Re: Re: Re: VMs: Cardan grille

[Nick Pelling <nickpelling@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi everyone,

ISTM that the most likely theoretical flaw in matching the Rugg 
table/grille method to Voynichese arises from the Currier A / B languages - 
or rather, not so much those pages written in perfect A-ese and B-ese 
(which Gordon Rugg would likely claim as indicating two distinct tables) 
but the troublesome inbetween VMs pages, which demonstrate features of both 
A & B (etc). That is, his table-and-grille hypothesis would work if 
Voynichese were made up of a set of structurally distinct dialects, but 
AFAIK that's not how the VMs' text actually works. The last word has yet to 
be said on this particular phenomenon, though... oh well. :-(

FWIW, I completely disagree with Gordon's pseudo-cryptanalytical 
methodology - he has ascertained somehow [perhaps, like Philip K. Dick, 
from "a beam of pink light from a necklace", who knows?] that the VMs' 
encoders were so extraordinarily clever that it makes no sense to look for 
encoding artefacts. Apparently, being able to replicate Voynichese-like 
text (much as "The Sims" replicates suburban-like behaviour) is sufficient 
proof of the possibility of a table/grille production line for the VMs. 
What nonsense! As I've said to him many times, looking to understand the 
VMs' "language" via a strategy of reconstruction is a good idea: but one 
which has its own logic and conclusions, which have yet to be followed and 
reached (respectively). Simply lurching to a pre-decided conclusion does 
nobody any favours... oh well. :-((

Really, I think Wired has covered the wrong story here: the VMs list is a 
prime example of a collaborative electronic community [just the kind of 
thing it loves], doing a fine sustained job of achieving the impossible - 
of reading the unreadable. Oh well... :-(((

Cheers, .....Nick Pelling.....

PS: how would you like your Cardan grilled, sir? :-)


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