Clay writes:
Given that N is the length of the message in bits. The number of possible combinations of bits is 2^N. For any message length N > 1, 2^N < N^256.
Uh, nope. 2^N grows asymptotically faster than N^256. Actually, for any constants A and B, A^N grows asymptotically faster than N^B. For A=2, B=256, the crossover happens somewhere before N=4096. 2^4096 = 2^(16*256) > 2^(12*256) = (2^12)^256 = (4096)^256 If the IPG people are using N=5600 (weird choice) then certainly 2^5600 > 5600^256, for what little that's worth. (Ah, my computer science B.S. pays off ;) -Lewis "You're always disappointed, nothing seems to keep you high -- drive your bargains, push your papers, win your medals, fuck your strangers; don't it leave you on the empty side ?" (Joni Mitchell, 1972)