Editing Prescriptions
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| Latest revision | Your text | ||
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| title = Prescriptions | | title = Prescriptions | ||
| image = prescriptions.png | | image = prescriptions.png | ||
| − | | | + | | before = Original blog post on ''Building a Smarter Planet'': http://asmarterplanet.com/blog/2009/08/1998.html |
| − | | | + | | lappend = asmarterplanet/ |
}} | }} | ||
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
| − | + | {{incomplete|Incorrect: The shorter fingerprint length doesn't represent that the actual key is only 80 characters.}} | |
| + | Two special [[:Category:A Smarter Planet|A Smarter Planet]] comics were created by Randal after a special request from {{w|IBM}}'s blog [http://asmarterplanet.com/ A Smarter Planet]. They are not part of the regular numbered series of comics for xkcd's home site. | ||
| − | This comic references to the stereotype of doctors' handwriting being illegible, which is a very bad thing when you need a very specific medication and your pharmacy clerk can't read the numbers. Cueball is eager for his doctor to start signing his prescription digitally, as it means less paperwork and faster response time, but his enthusiasm fades when the doctor somehow manages to ''type'' in illegible handwriting. This could theoretically be done with a bad handwriting font, though most computerized forms don't allow you to change their font | + | This comic references to the stereotype of doctors' handwriting being illegible, which is a very bad thing when you need a very specific medication and your pharmacy clerk can't read the numbers. Cueball is eager for his doctor to start signing his prescription digitally, as it means less paperwork and faster response time, but his enthusiasm fades when the doctor somehow manages to ''type'' in illegible handwriting. This could theoretically be done with a bad handwriting font, though most computerized forms don't allow you to change their font. |
The prescription number is given as "{{w|THX1138}}", the first film directed by {{w|George Lucas}}. | The prescription number is given as "{{w|THX1138}}", the first film directed by {{w|George Lucas}}. | ||
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| + | The {{w|Public key fingerprint|RSA fingerprint}} given in the second panel <code>5e:2c:eb:ea:cc:1e:1b:ed:5f:96</code> is only 80 bits long, as it is expressed in {{w|hexdecimal}} each two characters representing a {{w|byte}}, which is of relatively low security. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
| − | :[ | + | :[Header: '''Good news: Doctors are finally learning to use modern security tools.'''] |
| − | :Good news: Doctors are finally learning to use modern security tools. | ||
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:Doctor: No need for phone verification. I've digitally signed it. | :Doctor: No need for phone verification. I've digitally signed it. | ||
| − | :[ | + | :[Header: '''Bad news: They've somehow learned to ''type'' with terrible handwriting.'''] |
| − | :Bad news: They've somehow learned to ''type'' with terrible handwriting. | + | :[A close up of the document given to the patient by the doctor]: |
| − | :[ | + | :Prescription THX1138 RSA fingerprint: |
| − | :Prescription THX1138 | + | :[in nearly unintelligible characters]: ''5e:2c:eb:ea:cc:1e:1b:ed:5f:96'' |
| − | : | ||
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Science]] | [[Category:Science]] | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:A Smarter Planet]] |
| + | [[Category:Extra Comics]] | ||
