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AUSTEIN OBYRNE <[log in to unmask]>
Tue, 4 Jul 2006 21:24:08 +0100
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'AdaCrypt' Vector Cryptography is announced on this site below with some background theory of the cryptography - very little about Ada..
   
  http://www.cryptorati.com/ 
   
  - four one-time pad type ciphers are up and running on the bench although not discussed on the site - beta test this software now if you are interested - contact - Austin O' Byrne
                                                 
   
    Read Me 

   
   (This is a pro forma document to give interested persons a brief idea of what the beta test is about)
   
  " The programs folder also contains a set of six pre-installed demonstration files:
  PlainTextFile_X.dat => CipherTextFile_X.dat => MessageTextFile_X where X = 1,9,100,1000, 4000,10000 characters respectively, or thereabouts => 6 files
   
  The object of these files is simply to save the user the time needed to write your own test files and instead to get into the feel of the software fairly quickly with the minimum of distractions soon after you start.
   
  When you are prompted by the program just enter these titles exactly as they appear here.  Soon after this when you have got the feel of it all, the user might try a file of your own for encryption / decryption ↙ the drill then is, plaintext => ciphertext => messagetext.
   
  Things to try:
  The writer thinks it would be better if users could ideally find the &gnat* editor ( version 311.p was used here and will continue to be used despite the very fine new GPS from Adacore) sufficient for all purposes, however, it might not be a bad idea to explore all the other possibilities like preparing the plaintext files in the Microsoft editors  &Note pad*, &Word pad*, and even &Word* itself. Even if these resources are never used it is useful to know of all the capabilities that exist. Some of these editors are not going to work at all, and if they do, they will require the appropriate file extension so that the compiler can recognise the file and find it when it*s called during runtime..
   
  This is &no frills* software and takes its cue from the capability extent of the gnat editor and furthermore is modelled also on the stated policy of the Unicode Consortium and other august bodies who state clearly that they are in the tough business of providing bare essentials 每 plaintext (not rich text) for instance is a remark they use about their remit with some vehemence.
   
                   Similarly this software is about unbreakable security first and foremost, with no nonsense of aesthetics, or fine appearance.
   
  Using one folder like this is convenient in that the cipher-text from the encryption program remains on board and to hand in the same folder for the decryption program that follows some time after it, without having to copy and paste or other method of transferring to a second folder.  That is the way it will also be in future design for say Laptop Protection, for example, where the user wants to encrypt business files when travelling.  On other occasions the encryption file and the decryption files will have to be in separate folders by design also.  The user may want to think about this too.
   
   At this time, everything is of interest.  The writer has done all the basic work and development testing within the gnat editor environment only and simply ignored any ideas of interfacing with graphics-rich pragmas 每 frankly I don*t know enough about that anyway.  For serious secure communications work, the gnat editors are quite sufficient in my view without any &gilding of the lily* by way of desktop embellishments and nice opening home pages.
   
  The ※Crypto Law Survey§ can be found on the net.  This states the law as it stands in every country that is a party to international agreements (the law appears to be a state of frequent flux on what is to be ) of what a national of a country can do in the matter of exporting cryptographic material.  Offering a download facility from a web site could be construed as & exporting* so the original plan to offer downloads of beta test software from http://www.cryptorati.com/ has had to be shelved for the present at least, until the law becomes clear in the future.
   
  In the meantime it is proposed to try legally emailing files of Ada-95 source code to people who may want to run &AdaCrypt* software.  Note that there are some 20 separate project folders (includes all four current versions of the ciphers) in all, at present, that will become available bit by bit to beta-test users. It is thought to be a good idea to start as we mean to continue in the management of these folders so as to be in synchronism with any correspondence.  It is proposed therefore that a &project* (one large piece of programming) will comprise a complete single folder.  The subprograms (usually 10 to 15) in a folder will be emailed separately as single attachments that the recipient can download into a folder of the same name that they should create at their end.  Just ignore the weird names for some of these folders but try and keep the order right so as to stay aligned with those back at the ranch (here in Scotland).
   
  Should it be found that the logistics of this plan of emailing Ada source code doesn*t work completely right then a CD of the source code will be posted by conventional mail if that is reasonably possible with regard to the numbers being shipped.
   
  Most program folders are about 12 megabytes in size. Note 每 there are user installation documents in PDF available for reading on the cryptorati website also 
  ( see below).
   
  Enjoy! 每 ( there*s lots more where this comes from),
   The cryptography of the scheme is separate to the Ada connection and can be found on http://www.cryptorati.com/
  The writer is a licensed ships* Engineer.- retired- Irish 每 lives in Scotland."
   
   
   
   
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