Alice and Bob: Difference between revisions

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When the interaction between two hypothetical characters is needed to explain or describe some system, they are nearly always called [[Alice Allusion|Alice]] and [[Everything's Better With Bob|Bob]]. Alice and Bob - A and B. This duo originally started out as a standardized way to explain cryptography. Over time, the duo has been adopted in explanations of mathematics, physics, quantum effects, and other arcane places, but have also been seen in fiction. They are also found in a surprising number of trope definitions.
When the interaction between two hypothetical characters is needed to explain or describe some system, they are nearly always called [[Alice Allusion|Alice]] and [[Everything's Better with Bob|Bob]]. Alice and Bob - A and B. This duo originally started out as a standardized way to explain cryptography. Over time, the duo has been adopted in explanations of mathematics, physics, quantum effects, and other arcane places, but have also been seen in fiction. They are also found in a surprising number of trope definitions.


Where more than two characters are needed, other names are used, such as Carol and Charlie. Some names have acquired standard meanings, such as Eve the Eavesdropper. Lists of these can be found in Bruce Schneier's book Applied Cryptography, and at [[wikipedia:Alice and Bob|that other wiki]].
Where more than two characters are needed, other names are used, such as Carol and Charlie. Some names have acquired standard meanings, such as Eve the Eavesdropper. Lists of these can be found in Bruce Schneier's book Applied Cryptography, and at [[wikipedia:Alice and Bob|that other wiki]].
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This works for most situations.
This works for most situations.


The use of Alice and Bob is suggested in General Suggestions, but some of us (notably those who really are called Alice and/or Bob) sometimes wish a little imagination could be applied. That's where [[Aerith and Bob]] come in. [[Averted Trope|Or Jim]] [[Bio Shock|and Mary]]. Or [[Dick and Jane]].
The use of Alice and Bob is suggested in General Suggestions, but some of us (notably those who really are called Alice and/or Bob) sometimes wish a little imagination could be applied. That's where [[Aerith and Bob]] come in. [[Averted Trope|Or Jim]] [[Bioshock|and Mary]]. Or [[Dick and Jane]].


See also [[Those Two Guys]], [[Greek Chorus]].
See also [[Those Two Guys]], [[Greek Chorus]].
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== [[Film]] ==
== [[Film]] ==
* Movie and TV example: ''Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice''.
* Movie and TV example: ''Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice''.
* [[How to Lose A Guy In Ten Days]] has a romantic couple of Andy Anderson and Benjamin Berry.
* [[How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days]] has a romantic couple of Andy Anderson and Benjamin Berry.


== [[Literature]] ==
== [[Literature]] ==
* In most cryptography textbooks, communications are presented as being between Alice and Bob, and must be secured from a third-party interloper named Eve (for Eavesdropper, of course!). If the problem requires the involvement of more than two parties, then Charlie and Donna may be introduced. This is the basis for the [[Xkcd (Webcomic)|Xkcd]] reference. Other character names sometimes used for special purposes include Mallory (a ''mal''icious active adversary, capable of changing the messages sent between Alice and Bob, whereas Eve merely listens), Trent (a mutually ''tr''usted third party, whom Alice and Bob might prevail upon to execute protocols in which they don't trust each other), and Peggy and Victor (the prover and verifier, respectively, in zero-knowledge proofs).
* In most cryptography textbooks, communications are presented as being between Alice and Bob, and must be secured from a third-party interloper named Eve (for Eavesdropper, of course!). If the problem requires the involvement of more than two parties, then Charlie and Donna may be introduced. This is the basis for the [[Xkcd]] reference. Other character names sometimes used for special purposes include Mallory (a ''mal''icious active adversary, capable of changing the messages sent between Alice and Bob, whereas Eve merely listens), Trent (a mutually ''tr''usted third party, whom Alice and Bob might prevail upon to execute protocols in which they don't trust each other), and Peggy and Victor (the prover and verifier, respectively, in zero-knowledge proofs).
** Game Theory books often use an adaptation of Alice and Bob in "Rose and Colin" (rows and columns on game theory charts), with "Larry", or "layer" thrown in for three person games.
** Game Theory books often use an adaptation of Alice and Bob in "Rose and Colin" (rows and columns on game theory charts), with "Larry", or "layer" thrown in for three person games.
*** Game Semantics books tend to use Abelard and Eloise (for resemblance to the universal and existental quantifier symbols, which are an inverted A and a backwards E). They are also the names of a medieval logician and his lover.
*** Game Semantics books tend to use Abelard and Eloise (for resemblance to the universal and existental quantifier symbols, which are an inverted A and a backwards E). They are also the names of a medieval logician and his lover.
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== [[Video Games]] ==
== [[Video Games]] ==
* Used in a very surreal [[Cyberspace]] level in ''[[World of Goo (Video Game)|World of Goo]]'' called "Alice and Bob and the Third Party," where you intercept information-goo transmitted from <small>cosmicGrrrl!</small> to <small>LaconicCrusadr13</small>.
* Used in a very surreal [[Cyberspace]] level in ''[[World of Goo]]'' called "Alice and Bob and the Third Party," where you intercept information-goo transmitted from <small>cosmicGrrrl!</small> to <small>LaconicCrusadr13</small>.
* Used as examples for an explanation of {{spoiler|quantum teleportation}} in ''[[Remember 11]]''.
* Used as examples for an explanation of {{spoiler|quantum teleportation}} in ''[[Remember 11]]''.


