Comments on: Austrian “The Voynich Riddle” documentary…

By: Rene Zandbergen

Rene Zandbergen — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:05:23 +0000

The plot thickens.

Possibly, the programme will *not* be encrypted. Looking at this page:
http://tv.orf.at/program/orf2/primetime/20091210/
it clearly says ‘ORF 2 Europe’ which would mean that it is visible through
Astra. The same term appears in the left margin of the original link already
given by Nick above. I don’t think that this was there before…

More info as soon as I have it…

By: nickpelling

nickpelling — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:26:27 +0000

Thanks for that, Rich – though as Rene notes, the text does seem rather outdated. If I didn’t know better, my guess is that this was a flyer originally edited together to present to overseas TV networks.

As a cryptology aside, the fragment of C code that appears about 15 seconds into the trailer comes from the FEALNX Linux module http://www.filewatcher.com/p/fealnx.tar.gz.2449/fealnx.c.html. The original FEAL (Fast data Encipherment ALgorithm) was intended as a high-speed replacement for the DES cipher, which then (when it was busted) evolved into FEAL-8, FEAL-N, and then finally FEAL-NX (hence the name). Just so you know!

By: nickpelling

nickpelling — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:15:37 +0000

I certainly think they’d be listening… up to the word “evidence”. That’s when the rotten fruit would start flying!

By: Rene Zandbergen

Rene Zandbergen — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:12:41 +0000

Thanks for that link Rich!

This ‘recently discovered signature’ bit is from the original flyer of April 2008,
and I know that they know better. The images are new. The text could
be old… (at least I hope )

Nick, your description of the conference assumes that people would
actually be listening attentively what the others are saying. I think it would be
a great step forward
Better not bring in the pizza’s too early.

By: Ernest Lillie

Ernest Lillie — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:05:23 +0000

Is there anywhere on-line that one may be able to watch the documentary — possibly a few days after its initial airing? I guess I’m thinking of something along the lines of “Hulu.com”.

By: Rich SantaColoma

Rich SantaColoma — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:42:18 +0000

5.45pm. Kiss and make up?

There is a link to a 55 second trailer for the documentary here:

http://tvsales.orf.at/db/db_single?caller=961&ka=docume

I could not get the top one (mpeg) to work, but the lower link, the .wmv file, worked. Rich.

By: nickpelling

nickpelling — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:15:10 +0000

9.15am. Opening session. Nick Pelling. “Evidence for the origins of the Voynich Manuscript.”
9.22am. Fistfights break out over what constitutes “evidence”.
1.00pm. Pizza (uneaten) and sandwiches.
1.15pm. Fistfights resume (Hall and now Conference Room B as well).
5.30pm. Closing speech. Steve Ekwall. “ThE VoYnIcH MaNuScRiPt RoCkS”.

Who couldn’t organize that?

By: Michelle Smith

Michelle Smith — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:08:05 +0000

I knew someone would say that!!!

By: Rene Zandbergen

Rene Zandbergen — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:39:04 +0000

Hmmm, some sort of event at the Mondragone at the 100th anniversary of
Voynich’s discovery still seems like a good idea in general, but I have to
admit that I haven’t got any clear ideas what it should be like.
Organising a proper conference in one’s spare time is completely out scope
for me, I’m afraid. I’d play my part in a group effort, though.

By: Dennis

Dennis — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:57:59 +0000

It’s not like it’s the end of the world, Michelle.