Re:The first chosen-prefix collision for SHA-1
by CobrastanJorji on Tuesday January 07, 2020 @02:00PM
(#21983341)
The point about archeologists is a good one because it speaks to motive. In general, we should be very supportive of the efforts of distant historians who want to understand what humanity used to be like. We should not WANT to hide secrets from a sufficiently far future. I can't think of any secret that deserves to be hidden from them for any reason besides perhaps modesty.
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Re:The first chosen-prefix collision for SHA-1
by WorldMaker on Tuesday January 07, 2020 @04:26PM
(#21985077)
Relatedly, that is a part of why I love the term "cryptoarcheology" in general, as a reminder that digital spaces will need archeologists too.
There's it's somewhat shortened form "cryptarch", generally more used as a title ("cryptoarcheologist"), which was used in places in the Quantum Thief trilogy of books and is most probably already burned into your brain if you have played any of the Destiny series of videogames (and I presume was heavily influenced by Quantum Thief).
Re:The first chosen-prefix collision for SHA-1
by moyix on Tuesday January 07, 2020 @05:39PM
(#21985904)
Hmm, I thought cryptarch was just crypt + arch with the arch part meaning “leader” (i.e. this sense https://www.etymonline.com/word/arch-), not archaeologist. Is there something about this in the Quantum Thief trilogy I’ve forgotten?
Re:The first chosen-prefix collision for SHA-1
by WorldMaker on Tuesday January 07, 2020 @05:54PM
(#21986084)
It's been a bit since I read it, but I recall the meaning overlap/double meaning between leader -arch (such as plutarch) and arch- from archaeo- was directly intentional word play in the book trilogy, and yes that leader -arch meaning does add spice to the neologism.
(I don't think Destiny does much with the playful dual meaning, though. Certainly the cryptarchs in Destiny have never yet been meaningful leaders.)
Re:The first chosen-prefix collision for SHA-1
by jessant on Tuesday January 07, 2020 @03:07PM
(#21984204)
What is considered sufficiently far future may change with life extension technology.