Java implementation of crypt() wanted!

[Andrew Thompson]

On Tue, 21 Sep 2004 10:12:46 +0100, Chris Uppal wrote:
(snip)

...I don't think Andrew's focus is entirely on the value to the
poster; there is also the value to this community

Thank you Chris. I have been waiting for someone in this
conversation to mention that aspect of the equation.

(snip)

Whether that "mission" is achievable (even partially), or whether Andrew or
anyone else has the right to undertake it, are different questions (to which I
think the answers are "probably not" and "yes" respectively -- ymmv).

I do not see this as 'a war that can be won', I see it is
simply 'a necessary act of community mindedness that must
constantly be stressed, so that a group does not become
inundated in dross'. Mind you, 'a war that can be won',
is a lot catchier. ;-)

[ And whether I have the right is irrelavent to me. I make my
rights by what I do. Others can exercise *their* rights by
plonking me if they so wish. ]

--
Andrew Thompson
http://www.PhySci.org/codes/ Web & IT Help
http://www.PhySci.org/ Open-source software suite
http://www.1point1C.org/ Science & Technology
http://www.lensescapes.com/ Images that escape the mundane

 

[Ralph.White]

In general: If you cannot contribute to the answer of a question
(how stupid it might be) then don't, as you wast other people's
bandwidth.

He _is_ contributing, and in more than one way. He's giving the OP
both the fish and the fishing rod!

- He shows the OP that doing some research himself will lead him to
the information he need faster. That's the fishing rod. _If_ he (the
OP) does some research and still cannot find an answere, then I'm
sure his questions will be welcome at this group.

- He also provides a URL which searches Google for Java implementations
of Crypt, with the first match being a page that lists several working
implementations. That's the fish.

And he's also helping the community by letting newcomers know that
the group is likely to be more helpful _after_ you do your homework.

 

[Mark Murphy]

Original Poster, please don't worry about this thread. These types of
discussions keep Usenet moving in the right direction. Keep with it!

As a newb, you probably haven't yet bumped up against the problem of
looking for a solution that is a proverbial needle in a haystack.
Gawd! He said he got 8,130 hits!

Correction, I am a new to Java. I wrote my first program 23 years ago.
As for the needle in the haystack. Looking at the first three returns on
a search in not a haystack.

But guess what, no one is asking you to do "research." Someone might
just actually know the answer and would have the common decency to
actually answer.

Indirectly you are.

If Andrew had remained silent, the original poster would never had
known--he'd just know that the answer didn't appear. No bandwidth,
same result.

He also probably would have felt that newb were unwelcome. And that the
Java community only helped there own.

But guess what? change it to "crypt java" and you get a bunch of
irrelevant links.

Well he was specific enough to ask for a Java version of Unix crypt, why
shouldn't he be just as specific with the search. "java UNIX crypt"

 

[Zsolt]

As the original author of this thread I would like to add my comments:

I did search (via google) for java,crypt and unix but didn't find anything
reasonable. An other reason to ask in this news group was that I hoped there
was a solution possible using just the jdk (or jce) or an other defacto
standard library.

Zsolt

 

[Andrew Thompson]

As the original author of this thread I would like to add my comments:

I did search (via google) for java,crypt and unix but didn't find anything
reasonable. An other reason to ask in this news group was that I hoped there
was a solution possible using just the jdk (or jce) or an other defacto
standard library.

Welcome back to the thread Zsolt! We were wonderring where you were..

OK. Your answer actually opens up more questions than it answers.

For example..
1) What was your actual search string? [1]
2) If you wanted it from the standard API, why did you
not specify that at the outset? I think it is safe to
say that everybody here assumed you meant *any* piece
of Java code that does what crypt does. (Now I look
very closely at your original post I see you wrote
"'the' Java implementation", but it was not clear enough
that anybody else in the thread picked up on it. )
3) Do you now have a satisfactory solution (within
or beyond the standard API)
4) If so, what is it?
5) Is there anything you might do differently in future?

[1] If a poster mentions..
(hypothetical)

Googling 'Java Crypt' did not show any useful hits

Might then allow someone else to make the comment..

'"Java implementation" Crypt' seems to give much better hits..

Search engiines are powerful tools, but can be difficult
to use, especially if you are searching on the wrong words.

[ ..and I am certainly glad to see that 'sidetrack'
did not discourage you from posting. ;-) ]

--
Andrew Thompson
http://www.PhySci.org/codes/ Web & IT Help
http://www.PhySci.org/ Open-source software suite
http://www.1point1C.org/ Science & Technology
http://www.lensescapes.com/ Images that escape the mundane