A compiler takes source codes and turns them into assembler code. That's lines of human-readable machine instruction mnemonics (for example, "Copy from here to here." "Is that bigger than zero?"). The assembler takes those lines and turns them into machine instructions, a sequence of binary numbers.

Finding the difference between two huge gobs of binary numbers is difficult. Instead, they turn the binary numbers back into lines of mnemonics and use a algorithm that finds the difference between two huge listings of mnemonics.

That method is easier because the listings of a program that has been changed slightly can be very similar to the listing of a unmodified program. That has to do with how compilers work.

Capiche? ;)

This augmented reality is prominently featured in William Gibson's novel Spook Country. I was talking to a suit about this idea just a couple of weeks ago. He suggested that it was worthwhile pursuing. Now that they seem to have done that, I'm discouraged. Fuck, I'm always too late... :(

90% of the student population isn't interested in math because it's taught in the way and by the people he talks about in his text.

*insert snide comment about reading comprehension here*

En-crypt-ion!!

Holy moly, if I had mod points I'd mod you up instead. That's a great resource. Thanks!

LAlALala, wooooooot. Kinda ironic that this message is released on frikkin' St. Paddy's Day. D: