257: Code Talkers
explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
| Code Talkers |
 Title text: As far as I can tell, Navajo doesn't have a common word for 'zero'. do-neh-lini means 'neutral'. |
Explanation
Code talkers are persons who communicate using a coded version of their native language. The most well-known code talkers were the Navajo-speaking Marines serving during World War II.
This comic shows a Navajo code talker transmitting an encrypted binary file by speaking "one" and "zero" (actually "neutral") into a microphone. Unlike the Navajo Marines, this process does not add security and is slower than simply transmitting the file over a network.
The title text states that Randall used "neutral" instaed of "zero" because he was unable to find a common Navajo word for it
Transcript
- [A man is looking at a computer monitor and speaking into a microphone]
- Man 1: A'la'ih, do'neh'lini,
- do'neh'lini, a'la'ih,
- a'la'ih, do'neh'lini,
- do'neh'lini, do'neh'lini,
- a'la'ih, a'la'ih,
- do'neh'lini, a'la'ih,
- do'neh'lini,do'neh'lini,
- do'neh'lini ...
- [Two men are talking nearby:]
- Man 2: For added security, after we encrypt the data stream, we send it through our Navajo code talker.
- Man 3: ...Is he just using Navajo words for "Zero" and "One"?
- Man 2: Woah, hey, keep your voice down!
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