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From: dick@ucsfcca.UUCP (Dick Karpinski)
Newsgroups: net.crypt
Subject: Re: What is it really like?
Message-ID: <507@ucsfcca.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 7-May-86 20:37:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucsfcca.507
Posted: Wed May  7 20:37:30 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 11-May-86 04:23:14 EDT
References: <3264@reed.UUCP> <6650@utzoo.UUCP>
Reply-To: dick@ucsfcca.UUCP (Dick Karpinski)
Organization: UCSF Computer Center
Lines: 22
Summary: One time pads impractical?

In article <6650@utzoo.UUCP> henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) writes:
>key-volume problems.  Where one needs skilled help is for things like
>military field communications, where one-time pads are impractical.

Why are one time pads impractical in military field communications?
If a CD ROM holds 500 megabytes of key in a drive like the ones that
joggers are happy to wear on their belts,  I see no hard problems.

Incidentally, I was definitely in error on the prices I quoted for
write once drives from Optotech in Colorado Springs.  The $2k figure
is for large quantities.  Onsies cost $5k.  And the quoted capacity
is only a mere 200 megabytes per side.  Even so, aside from milspec
engineering, this actual product would seem to suffice for many
military field communications needs.

Dick
-- 

Dick Karpinski    Manager of Unix Services, UCSF Computer Center
UUCP: ...!ucbvax!ucsfcgl!cca.ucsf!dick   (415) 476-4529 (12-7)
BITNET: dick@ucsfcca   Compuserve: 70215,1277  Telemail: RKarpinski
USPS: U-76 UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143