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Queen Elizabeth Sets a Code-Breaking Challenge

Posted by samzenpus on from the we-like-a-challenge dept.

mikejuk writes "Queen Elizabeth II has made her first ever visit to Bletchley Park, the home of the UK's World War II code-breaking efforts and now a museum. To mark the occasion, the Queen has issued a code cracking challenge of her own — 'the Agent X Code Book Challenge' — aimed at getting children interested in cryptography. Perhaps a royal programming or general technology challenge is next."

2 of 132 comments (clear)

  1. the intellectual side of WWII by G3ckoG33k · · Score: 5, Informative

    Bletchley Park appears to be safe for now. Here are some previous Slashdot headlines:

    2011
    Queen Elizabeth Sets a Code-Breaking Challenge
    Tunny Code-Breaker Rebuilt At Bletchley Park
    Campaign Saves Unique Turing Archive
    EDSAC Computer To Be Rebuilt

    2010
    Fight Begins To Secure Turing Papers For Bletchley Park Museum
    'Retro Programming' Teaches Using 1980s Machines
    UK Gov't Spending Details Now Online

    2009
    Bletchley Park WWII Staff Finally Recognized
    No Museum Status For UK Home of Enigma Machine
    Old Computers Resurrected As Instruments At Bletchley Park

    2008
    Cash Lifeline For Bletchley Park
    PGP Leads Corporate Efforts To Save Bletchley Park
    Bletchley Park Faces Financial Rescue
    Bletchley Park Facing Financial Ruin

    While I realize one cannot have every building associated with victory in WWII saved, it is nice to see recognition of the intellectual side of it. Are there more dedicated sites of this kind around the world?

    1. Re:the intellectual side of WWII by Nursie · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It is good to hear isn't it?

      Finally the old place is getting some attention. I've been there a couple of times now. it's a great old place, it was important for the war, and it's something of a spiritual home for the computer.

      Colossus may not have been the very first (there was a german machine?) and it was certainly kept secret for far too long after the war, but some lasting good leaked out of it through Turing's papers. It was one of a series of false starts that slowly, eventually led us here.

      Of course the pioneer, the early bright light of our field was hounded to death for being gay, a man who had saved many lives and sped the end of the war. If there is one thing that should tell us homophobia is *bad* this is it.