Re: Johnny Mnemonic

From: joss (joss_at_nospampleasewerebritish.nekrodomos.net)
Date: 10/31/03 

Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2003 15:30:29 +0000

> The "scheme" used in the movie was a notoriously bad idea by
> cryptographic standards. The three snapshots were printed and were
> supposed to be carried by Johnny (who was also carrying the encrypted
> data - in his head) and handed to the person downloading the data from
> his head. Sort of sending the unencrypted key along with the encrypted
> data in the same stream... does not make much sense, but I still liked
> the movie ;-)
>
> Cheers,
> ink
>
>
Actually, I think you'll find that they were supposed to be faxed across
to the person who was supposed to decrypt johnny's head. then the whole
yakuza thing happened and they didn't get sent properly and the whole film
was about trying to recover them before johnny's head exploded. although
how he got 320gb data into a 160gb storage capacity is a bigger question.
still, faxing the key over a (presumably insecure) line wasn't the
greatest of ideas.

as a side note, the final scene where he datablasts the stuff over tv was
quite amusing. i remember doing some back-of-the-envelope stuff based on
how long it would take to transmit 320gb data through a television screen
(even assuming an improved resolution and displaying in some more optimal
form of code than the writing/pictures shown in the film). it would have taken
a long, long, time, not the 2 minutes or so allowed for in the film.

as you say, though. a film so tragic that it was good. (I mean... keanu
reeves, dolph lundgren and ice-t? how could it not be incredible.)

j

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