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Colossus Cracks Again

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the now-yer-playing-with-power dept.

BOfH writes "The BBC is reporting that following a 14-year rebuild project, the Colossus computer is once again cracking codes at Bletchley Park." They will crack WWII-era encrypted messages, and compete against modern PCs. Fun stuff for crypto nerds and history buffs.

17 of 88 comments (clear)

  1. The real question is.... by zappepcs · · Score: 5, Funny

    will it be able to detect dupes?

    --
    Support NYCountryLawyer RIAA vs People
  2. How long by Steeltalon · · Score: 2, Funny

    until someone ports Quake to it?

    --
    Regards, Ian
    1. Re:How long by somersault · · Score: 2, Funny

      And less importantly, will it run Vista?

      --
      which is totally what she said
  3. Not as fast as it used to be. by RandoX · · Score: 4, Funny

    The machine is only running at about 30% of the speed it did originally. It appears that their ISP is throttling their packets for some reason. Comcast cited DMCA violations as the reason for the packet shaping.

    1. Re:Not as fast as it used to be. by Basehart · · Score: 2, Funny

      I found a really old photo of it with its operator. Amazing how old this thing really is.

  4. Re:And how is this different. . . by FredDC · · Score: 2, Funny

    This is the decrypted version?

    --
    09 f9 11 02 9d 74 e3 5b d8 41 56 c5 63
  5. Linux port by Gothmolly · · Score: 2, Funny

    Any word on the Debian port ?

    --
    I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
  6. Colossus & Guardian live by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064177/

    So should we be running for cover?

  7. I Want a Babbage Engine, Dammit! by R2.0 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm a mechanical engineer, and I demand the construction of a full scale Babbage engine, simply for bragging rights. ...grumble grumble...fucking EE's think the sun shines out their asses...grumble...

    --
    "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." A. Carlson
    1. Re:I Want a Babbage Engine, Dammit! by tsjaikdus · · Score: 4, Funny

      He also required the printer to have a blue pen the could fill in large surfaces.

  8. Re:Link to Bletchley Park by Bloke+down+the+pub · · Score: 5, Funny

    Not all of us are fortunate neough to be able to travel to London.
    Not a problem, it's in Milton Keynes.
    --
    It's true I tell you, feller at work's next door neighbour read it in the paper.
  9. The first message cracked by albeit+unknown · · Score: 4, Funny

    Be sure to drink your ovaltine

  10. Even more important than that . . . by SpeedyGonz · · Score: 3, Funny

    . . . Will it blend?

  11. Ooh, I get to do it this time! by Grimbleton · · Score: 2, Funny

    I, for one, welcome our restored cryptography overlords.

  12. Re:Link to Bletchley Park by Stooshie · · Score: 2, Funny

    ... It made me wonder, though, how similar today's military codebreaking centres like Ft. Mead are in terms of comaraderie ...

    What military code breaking centres? There are none!

    --
    America, Home of the Brave. ... .and the Squaw.
  13. Colossus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Imagine a beowulf cluster of these!

    (On topic and properly executed, complete with exclamation point. Amateurs, take note.)

  14. Re:One of The First Clockless Systems by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    At 60MPH, paper flies very fast!

    At almost sixty miles per hour, one might assume.