One has to remember that people come to bridge matches to play bridge, not
crypto games. Computers are a pretty good solution. The hands have to be
recorded and published in any case, so the added work in making up hands
that match the printout is balanced by not needing to key in the delt
hands. In the long run it is better to get rid of cards altogether and play
the hands on terminals, with the bids communicated electronically. This
eliminates most of the back channels, concious and unconcious, that plague
the game.
At 9:45 AM +0200 6/24/99, Frank Andrew Stevenson wrote:
>On Wed, 23 Jun 1999, Trei, Peter wrote:
>> Nor am I. In fact, I can't help but wonder
>> if this is a case where computers (which are
>> effectively black boxes which users are asked
>> to trust) are the wrong approach.
>>
>
>Seeing that computers may not be the answer I
>here propose a protocol which need be can be
>implemented without computer, but which still
>can be aided by one.
>
>1) n Persons bring along 1 strip of paper each
> containing a random string of text, such as:
> "My grandmas wooden leg was once invaded
> by a band of woodpeckers".
>
>2) As they convene the strips are laid face down
> on a table. ( Persons name may be written on back )
> Every person can choose when and where he will place
> his strip. ( They are laid down in an ordered list. )
>
>3) The strings are then concatinated in the order
> found on the table. This superstring is then
> used to key a deck of card according to Bruce
> Schneiers solitaire keying algorithm.
> (http://www.counterpane.com/solitaire.html)
>
>( The last step may be aided by a computer )
>
>Assuming that Solitaires keying produces a
>sufficiently random shuffle, the above
>process should be adequate. It is both easy
>to audit and hard to cheat.
>
> frank
>
>This sentence is unique in this respect; it can safely
>be attributed to my employer, Funcom Oslo AS.
>E3D2BCADBEF8C82F A5891D2B6730EA1B PGPmail preferred, finger for key
>There is no place like N59 50.558' E010 50.870'. (WGS84)
>
