Re: Barcode Email

From: Ari Silversteinn (abcarisilverstein_at_yahoo.comxyz)
Date: 07/26/05 

Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2005 18:05:02 -0400

> In article <1tcuj3u8efuyj.pbttxql75bde.dlg@40tude.net>,
> Ari Silversteinn <abcarisilverstein@yahoo.comxyz> wrote:
>
>> We have been tossing around an idea that would code email text into a
>> PDF417 barcode where we can stuff 8K of data. Would appreciate comments.
>>
>> You type your text and a proprietary program (The Program) converts the
>> text into a visible barcode that is, preferably, not viewed as an
>> attachment (just a PGP is not seen as an attachment). Send the email and
>> either once received, the recipient induces the program that would
>> automatically decode the barcode into standard, readable text or the
>> barcode would self-decode. In transit, the barcode would not be readable
>> since it was encoded with The Program and its trade secret internal
>> coding.

On Mon, 25 Jul 2005 23:35:36 +0200, Marc Heusser wrote:
 
> What is the purpose of the exercise?
> Is it encryption - then trade secrets are highly suspicious.
> Or is it steganography?
>
> Marc

Thanks, Marc, rather than an exercise, think of it as a business and
consumer product for actual use. The encryption is not traditional in the
sense of AES or others. The Program takes data and recodes it in a form
that reduces, without compression, by assigning a character for a word. Say
it takes the word "dog" and assigns the character ^ to it (simplistic
definition). As to steno, yes, you could hide a direct image or have the
image digitized and then coded by the program.

I agree about trade secrets but this would be geared to businesses and
users who wouldn't understand the encryption issues regardless which is 99%
of the world's population! It also eliminates passphrases in the self
decode model or non self decode (they would be optional).

Did I answer you? 

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