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What do you do with a basic understanding of limited-slip differentials, frequency modulation, the Maillard reaction, or any other number of subjects? If you're anything like me, what you do is take joy in understanding a little more about how stuff works, however superficially. And who knows when some grain of knowledge could be a useful inspiration in some seemingly unrelated area where you do have expertise? That happens more often than one might think, especially with mathematics.

I get that you worry some well-meaning fool will read this and go implement their own botched RSA-based or DH-based cryptosystem. That concern is legitimate. By all means, post the customary warnings.



Right - I think it's part of the mindset of the hacker to assign intrinsic value to a basic understanding of how things work. From the Krebs Cycle to the lifecycle of a star, it's all interesting.




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