I have friends who will help me with my queries. I prefer not getting flamed like every one else and that too in quick succesion :-). so my guess is that as far as newbies are concerned all the discussions are taken private.
No, I think few topics on the Cypherpunks list are taken private.
I've had several people write to me in private, asking questions about things that came up on the list. Sometimes I reply, but usually I urge them to "stop lurking and post on the list!"
My reasons are two-fold: First, to get them to stop lurking and participate. Second, to work up the energy to compose an essay (or mini-essay, whatever), I need some motivation. I am not energetic about writing a long response to some stranger who asks me a question in private. If he posts publically, I may (or may not...) decide to use his post as a jumping-off point for something that I think needs to be said.
As for you, I have dumped on you because most of your posts to the list look a lot like you are asking for help on a homework problem or have just semi-randomly pulled an example out of a crypto or algebra book and have decided to "participate" in the list by asking if anyone knows the answer to some puzzle.
"hi,
Table shown is completed to define 'associative'
binary operation * on S={a,b,c,d}.
..
So can (a*d)*d=a*(d*d)=d considered as associative
over * for this case as per definition?"and
"hi,
If we are to convert a k-bit integer n to a base b number,it takes us O(log n) if the base b is a power .. Is there an algorithm with time complexity O(log n) which allows such conversion to base b ,when b is not a power of 2?"
are just two of your more recent examples.
Now if you had told us you were implementing a crypto system for use in India (where I think you are from...), and had run into a tough problem, these might be interesting for people to comment on.
But they sure do look like homework problems.
A more fruitful sort of post might be for you to discuss the general crypto situation in India, the telecom infrastructure, and Indian government attitudes. Or, if these topics don't interest you, your thoughts on implementing DC Nets, or using digital money, or whatever.
But to post snippets of problems out of textbooks is NOT participation in the topics of the list. Think about it.
I wish you no ill-will, but you should find ways to participate which suggest you are actually reading what others are saying and giving your own views or responses to them.
--Tim May
"A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a
simple system that worked ...A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work. You have to start over, beginning with a working simple system." -- Grady Booch
