asciilifeform: ( the 1 where 'we dun have a grasp of strong ciphers, outside of von neumann's otp proof; only of weak ciphers' etc )

asciilifeform: ( the mega-q, from asciilifeform's pov, is whether it is possible to make a bridge b/w shannon's result and the practical, i.e. to demonstrate a method where key is smaller than payload (i.e. not otp) but where the actual leakage of key bits per N message bits sent, can be ~quantified~ with upper bound. )

asciilifeform: currently nobody's got algo that doesn't do this (aside from the degenerate case of otp.)

asciilifeform: per shannon, ~all~ methods other than otp (i.e. where key is shorter than payload) 'leak entropy'. the q is just how much, and how to even quantify.

asciilifeform: ( ~those~ imho pretty 'killer app' for paired-otp... )

asciilifeform: the 'can't read with optics' does suggest possibility of actual otp tho.

asciilifeform: i have nfi if ice's thing boosts longevity, chances are their 'OTP' is implemented the same way as errybody else's, nowadays, simply a nonwindowed EPROM.

asciilifeform: ( e.g. classic FG , is only 'upgradeable' because xilinx doesn't offer an otp chip )

asciilifeform: in other notes from last wk's dig, turns out that ice40 contains onboard otp rom , enuff to store whole config ( somehow i read the docs '9000' times prev. and missed this ).

asciilifeform: it's multiply-run otp, wat.

asciilifeform: ( and his verdict was 'only about otp can talk about strength, errything else provably contains bits of key in ciphertext' )

asciilifeform: 1 of the things i like about otp box is that it is trivial to verify that it functions as specified ( can plug in a pad with known contents, throw in known plaintext, and observe -- with a comp of your choice -- what comes out )

asciilifeform: Mocky: it's an old idea of asciilifeform's -- otptron gets 2 sd slots. fill switch triggers fill-up of both with identical otp. then you fly to bananistan with ~one~ and trade with the other fella for his. then you both have identical xor of pad-a and pad-b, in the respective slots.

asciilifeform: another pheature i've considered, is to give the thing a sd card slot, so it could fill it straight for otp use. but this is perhaps a bridge too far.