Re: need for computer algebra

[Bruno Haible]

Hi Sam,

> That's right, to interact with an ssh client, perl needs to do be able
> to do number theoretical computer algebra system.
> Can you believe it?!

Yes, the dependency list [1] is impressing. I haven't looked why it needs
Pari, but a good candidate is elliptic-curve cryptography. If a package needs
that, why spend 25 man-days implementing elliptic curve arithmetic, when you
can get it immediately, written by a world-class professor of cryptography,
as part of Pari?

Also, the 'factor' program in coreutils could become a lot faster if it were
to use elliptic curves, like Paul Zimmermann's ECMNET program [2], rather
than Pollard-ρ.

Really, computer algebra is located near the bottom of the dependency graph
of large software. Don't be surprised if you need it when inserting a bank
card into an ATM.

Bruno

[1] 
http://rpm.pbone.net/index.php3/stat/4/idpl/15546485/dir/fedora_1/com/perl-Net-SSH-Perl-1.34-8.fc14.noarch.rpm.html#requires
[2] http://www.loria.fr/~zimmerma/records/ecmnet.html
-- 
In memoriam Jeane Gardiner <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeane_Gardiner>