Talk:Robert Morris (cryptographer)

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[edit] Moving from Robert Tappan Morris Sr.

The current article probably misstates Dr. Morris's name. See this primary source by Dennis Ritchie, who knows Morris personally. The article refers to the same cryptographer as Bob (Robert H.) Morris.

http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/cs/who/dmr/crypt.html

This article should probably be renamed to "Robert H. Morris" or "Robert H. Morris (cryptographer)". The identification of this Morris as "Robert Tappan Morris" is probably an incorrect inference from the name of his son (Robert Tappan Morris or Robert Morris, Jr.).

This article should also be updated to reflect some of the material from the Dennie Ritchie article.

Also, there is no recent information cited indicating whether Morris still works at NSA/NCSC or not. He did clearly work there during the time periods described in Stoll's book and Ritchie's article.

... the Ritchie article seems to indicate that Morris has retired from the government.

I second that we should move the page. I do not know the correct middle initial, but Tappan is definitely wrong -- NedMike.

I think it's "H.", but probably "Robert Morris" is adequate for the time being. See a Google search that provides evidence that Robert Morris Sr. is Robert H. Morris Sr. -- Schoen 30 June 2005 03:11 (UTC)

Since Robert Morris is a useful disambiguation page, how about making this page be Robert H. Morris and the page for rtm be Robert Tappan Morris, eliminating the existing disambiguation page at Robert Tappan Morris? Then the existing rtm article should become a redirect to Robert Tappan Morris, and the Robert Morris page can include accurate references to both corrected pages. -- Schoen 30 June 2005 03:18 (UTC)

OK, this particular move has now been accomplished, and the disambiguation page has been fixed, too. --Schoen 20:12, 10 July 2005 (UTC)

[edit] The number puzzle

The person who added the solution suggested, if I remember correctly, that the solution should be provided or else the puzzle should not be mentioned. My preferences would be:

(1) My original version (which gives a link to the solution after a spoiler warning template),

(2) Give the solution after a spoiler warning template,

(3) Do not mention the puzzle at all, or at least do not pose it to the reader as a puzzle, and

(4) The current version, which gives the puzzle and the answer with no spoiler warning.

Does anyone have comments on this? --Schoen 07:37, 4 August 2005 (UTC)

I'm not totally sure that the puzzle needs to be mentioned at all, to be honest. But if the puzzle is mentioned, then it would be good to avoid giving away the solution. A spoiler template could work, although it's a little heavy for such a minor item -- perhaps a footnote would work better? — Matt Crypto 09:05, 4 August 2005 (UTC)