Queue Nut Jokes

IT security guru and podcaster Steve Gibson has finally finished SQRL (pronounced "Squirrel"); an identification authentication protocol he's been working on for the last five years or so. It streamlines tried and tested public key encryption technology in such a way that it has the potential to eliminate usernames and passwords, make website login completely effortless, stop online tracking, and put an end to phishing scams. I probably should have put the word "potential" in inverted commas there, since—despite it being such a promising bit of tech—there's absolutely no indication thus far that anybody has any interest in adopting it. Likely it's going to be yet another potentially revolutionary invention that goes straight from the lab, directly into the rubbish bin of history.

*sigh*

The website is here. You can download the demo client for Windows, but at this point in time, the only thing you can use it to log into is the demo server on the same site. There's also a twenty-two page overview, written in plain English, that I highly recommend reading. Of course, if you don't want to read it, let me know, and I'll have a crack at explaining it in the comments.

Sometimes it's nice to just appreciate a thing of functional beauty, and not think about the fact that it'll probably never amount to anything. Y'know what I mean?