[Cryptography-dev] What's in a name?
David Reid
dreid at dreid.org
Mon May 12 23:02:44 CEST 2014
Passion is not the right word to use there.
I like saying `pip install cryptography`, but I don't have a strong
attachment to the name 'cryptography'.
I'm also very aware of the many problems with the name 'cryptography' most
obviously the confusion that comes when talking about cryptography while
also talking about cryptography. But then there is also the confusion of
talking about cryptography or while NOT talking about cryptography, not to
mention talking about cryptography while not talking about cryptography.
Then there is the new user perspective.
User: Hi I would like to encrypt something
Experienced Person: Use cryptography.
User: Well yes I would like to encrypt something, is there a library.
Experienced Person: Yes cryptography!
User: Uhh ok, I'm gonna go over there now.
And another…
User: Google 'python encryption'
Google: [image: Inline image 1]
User: oh look the standard lib… <click> <read> It says I should use
PyCrypto. <back> Oh PyCrypto <click> <read> Looks good to me.
Experienced Person: Search github.com "ECB" :(
But on the other hand…
User: pip search crypto
pip: …
pycryptopp - Python wrappers for a few algorithms from the
Crypto++ library
Coins - Tools for Bitcoin & other cryptocurrencies
(incl. Litecoin, Namecoin, Peercoin,
Primecoin, Dogecoin, Worldcoin, Megacoin,
Anoncoin, Feathercoin, Terracoin, and
Novacoin).
M2Crypto - M2Crypto: A Python crypto and SSL toolkit
peep - A "pip install" that is cryptographically
guaranteed repeatable
pycrypto - Cryptographic modules for Python.
INSTALLED: 2.6.1 (latest)
cryptoapy - Python/C++ wrapper for Microsoft cryptoapi
services (currently, Russian GOST
algorithms only)
seccure - SECCURE compatible Elliptic Curve cryptography
cspkeyset - CSP keyset management (currently Linux
CryptoPro CSP hdimages only)
simplecrypto - Simple cryptographic library for hashing and
encrypting
wheezy.security - A lightweight security/cryptography library
pyelliptic - Python OpenSSL wrapper. For modern cryptography
with ECC, AES, HMAC, Blowfish,
...
worldcoin - Python API for the Worldcoin cryptocurrency.
coinkit - Tools for Bitcoin & other cryptocurrencies
(incl. Litecoin, Namecoin, Peercoin,
Primecoin, Dogecoin, Worldcoin, Megacoin,
Anoncoin, Feathercoin, Terracoin, and
Novacoin).
pyhash - Python Non-cryptographic Hash Library
CommonCryptoLite - CommonCrypto
ecdsa - ECDSA cryptographic signature library (pure
python)
INSTALLED: 0.10
LATEST: 0.11
cryptography - cryptography is a package which provides
cryptographic recipes and primitives to
Python developers.
cryptocoin - Cryptocurrencies for Humans
PyNaCl - Python binding to the Networking and
Cryptography (NaCl) library
qrypto - Crypto cipher to make it easier to encrypt and
decrypt using Blowfish, This
module also works with qrypto perl and PHP5
modules
pycryptopan - A python implementation of
Crypto-PAn a ip anonymization
algorithm
hobonickels - Python API for the Hobonickels cryptocurrency.
Cryptotrade - Cryptocurrency trading API wrapper; MtGox and
Tradehill
cryptobox - NaCL-like toolkit using FIPS ciphers.
