Ben Hoyle, a reporter for the Times, that cracked the code. His personal account of how he did it is here. He admits that he had a couple broad hints from the judge and the help of Ray Keene, The Times Chess Correspondent.

    As for Jackie Fisher, I like Al Stewart's song Old Admirals that is based on his life. While he did some great things, he should not have been recalled as First Lord of the Admiralty. He opposed Churchill's plan for Gallipoli. Although the operation went forward, it was Fisher's refusal to fully support the operation with enough ships and shells that lead to its failure and the death of thousands of Anzacs.

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    Today's vices may be tomorrow's virtues.

  15. Re:again, again! by rah1420 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Barnes and Noble has a book all about the humor in decisions handed down by courts. It's called Corpus Juris Humorous. Pretty funny.

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