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To: python-list@python.org
From: Randall Smith <randall@tnr.cc>
Subject: Re: Pure Python Data Mangling or Encrypting
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2015 14:00:38 -0500
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Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:93098

On 06/24/2015 01:29 PM, Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2015-06-24, Randall Smith <randall@tnr.cc> wrote:
>> On 06/24/2015 06:36 AM, Steven D'Aprano wrote:
>>
>>> I don't understand how mangling the data is supposed to protect the
>>> recipient. Don't they have the ability unmangle the data, and thus
>>> expose themselves to whatever nasties are in the files?
>>
>> They never look at the data and wouldn't care to unmangle it.
>
> I obviously don't "get it". If the recipient is never going look at
> the data or unmangle it, why not convert every received file to a
> single null byte?  That way you save on disk space as well --
> especially if you just create links for all files after the initial
> one.  ;)
>
> [I supposed next you're going to tell me that Windows filesystems
> don't support links.]
>
>> The purpose is primarily to prevent automated software (file
>> indexers, virus scanners) from doing bad things to the data.
>
> Life under windows must be more tiresome than I imagined (or could
> imagine) if you have to jump through such hoops to keep "automated
> software" from doing bad things to your data files.
>

These are machines storing chunks of other people's data.  The data 
owner chunks a file, compresses and encrypts it, then sends it to 
several storage servers.  The storage server might be a Raspberry PI 
with a USB disk or a Windows XP machine - I can't know which.


I don't use Windows and don't recommend it for this software. 
Nevertheless, many people do use it.

-Randall