#it's operating through several layers of abstraction rather than getting as close to machine code level as possible

[the-one-and-only-overlass]

me in programming class making an incredibly shitty and inefficient encryption algorithm that is nonetheless incredibly convoluted:

It's basically a case-sensitive wheel cipher where both wheels are randomized (a total of (52!^2 possible combinations) and then given an offset based on the number of previous characters in the message.

And when I put it like that it doesn't really sound so bad. But the thing is, that's 832 bits worth of cipher key, since each letter corresponds to an 8-bit ASCII code, and it's being used incredibly inefficiently. A single properly random 832-bit key would offer WAY more actual security.

Just how much more?

Well, 52!^2 is roughly equal to 6.506 x 10^135. A ridiculously big number, yes, but....

2^832 is roughly equal to 2.864 x 10 ^ 250.

For those of you unfamiliar with scientific notation, this does not mean that 2^832 is about twice as large as 52!^2. It means it's about 3000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 times as large.