[GNC-dev] Normalizing live data

[Wm]

On 02/02/2019 13:31, Hendrik Boom wrote:
> 
>> On 2/1/19 5:36 AM, Wm via gnucash-devel wrote:
>>>
>>> [2] as long as the transaction stream balances the actual numbers
>>> don't matter (their will be occasions where the numbers are important
>>> but these tend to be number extremes related to commodities rather
>>> than anyone using gnc to do a Mr Putin vs Mr Trump sports bet).? In
>>> most cases multiplying any matching numbers by the same semi-random
>>> should produce a good file for examination so long as it is done
>>> consistently [4]
> 
> If the numbers in the file are integers times some account or
> currency-dependent unit, then just clculationg the greatest common
> divisor of all the obfuscated numbers will give a good guess as to the
> semirandom multiplier.

My test script includes randomness introduced by the user.  Could the 
numbers be worked backwards? Possibly, maybe probably from a purely 
numeric POV.  Will the remote person, having done the work, know what 
each of the numbers mean?  Nope.  That is the point I am suggesting we 
go for, a numerically sensible file that makes no sense to anyone else 
financially.

Will there be times this won't work? Of course, in which case we revert 
to the existing system of having to trust someone with your live data.

All I am offering to do is reduce the number of times someone has to 
trust someone.  If the community decides this isn't worth the effort so 
be it, but I think we should at least think it through.

So, Hendrik, I acknowledge your point but don't think it is significant.

-- 
Wm