VMs: RE: DIE WELTWOCHE

["GC" <glenclaston@xxxxxxxxx>]

> 1. Do people out there think a solution is imminent?
> Where will it come
> from?

It seems some of us are far more optimistic than others on this
question.  I feel the solution is  not very far away.  I'd agree
with Nick that the manuscript's weakness is in the numbers.

> 2. How do people one get hooked on the Voynich? I saw
> some notions
> of terrible addiction.

For amateur crypies, the VMS has got a great hook in that at first
glance the script appears to be so simple, and the assumption is
that the answer has to be simple as well.  I still think the
answer is much simpler than we all make it out to be.  I think
cryptology is addictive as a whole, for certain personalities
(such as mine) who require an extreme mental focus to keep us from
counting the holes in ceiling tile.  A good brown study as Jim
discussed can't have ceiling tile! :-)

But for those that don't understand this addiction (and I am truly
addicted), I liken it to my habit of picking locks.  To me it is
never about what is behind the lock, only how skillfully I can
manipulate the mechanism.  The lock is the focus, and the VMS has
one very well constructed lock on it.  We addicts tend to solve
puzzles only for the adrenalin rush, when for a few moments you
realize you are the only person in the world to know the answer.
Five minutes later we're on to something else...fickle?

> 3. The list seems to be in a lull; does that mean
> people are frustrated?

I don't think so.  There is a lot of study involved in following
any lead, and many leads are dead ends not worth mentioning to the
list.  Many of us also have other projects on the line.

> 4. How serious is the research that has been done lately?

As others have summed up, we know much more in the last few years
than at any other time.  The last two years especially have been
very active in shedding new light and information on the problem.
We even have a selection of color photographs available only in
the last year.  The serious efforts put forth by a handful of
researchers is remarkable.

> 5. Are there people out there who still think the ms. is a hoax?

There probably are, but in my opinion this is not a hoax.  Rather
than debate the point, I'll give my reasons:

1.  No matter what page in the herbal section, every page has only
23 unique characters, even though the character set changes
slightly from one page to the other.  (This may hold true for
other sections, but I haven't compiled any statistics on these as
yet.)  A lot of effort for a hoax.

2.  Contrary to earlier reports of an error-free document, there
is at least one error in every two to three pages, and possibly
more.  Why correct characters if the underlying text is
meaningless?

3.  The character variations mentioned are associated with the
plants in the herbal section.  Pages with the same leaf counts,
etc. tend to use the same variations of characters.  Not fully
documented as yet, but a curiosity when considering the hoax
theory.

4.  Several pages demonstrate "diacritical" marks and other
character alterations that would need to be explained from a hoax
standpoint.  Marks such as these were used in medieval cipher to
indicate a change or movement in a system, but this would most
likely be beyond the knowledge of a hoaxter.

5.  Thanks to Dana we see that many of the plants are identifiable
as real plants.  I'm more for the "composite" theory of the
drawings, but this gives us a clear notion that the author was
familiar with his subject matter.

6.  The plant parts in the pharmaceutical or "antidotary" section
are grouped into their proper astrological influences, leaves,
stems, roots, buds, etc.

7.  One drawing in the VMS could well be a functional nocturnal,
which again means the author was familiar with the astronomical
portion of his study.

8.  A fold-out in the VMS has a parallel with an astrological Mapa
Mundi, and if this is indeed an actual astrological overlay map,
it would have required a great deal of mathematical knowledge to
create.

9.  All the sections in the VMS indicate an author of a particular
discipline, namely that of a medieval physician.  An herbal
section, probably with secret attributes of the herbs depicted, an
astrological section, an "antidotary" probably describing the
mixing of herbs for the greatest astrological effect, a mapa mundi
probably demonstrating the particular influences in any region of
the known world, a "balneological" section depicting either herbal
baths or the flow of humors, and last but not least, a section at
the rear that is most probably a daily almanac.  These are the
medeival areas of study of a physician as opposed to a surgeon,
and there is nothing in the Voynich that suggests to me anything
outside this realm of study.

Hoax?  Highly unlikely in my opinion.

> 5. Some people seem to lean toward the idea that its
> language is a
> monosyllabic East-Asian language such as Chinese or
> Vietnamese; what
> are the arguments and counter-arguments?

I'm not of this opinion, but for every argument that the VMS is
cipher, there is a counter argument that holds as much weight in
our present void of knowledge.  Barring critical observations,
neither belief can presently be substantiated or refuted.

> 6. Does the Voynich-community ever meet in the real
> world, or is this solely
> an Internet-community? How many people are involved in
> the deciphering
> on a regular basis? Are you friends?

I would love to meet a select few of the group in question.  I
haven't yet met any of them save one, who is now deceased.  We do
have a meeting planned however.  I believe it's to be a PIZZA
party?  :-)

GC