Re: Linux-libre 5.8 and beyond

[Bengt Richter <bokr@bokr.com>]

On +2020-08-09 18:17:48 -0400, Mark H Weaver wrote:
> 
> Note that although base32 encodes 5 bits per character, the first
> character of a base32-encoded sha256 hash can only be 0 or 1, since
> there's only 1 bit remaining to encode after the other 255 bits have
> been encoded in the last 51 characters.
> 
UIAM, that's only true for the nix flavor (which is default for guix hash, I think)
of base32. Again UIAM, the nix view of a 256-bit sha256sum hash is little-endian,
and shifts 5 bits out the bottom, as if with euclidean/ 32, and so winds up with
the 1 or 0 last, at the top.

I think all the others base32's shift 5 bits at a time from the big end, and
could have the full range 0-31 for the top digit, however translated to glyphs.
Which also means the last value on the right is a 1 or 0 in the top bit, valued 16 or 0.

Of course, different length digests may produce other remainder end values.

BTW, how did nix get such a weird alphabet for 0-31 ? Watermarking themselves? :)

-- 
Regards,
Bengt Richter