Crypto-history buffs, Apropos the recent discussion of the Bletchley Park and NSA exhibits of WWII rotor-type cipher machines on sci.crypt, there is an excellent article by Glenn Zorpette (of IEEE Spectrum) in the Summer 1994 issue of American Heritage of Invention and Technology, Volume 10/Number 1. This is a Forbes publication that is put out by their American Heritage Magazine group. The title of the article is "The Edison of Secret Codes" and it is about Edward Hugh Hebern who contributed much to the development of rotor-type cipher machines from 1912 until after WWII. It features quotes from David Kahn (The Codebreakers) and some terrific photos of early cryptographic equipment, as well as a nice description of the design/function of the machines and vulnerabilities to cryptanalysis by the Army's William Friedman in the 1920's. There lawsuit by Hebern against patent infringement by the government serves as an an eerie premonition of the Inslaw case. There is a sidebar regarding the National Cryptologic Museum. Last but not least it features this marvelous stanza of an ode to Hebern's crypto machine, an equally fitting a description of public key systems (e.g. PGP). Marvelous invention comes out of the West Triumph of patience, long years without rest Solved problem of ages, deeper than thought A code of perfection, a wonder is wrought. I got my copy directly from someone who works for American Heritage, so I can't vouch for it's availabilty on the news stands. Share and Enjoy :-) cjl