From: roberts@mukluk.decus.ca (Rob Slade, Social Convener to the Net)
Subject: "Applied Cryptography" by Schneier
Date: 06 Dec 1994 21:08:27 MET
BKAPCRYP.RVW 941012
"Applied Cryptography", Schneier, 1994, 0-471-59756-2, U$44.95
schneier@chinet.com
%A Bruce Schneier
%C 22 Worchester Road, Rexdale, Ontario M9W 9Z9
%C 605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158-0012
%D 1994
%G 0-471-59756-2
%I John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
%O U$44.95 800-263-1590 fax: 800-565-6802 800-CALL-WILEY
%O jdemarra@jwiley.com aponnamm@jwiley.com
%P 618
%T "Applied Cryptography"
For anyone who wants to study cryptography, you can save yourself a lot of time
and effort by getting Schneier's book. From the simple Ceasar cipher to RSA
and beyond, there is nothing the book doesn't at least touch on. Protocols,
techniques, algorithms, and even source code are included. A "Real World"
section looks both at specific implementations and at the politics of
encryption.
Schneier notes that his work is *not* a mathematical text. It is difficult to
say how much of a shortcoming this is for any given reader, but a safe bet is
"not much". For those who do need more rigorous treatments of specific topics,
the bibliography lists almost a thousand references, all of which are
described and cited within the book text at some point.
He also states that the encyclopedic nature of the book detracts from its
readability. Not so. The work is both encyclopedic *and* readable. Schneier
has done marvelously well with what is normally a dead and dry topic. His
examples are ludicrously absurd--and therefore lucid and memorable. (He even
uses Monty Python's immortal phrase, "My hovercraft is full of eels" in one
illustration.)
As course text, research basis or just a (serious) hobbyist's reference, this
work is highly recommended.
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994 BKAPCRYP.RVW 941012
======================
DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters
Editor and/or reviewer ROBERTS@decus.ca, RSlade@sfu.ca, Rob Slade at 1:153/733
Author "Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses" 0-387-94311-0/3-540-94311-0
Date: Wed, 7 Dec 1994 13:27:37 MST
From: "Richard Schroeppel" <rcs@cs.arizona.edu>
Subject: Rob Slade's review of Schneier's book "Applied Cryptography"
Rob Slade's review of Schneier's book "Applied Cryptography" should have
mentioned that the book contains a substantial number of typos, and that
Schneier offers an errata sheet (schneier@chinet.com). This will be
especially important if you try to use the programs in the appendix. I like
the book.
Rich Schroeppel rcs@cs.arizona.edu
Date: Thu, 8 Dec 94 14:32 +0200
From: Y. Radai <RADAI@vms.huji.ac.il>
Subject: Re: Rob Slade's review of Schneier's book "Applied Cryptography"
> ... the book contains a substantial number of typos ...
This is all too correct. I should like, however, to add three points:
(1) The book contains not only many typos, but also a number of serious
errors in its descriptions of some of the algorithms. (I pointed out
several of these last June; copies of my posting are available from me by
e-mail.)
(2) While Schneier himself maintains a cumulative errata sheet, the
publisher (Wiley) apparently refuses to include it with copies of the
book which have been distributed since the appearance of the errata sheet.
(3) The good news is that Schneier is preparing a second edition, which
will, of course, correct all known errors. It will also contain several
new sections not present in the first edition.
Y. Radai, Hebrew Univ. of Jerusalem, Israel, RADAI@VMS.HUJI.AC.IL
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