Time: Sun Aug 10 10:46:40 1997
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Date: Sun, 10 Aug 1997 10:28:24 -0700
To: Eudora for Windows <eudora-win@wso.williams.edu>
From: Paul Andrew Mitchell [address in tool bar]
Subject: SLS: PGP and Freedom

If you read the mathematical appendix
in the original PGP book, you will learn
that the most important factor in key
security is its length, in binary digits
("bits").  I do remember a strong recommendation
to go with 1,024 bits, or more.  Each bit doubles
the computational complexity of the task required
to "crack" a key.  The complexity of a 1,024-bit
key would require all the known computers in the
world to do approximately a century of exhaustive 
numerical tests, in order to solve the encryption
pattern.  

Now that computers are getting faster,
by leaps and bounds, and hard disks are plummeting
in price, there is much to be said for going 
with even larger keys, e.g. 2,048 bits.  For example,
Digital Equipment Corporation ("DEC") is now shipping
the Alpha chip which oscillates at 500MHz;  this is
FIVE TIMES the rate of FM radio stations!  We will
see gigahertz clock speeds in our lifetime, without
any doubt!!

Treat yourself to this mathematical appendix, and 
you will be delighted to learn some new concepts 
like "MIPS-year" -- the amount of computing power
required to execute at one million instructions
per second, for a whole year's worth of real time,
kind of like a "light-year".  One hundred MIPS-years 
is one MIPS-century, and so on.

A magnificently written biological metaphor, for this
unprecedented era in computer technology development,
is found in Father Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's essay
entitled "The Formation of the Noosphere," from his
book entitled "The Future of Man."  I have the essay
in electronic form, if anyone would like a copy.

I get goose bumps whenever I think about this essay,
and I have read it about 20 times (I needed to, because
Father Teilhard was in the highest possible IQ bracket).
He resolves a number of apparent contradictions in his
metaphor, by resorting to the universal principle of
freedom.

Sincerely,
/s/ Paul Mitchell
http://www.supremelaw.com




At 10:09 AM 8/10/97 -0700, you wrote:
>Can someone explain the differences in the PGP programs that are now
>available...I am not sure of the differences....all these keys running
>around...lot of jingling....
>
>Also...is one more bullet proof then the others?  Does this truly matter?
>Are they compatible with each other?...do I need to run various versions
>depending on who has which program?...
>
>Very confusing to the uninitiated....
>
>-Michael
>mailto:mcohen@crl.com
>
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========================================================================
Paul Andrew Mitchell                 : Counselor at Law, federal witness
B.A., Political Science, UCLA;  M.S., Public Administration, U.C. Irvine

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