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DanielLC comments on Open Thread, May 18 - May 24, 2015 - Less Wrong Discussion

4 Post author: Gondolinian 18 May 2015 12:01AM

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Comment author: Lumifer 18 May 2015 06:42:48PM 3 points [-]

If the dispensing device is "locked" against the user and you want to enforce dosing you don't need any crypto keys. Just make the device have an internal clock and dispense a dose every X hours.

In the general case, the device is externally controlled and then people who have control can do whatever they want with it. I'm still not seeing a particular need for a crypto key.

Comment author: DanielLC 24 May 2015 09:25:40AM *  0 points [-]

Just make the device have an internal clock and dispense a dose every X hours.

Forever? What if you want to change the dosage.

I'm still not seeing a particular need for a crypto key.

So that only the person who's supposed to control it can control it. You don't want someone altering it with their laptop just because they have bluetooth.

Edit:

Somehow I was thinking of implanting something that dispensed drugs. Just dispensing pills would make most of that pointless. Why worry about someone breaking it with a laptop if they can break it with a hammer? I suppose it might work if you somehow build the thing like a safe.