There is no known attack on ECC using quantum computers.
This should not have been modded up, because it is blatantly false. The security of ECC relies on the presumed hardness of the discrete logarithm problem (in elliptic curves over finite fields). But Shor's algorithm can solve the discrete logarithm problem in ANY finite group (assuming you have an efficient way of operating on the group elements).
C++0xB is a cleverer name since it can be interpreted in two ways: 1) Since C++0x wasn't completed in 200x as expected, it's time for plan B, namely C++0xB. 2) 0xB represents 11, since 0x is the prefix for hexadecimal in C++. And so C++0xB still literally means the version finalised in 2011.
It may be interesting, but it sure rubs me the wrong way.. Does anyone actually do anything useful with non-integer bases? Knuth [TAOCP 4.1] notes how in the quater-imaginary base you can multiply complex numbers using the "grade-school" algorithm (essentially). As well, in base 2i you can represent all complex numbers using only the digits {0,1,2,3}. (One curiosity of positive bases like 10 is that it is necessary to include a sign if you want to represent negative numbers.)
And in base pi, is "12" an whole number...? No, it's pi+2.
The number of digits in any positive integer x in base b is given by floor(log_b(x))+1. (Where the floor function "rounds down" to the nearest integer and log_b is the base-b logarithm.)
Thus, 2^1039-1 in base 10 has: floor(log_10(2^1039-1))+1 = floor(312.770165)+1 = 313 digits.
I just updated to v3 beta to see if this turmoil was justified, and I don't see what the big deal is.
"Unless you configure Google Desktop very carefully, and few people will, Google will have copies of your tax returns..."
The feature does not come enabled by default, so what is he is talking about? Also, it is made quite clear that Google stores a copy of your index when you enable "Search Across Computers". Right underneath the checkbox it states in parenthesis: This feature stores your indexed files on Google Desktop servers for copying to your other computers. Learn more about this feature or our Privacy Policy.
So, this feature might actually be useful for those who want to search through their files from another computer (and are willing to deal with the privacy issues). For the rest of us, we don't have to worry about it. I find Google Desktop a useful tool although I don't bother with the sidebar/deskbar (or displaying desktop search results when I do a web search - only very rarely do I want to search both the web and my computer).
Slashdot Mirror
There is no known attack on ECC using quantum computers.
This should not have been modded up, because it is blatantly false. The security of ECC relies on the presumed hardness of the discrete logarithm problem (in elliptic curves over finite fields). But Shor's algorithm can solve the discrete logarithm problem in ANY finite group (assuming you have an efficient way of operating on the group elements).
C++0xB is a cleverer name since it can be interpreted in two ways:
1) Since C++0x wasn't completed in 200x as expected, it's time for plan B, namely C++0xB.
2) 0xB represents 11, since 0x is the prefix for hexadecimal in C++. And so C++0xB still literally means the version finalised in 2011.
You can see a sample of his handwriting in an interview he did with Free Software Magazine in 2005: http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/interview_knuth
The number of digits in any positive integer x in base b is given by floor(log_b(x))+1. (Where the floor function "rounds down" to the nearest integer and log_b is the base-b logarithm.)
Thus, 2^1039-1 in base 10 has: floor(log_10(2^1039-1))+1 = floor(312.770165)+1 = 313 digits.
Their progress thermometer runs from 0 to 7... but it's missing a tick; the tick labelled 7 should actually be 6.
That does sound concerning, but it can't be true. I just tried a google search for "google mind trick" got no results. Whew!
I just updated to v3 beta to see if this turmoil was justified, and I don't see what the big deal is.
"Unless you configure Google Desktop very carefully, and few people will, Google will have copies of your tax returns..."
The feature does not come enabled by default, so what is he is talking about? Also, it is made quite clear that Google stores a copy of your index when you enable "Search Across Computers". Right underneath the checkbox it states in parenthesis: This feature stores your indexed files on Google Desktop servers for copying to your other computers. Learn more about this feature or our Privacy Policy.
So, this feature might actually be useful for those who want to search through their files from another computer (and are willing to deal with the privacy issues). For the rest of us, we don't have to worry about it. I find Google Desktop a useful tool although I don't bother with the sidebar/deskbar (or displaying desktop search results when I do a web search - only very rarely do I want to search both the web and my computer).
Linkified:
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.376078,-71.1262I agree, you should be careful about sweeping statements. They are ALWAYS wrong.