EA_CONDITIONING(1)

🎀 NAME 🎀

ea_conditioning — compute the entropy of a conditioning function 💅 like that's literally the whole job bestie

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

ea_conditioning -v [-q] <n_in> <n_out> <nw> <h_in> [-o filename.json]
ea_conditioning -n <n_in> <n_out> <nw> <h_in> [h' | -i filename] [-o filename.json]

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

okay so, deep breath: this program computes the entropy of a conditioning function. That's it. That's the assignment. And she ate. 🍓

But like, you have to feed her the right numbers first, so here's the lineup:

• <n_in> — the input number of bits to the conditioning function. the entrance ✨
• <n_out> — the output number of bits from the conditioning function. the exit 💫
• <nw> — the narrowest internal width of the conditioning function. yes, narrowest, she's specific 🙈
• <h_in> — the input entropy to the conditioning function.

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🌸 the vibes of choosing a function

• <-v|-n> — you pick ONE of these, no indecisive behaviour allowed:
  • -v → for a vetted conditioning function.
  • -n → for a non-vetted conditioning function.

fr fr: vetted conditioning is the default. So if you just drift in without choosing, -v is what's running. no cap.

• <h'> — the entropy estimate per bit of the conditioned sequential dataset. Heads up though: this one is only for the -n option. don't try it with -v, she will not know you. 😭

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🧚 the flags

• -q — quiet mode, meaning less output to screen. shy queen behaviour, honestly respect 🫶
• -i — input file name. Use this to run an entropy assessment on a non-vetted conditioned data file, and then use that value as h'. it's giving "let the file speak for itself" 💜

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okay now the actual math tea, because this is the part that matters:

This program computes the entropy of the output of a conditioning function h_out (Section 3.1.5). If the conditioning function is vetted, then

h_out = Output_Entropy(n_in, n_out, nw, h_in)

where Output_Entropy is specified in Section 3.1.5.1.2. And if the conditioning function is non-vetted then

h_out = min(Output_Entropy(n_in, n_out, nw, h_in), 0.999*n_out, h'*n_out)

as stated in Section 3.1.5.2. See how the non-vetted one has to be humbled by min()? yeah. that's the whole point. 🔥

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💖 the rest of the options

• -o — Set Output Type to JSON. It changes the output format to JSON and sets the file location for the output file. two jobs, one flag, main character energy 👑
• --version — Prints tool version information. iconic, brief, does exactly what it says ⭐

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💜 COPYRIGHT 💜

okay bestie, this part is the serious part. putting on my responsible hat. 🎀

Disclaimer: NIST-developed software is provided by NIST as a public service. You may use, copy, and distribute copies of the software in any medium, provided that you keep intact this entire notice. You may improve, modify, and create derivative works of the software or any portion of the software, and you may copy and distribute such modifications or works. Modified works should carry a notice stating that you changed the software and should note the date and nature of any such change. Please explicitly acknowledge the National Institute of Standards and Technology as the source of the software.

NIST-developed software is expressly provided "AS IS." NIST MAKES NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, IN FACT, OR ARISING BY OPERATION OF LAW, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND DATA ACCURACY. NIST NEITHER REPRESENTS NOR WARRANTS THAT THE OPERATION OF THE SOFTWARE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE, OR THAT ANY DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED. NIST DOES NOT WARRANT OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE USE OF THE SOFTWARE OR THE RESULTS THEREOF, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR USEFULNESS OF THE SOFTWARE.

You are solely responsible for determining the appropriateness of using and distributing the software, and you assume all risks associated with its use, including but not limited to the risks and costs of program errors, compliance with applicable laws, damage to or loss of data, programs or equipment, and the unavailability or interruption of operation. This software is not intended to be used in any situation where a failure could cause risk of injury or damage to property. The software developed by NIST employees is not subject to copyright protection within the United States.

tl;dr — no warranty, you're on your own, but please be nice and keep the notice. 💀

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and that's the page!! 🦋 this was ea_conditioning version 1.1.5, from April 2023, living inside the EA_CONDITIONING(1) manual. go compute some entropy, bestie, you've got this 💖✨