ECC2K-95

[Robert Harley <Robert Harley inria fr>]

Friends, Romans, Alpha Linuxers,

Last November, Certicom launched its "ECC Challenge" which is set of
problems, each of which requires computing a discrete logarithm in the
group of points on an elliptic curve.  See: http://www.certicom.ca/

So far we have solved five of them using exclusively or mostly Alphas
running Linux, Digital Unix and OpenVMS.  We've started on the next
problem, ECC2K-95, and due to a new algorithm it is significantly
easier than the previous one!

So far people have started up the program on 17 Alphas running Linux
and 59 running Digital Unix.  An OpenVMS port is in preparation.

Any machine, whether connected to the Net or not, can contribute.  So
if you have some CPU cycles to spare then why not join in?  For source
code, compiled binaries, step-by-step ReadMe's and statistics on our
progress head over to:

  http://pauillac.inria.fr/~harley/ecdl5/


We expect that roughly one month of computation will crack it.
Furthermore there is a prize of $5000 to be won.  We propose to split
it as $500 each for those who compute the two "distinguished points"
that match and give the solution, with the remaining $4000 going to
the Free Software Foundation.

Make money fast!!!  And make some for the FSF too!  =:-)

See you soon,
  Rob.
     .-.                     Robert.Harley@inria.fr                    .-.
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