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posted by on Monday May 22 2017, @08:30PM   Printer-friendly
from the it's-the-ginchiest dept.

A shameless self-promotion for a first submitted story.

As a part of my MSc studies in computing, during writing an assignment for the Computer and Network Security module, one of the tasks was to explain how public key infrastructure (PKI) works in layman terms. Given the fact my work revolves around information security (and especially cryptography) since 1999 and I am a musician, my advisor joked I could write a song about it. I told him he's nuts and that there's just no way you can write a song about PKI.

Few days later I couldn't stop thinking about it and actually composed something. My advisor created a (quite generic) video and uploaded the thing on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp9JriLfH1w

As I learned later, the song become quite accepted within various security and cryptography communities. The only downside is the video.

The audio is - of course - CC-BY-SA. Composing, recording, vocals and everything made by me (I noted it upfront this is gonna be a shameless self-promotion).

On a side note, the whole thing was composed on Gentoo Linux in emacs (yes, I am one of those) and recorded using Rosegarden, FluidSynth, jack-audio-connection-kit, generic M-Audio Oxygen61 MIDI keyboard and Audix OM-6 microphone. It was never meant to be actully published so generic Intel HDA codec was used. If anyone could produce a decent video, I can re-record the audio tracks in better quality in my garage studio. The current version - including microphone audio tracks - were recorded in the computer lab. And yes, the bass line should be polished. I know.

If any of the Soylentils could create a video that would actually fit the lyrics, it might become - with is short duration - a useful explanation of how PKI works. And being one of Solentils, contacting me is as easy as writing a comment under the story. Rest assured, I am here all the time :)

[Ed. Note: We don't usually run stories whose sole content is a video, but this seems like it could spark interesting discussion. It would be helpful if the author could post the lyrics in a comment.]

[Ed. Note 2: This puts me in mind of the Dance Your Ph.D. contest they run over at Science Magazine.]


Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 22 2017, @11:04PM (6 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 22 2017, @11:04PM (#513830)

    Definitions:
    Social: You are invited and you go to the party
    Asocial (like asynchronous or asymmetrical): You are invited to the party but you don't go
    Anti-social: You are NOT invited to the party but you crash it anyway and spoil everyone's fun
    Really Anti-social: You go to the party and try to kill everyone there

    -- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]

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  • (Score: 3, Funny) by MostCynical on Monday May 22 2017, @11:15PM (5 children)

    by MostCynical (2589) on Monday May 22 2017, @11:15PM (#513837) Journal

    Pro-social: youpost the time and location of the party, so lots of others go then don't turn up yourself.

    --
    "I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
    • (Score: 2) by coolgopher on Tuesday May 23 2017, @06:04AM (3 children)

      by coolgopher (1157) on Tuesday May 23 2017, @06:04AM (#514003)

      Con-social: you post the incorrect time and/or place of the party.

      • (Score: 3, Funny) by MostCynical on Tuesday May 23 2017, @07:29AM (2 children)

        by MostCynical (2589) on Tuesday May 23 2017, @07:29AM (#514047) Journal

        Pre-social: everyone has to sign the contract before the party.

        --
        "I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 23 2017, @08:59AM (1 child)

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 23 2017, @08:59AM (#514086)

          Nationalist-social: You join the Nazi party. (yes yes Godwinned all over this nicely developing thread, sorry but not sorry)

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 23 2017, @01:34PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 23 2017, @01:34PM (#514219)

            Shouldn't that be:

            Nationalist-social: You kill anyone who didn't join the party.

    • (Score: 1) by purple_cobra on Tuesday May 23 2017, @08:37PM

      by purple_cobra (1435) on Tuesday May 23 2017, @08:37PM (#514512)

      One of the doctors at work did that to a bunch of overpaid and self-important managers who had been annoying him: demanded a meeting in his office to talk about it then had an "emergency" so he couldn't attend, thereby leaving them stood outside his door like spare parts for half an hour.