CryptoIM - Crypto Instant Messenger
python-keyczar - Toolkit for safe and simple cryptography
beefish - simple file encryption using pycrypto
persistent_crypto_dict - UNKNOWN
Bcryptor - Python wrapper for bcrypt
winrandom - Access to Cryptographic API random generator
django-pgcryptoauth - Django hasher for pgcrypto encoded passwords.
basic_crypto - Wrapper around PyCrypto providing basic
symmetric key encryption with AES in CFB
mode.
pycogworks.crypto - Crypto functions used in the CogWorks lab.
simplersa - A simple wrapper for M2Crypto's RSA
functionality
pkcs11 - Python object-oriented wrapper for PKCS11
(Cryptoki) dlls
stanczyk - Client software for the exercises in Crypto
101, the introductory book on
cryptography.
py-secobj - A simple object encryptor and decryptor
jaraco.crypto - UNKNOWN
django-pgcrypto - Python and Django utilities for encrypted
fields using pgcrypto.
pcr - Python 3 Cryptography Toolkit
django-crypto - Simple 2-way crypto functions for use with
Django.
leocornus.plonecrypto - Plone Cryptographic Toolkit
pbp - simple crypto tool
crypto - Simply tool for cryptography
python_hashes - Library of interesting (non-cryptographic)
hashes in pure Python.
cryptography-vectors - Test vectors for the cryptography package.
django-cryptocoin - A Django app to organize accepting bitcoin,
litecoin, novacoin and other
cryptocoins.
SecureString - Clears the contents of strings containing
cryptographic material
crypto_primitives - Package contains basic crypto constructions
used further by projects
yawPyCrypto - yawPyCrypto wrapper library for PyCrypto
CommonCrypto - Common Crypto bindings for Python
desurveil - a cryptography tool with support for RSA and
OAEP
ancientsolutions-crypttools - Python Cryptography Utilities
Cryptonet - Blockchain and Cryptonet Framework
hybrid-crypto - Python module which exposes a simple hybrid
cryptography abstraction on top of
KeyCzar and pycrypto.
pycube2crypto - An implementation of the cube2 cryptography
functions in pure python.
arthur - Software for the exercises in Crypto 101, the
introductory book on cryptography.
pycrypto-on-pypi - Cryptographic modules for Python.
cryptotools - UNKNOWN
ecc - Pure Python implementation of an elliptic curve
cryptosystem based on FIPS 186-3
CryptoCoinChartsApi - Python API for www.cryptocoincharts.info
PyECC - PyECC is a simple Python module for performing
Elliptical Curve Cryptography
cryptopy - Pure Python Cryptograpgy
cryptobox-server - webinterface for handling encrypted disks
Products.BastionCrypto - Zope/Plone PKI Suite
asym - some tools and algorithms for asymetric
cryptography
m2ext - M2Crypto Extensions
cryptoPNG - Read or write secret message hidden from/to PNG
image.
syscon-nc - syscon without cryptography
EzCrypto - Easy to use wrapper around ryptographic
libraries for Python
User: Oh look, PyCrypto is already installed…
So… while I think the name cryptography itself is very confusing… no one
has ever suggested a better name. At least cryptography has the advantage
that it is a word that someone is likely to type into a browser or other
search box when looking for things related to cryptography. Often they
will even type it after a python.
I don't think we should be concerned that Zooko finds it confusing.
Calling it wobblynonce doesn't help make it discoverable to people who just
think they want to AES or RSA a thing.
If we're going to change the name I'd like to have a good reason, something
we can point to and say, these are some objective criteria for a name that
is friendly to new users and here is a name that qualifies. Maybe such a
thing doesn't exist though.
-David
On Mon, May 12, 2014 at 1:28 PM, Jarret Raim <jarret.raim at rackspace.com>wrote:
> I would be fine with a name change, people get grumpy about it.
>
> I think dreid and alex were passionate about the current name?
>
> Jarret
>
> On 5/12/14, 11:25 AM, "Donald Stufft" <donald at stufft.io> wrote:
>
> >Our name continues to cause mass confusion and i¹m pretty sure we all
> >regret it.
> >
> >So let¹s change it, or if not, why not?
> >
> >-----------------
> >Donald Stufft
> >PGP: 0x6E3CBCE93372DCFA // 7C6B 7C5D 5E2B 6356 A926 F04F 6E3C BCE9 3372
> >DCFA
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
> Cryptography-dev mailing list
> Cryptography-dev at python.org
> https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/cryptography-dev
>
>
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