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F R E N D Z of martian
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Cor what a load of technobabble [ ok so maybe the following is too :-) ]
So this device creates a random 'output' (what does it output to? that box
in the picture just has a connection back to the computer) anyway the idea
is that your mind can affect this random field ( they make a big deal of
the non-determistic thing ("Randomness source: processed physical
electronic") so it's probably a reverse-biased zener diode which gives
truly random pink noise based on electrons jumping about, costs about 50p
) and they can measure the difference between the expected random output
and what they're actually getting (wow, a comparator built out of a 20p
op-amp), record it into an Access database (of all things) and then make
you buy some software to actually analyse these numbers?? ("This product
requires a research background... not designed for the average consumer")
If they took the comparator out and just fed their '8 bit bytes of random
bits' and transmitted it with their 'Asynchronous Baud Rate' of 9600 down
the 'DB9 on 6-in. cable' connector (wow, truly compelling specs) it would
be a great device for providing randomness for your fave crypto program,
and it would probably be worth the $425.
But just imagine the situation - the new zen master you just hired as a
unix sysadmin is sitting meditating (the system is running perfectly and
you would see that all the bits on the disk are arranged in a perfect zen
garden, if only you could look at it with an electron microscope) -
suddenly your random data is interspersed with spikes at alpha wave
frequency - the enemy cryptanalyst who is capturing all your email now has
a new weapon in his arsenal and sets to work with his periodic
functions.
(Ok the last 2 words were technobabble; can't remember the attack based on
non-randomness (it's the reason that pseudo-random generators are crap)
and I can't be bothered to get Schneier off the shelf - read Schneier,
Bruce, "Applied Cryptography" if you need to know)
All that (and my apparent cynicism) apart, are there any experimental
reports anywhere to support this theory? I'd really love to read something
on the subject that wasn't techno-waffle
martian
BTW jerry, isn't one of your tunes called 'Mindsong' or have I got that
wrong? What's the URL for your tunes again? ;-) [bit of advertising never
hurt anyone - mebbe you should put it in your sig]
On Tue, 12 Sep 2000 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
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> F R E N D Z of martian
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> Voigt-Kampff it up:
>
> http://www.mindsonginc.com/products/index.html
>
> A New Form of Communications Technology.
> Mindsong, Inc. is developing products which demonstrate a new form of
> communications technology, which uses the intentions and emotional
> states of living systems to control and influence outputs and provide
> feedback to users in a variety of circumstances.
> Mindsong's technology is patented as An Apparatus and Method for
> Distinguishing Events Which Collectively Exceed Chance Expectations
> and Thereby Controlling an Output.
>
>
>
>
> LoVeLiGHT,
> JeRRY
>
>
> --
> Sent to you via the frendz list at marsbard.com
>
> The archive is at http://www.mail-archive.com/frendz@marsbard.com/
>
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