Cryptography explained in a limerick

Yes, of course. This isn't meant to be an implementation spec.

Such artistic renderings of complex technical topics seem a way for the author to complete their own thought process, sifting the subject down to a concise & pleasing expression.

Such expressions should be helpful to beginners, but alas require prolific annotations rarely provided. Too often it truly is a great starting point, but requires a daunting amount of trust & buy-in, applied at great length, to get to where the beginner can appreciate the starting point. For example, I've sifted computing theory down to

  A = {0|1,...}
  A(x) <= !(A(y)&A(z))

which methinks is very simple & elegant, but is so far removed from a newbie's experience as to be useless to them.

I suppose the limerick form could be followed, with some annotation, to implement a basic encryption program. Might make for a good starting point for a very long chapter on the subject.

I just thought that since I've had so many downvotes on this I'd expand a little.

Firstly, it's a clever piece of work - very inventive. I'm reminded of the Dr Seuss networking piece.

Secondly, it appears to be an accurate description of RSA. I've not checked it thoroughly - there didn't seem much point.

Thirdly, I don't have any objections to the piece, nor to it being here on HN. It is clever, it is cute, it is (probably) accurate. So it's entertaining enough, and pretty specific to hackers. It's not something that would appear on the news, so this is a natural home for it.

Then, having said all that, there's a problem with pretty much every description of cryptographic algorithms - they never go far enough!

With almost every description of an algorithm there are a myriad of extra things that you need to know. Clever things that are completely unobvious from the simple description, but which are critical for a sensible implementation, let alone a strong implementation, let alone a deployable implementation.

I know this isn't intended to be a complete, clear description of the RSA algorithm. I know it's just a bit of fun. I applaud the inventiveness and the verbal dexterity. It's just that it would be nice to see another verse or two that mentions - even if only in passing - the material that's been ignored, but which is equally important.

So it's nice to see it, I just wish it had gone further. Possibly I just really wish I were sufficiently gifted, talented, or hard-working to be able to add a verse or two to point at the next phase.

[0] http://holyjoe.org/poetry/anonE.htm