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arXiv:0901.4016cs.SE

A Proposal for Proquints: Identifiers that are Readable, Spellable, and Pronounceable

Daniel Shawcross Wilkerson

Abstract

Identifiers (IDs) are pervasive throughout our modern life. We suggest that these IDs would be easier to manage and remember if they were easily readable, spellable, and pronounceable. As a solution to this problem we propose using PRO-nouncable QUINT-uplets of alternating unambiguous consonants and vowels: _proquints_.

arXiv comments
Added a suggestion that "0q-" be used as the optional magic number prefix for proquint strings. Better to pick one standard than let people make up different solutions to this problem
Journal reference
DOI
Subjects
cs.SESoftware Engineering cs.CYComputers and Society cs.HCHuman-Computer Interaction

On Hacker News

Linked by 6 identifiable commenters in 6 comments across 6 threads, from Dec 2014 to Sep 2020. Found in 5 HN submissions from Jan 2018 to Dec 2023. Open submission discussions.

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Discussed in comments6 threads

  1. Readable Pointers 1 comment

    • Urbit's IDs are 32-bit numbers represented in a pronounceable format (search for `@p`): https://urbit.org/docs/tutorials/hoon/hoon-school/atoms-aura... Meanwhile in the real world, there's proquints: https://arxiv.org/html/0901.4016

      milkey_mouseView on HNParent context

  2. Show HN: Base24 binary-to-text encoding for humans 1 comment

    • I think proquints [0] are pretty good at encoding for humans as well. For example, when used to encode IP addresses, they result in pronouncible identifiers like this: 127.0.0.1 lusab-babad 63.84.220.193 gutih-tugad 63.118.7.35 gutuk-bisog [0] https://arxiv.org/html/0901.4016

      tjchearView on HNParent context

  3. Bitspeak converts hex strings to pronounceable words 1 comment

    • I did something quite like this years ago that now has implementations in many programming languages: https://arxiv.org/html/0901.4016 https://github.com/dsw/proquint

      dswilkersonView on HNParent context

  4. How to Name a Baby (2013) 1 comment

    • You'd use a pronounceable encoding scheme like proquints[0] so your child would be called Zagil-kunaf-lagoh-dudav-gukup-pujon-hitoh-lukug-vulut-zazug-batip-bikop-mafoh-foliv-munuh-nopok. You must be pretty optimistic about humanity's future if you're using a 256 bit hash. Just…

      shpxView on HNParent context

  5. Falling in Love with a Hard Drive: How to Name Your Computer and Other Machines 1 comment

    • Schemes I've used over the years: * Bodies of the Solar system - moon./mars./mercury./&etc. * Shakespeares' characters - titus, achilles, adam, agrippa, &etc. * proquint () of the address - 10.0.0.53 = bomab-babuj, etc. ( - http://arxiv.org/html/0901.4016)

      fit2ruleView on HNParent context

  6. Hipku – encode any IP address as a haiku 1 comment

    • Related: proquints (PRO-nouncable QUIN-tuplets) http://arxiv.org/html/0901.4016 127.0.0.1 lusab-babad 63.84.220.193 gutih-tugad 63.118.7.35 gutuk-bisog 140.98.193.141 mudof-sakat 64.255.6.200 haguz-biram

      lachenmayerView on HNParent context

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