== [[Web Comics]] ==
== [[Web Comics]] ==
* [http://xkcd.com/177/ Parodied] in the webcomic ''[[Xkcd (Webcomic)|Xkcd]]''.
* [http://xkcd.com/177/ Parodied] in the webcomic ''[[Xkcd]]''.
* [http://tropeoverdosed.byethost6.com/?p=6 The main characters] of ''[[Trope Overdosed the Webcomic]]''
* [http://tropeoverdosed.byethost6.com/?p=6 The main characters] of ''[[Trope Overdosed the Webcomic]]''
* Alice is introduced in the opening chapter of ''[[Freakangels]]''. In the epilogue, {{spoiler|she's explaining the story to a military officer named Bob.}}
* Alice is introduced in the opening chapter of ''[[Freak Angels]]''. In the epilogue, {{spoiler|she's explaining the story to a military officer named Bob.}}


== [[Web Original]] ==
== [[Web Original]] ==
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* In [[Useful Notes/Linguistics|Linguistics]], it's more often John and Mary.
* In [[Useful Notes/Linguistics|Linguistics]], it's more often John and Mary.


== [[TV Tropes Wiki]] ==
== [[TV Tropes (Wiki)]] ==


* [[Amnesiac Liar]]
* [[Amnesiac Liar]]
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* [[Curb Stomp Battle]]
* [[Curb Stomp Battle]]
* [[Dartboard of Hate]]
* [[Dartboard of Hate]]
* [[Death By Adaptation]]
* [[Death by Adaptation]]
* [[Debt Detester]]
* [[Debt Detester]]
* [[Delayed Reaction]]
* [[Delayed Reaction]]
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* [[From My Own Personal Garden]]
* [[From My Own Personal Garden]]
* [[Glad I Thought of It]]
* [[Glad I Thought of It]]
* [[Have We Met]]
* [[Have We Met?]]
* [[Head-Tiltingly Kinky]]
* [[Head-Tiltingly Kinky]]
* [[Hilarity in Zoos]]
* [[Hilarity in Zoos]]
* [[Holding the Floor]]
* [[Holding the Floor]]
* [[How Much Did You Hear]]
* [[How Much Did You Hear?]]
* [[Hurricane of Excuses]]
* [[Hurricane of Excuses]]
* [[I Didn't Mean to Turn You On]]
* [[I Didn't Mean to Turn You On]]
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* [[Just Whistle]]
* [[Just Whistle]]
* [[Kids Shouldn't Watch Horror Films]]
* [[Kids Shouldn't Watch Horror Films]]
* [[Kissing in A Tree]]
* [[Kissing in a Tree]]
* [[Lame Excuse]]
* [[Lame Excuse]]
* [[Leaning On the Fourth Wall]]
* [[Leaning on the Fourth Wall]]
* [[Let Him Choose]]
* [[Let Him Choose]]
* [[Long-Distance Relationship]]
* [[Long-Distance Relationship]]
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* [[No, I Am Behind You]]
* [[No, I Am Behind You]]
* [["No. Just... No" Reaction]]
* [["No. Just... No" Reaction]]
* [[Not Listening to Me Are You]]
* [[Not Listening to Me, Are You?]]
* [[Not-So-Innocent Whistle]]
* [[Not-So-Innocent Whistle]]
* [[One-Book Author]]
* [[One-Book Author]]
* [[Operation: Jealousy]]
* [[Operation: Jealousy]]
* [[Or Are You Just Happy to See Me]]
* [[Or Are You Just Happy to See Me?]]
* [[Patchwork Kids]]
* [[Patchwork Kids]]
* [[Placebo Eureka Moment]]
* [[Placebo Eureka Moment]]
* [[Preemptive Shut Up]]
* [[Preemptive "Shut Up"]]
* [[Premature Aggravation]]
* [[Premature Aggravation]]
* [[Race For Your Love]]
* [[Race For Your Love]]
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* [[Selective Enforcement]]
* [[Selective Enforcement]]
* [[Selling the Show]]
* [[Selling the Show]]
* [[Separated By a Common Language]]
* [[Separated by a Common Language]]
* [[Sibling Switch Squick]]
* [[Sibling Switch Squick]]
* [[Single-Target Sexuality]]
* [[Single-Target Sexuality]]
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* [[Taking the Heat]]
* [[Taking the Heat]]
* [[Tastes Like Chicken]]
* [[Tastes Like Chicken]]
* [[Thanks for The Mammary]]
* [[Thanks for the Mammary]]
* [[The Cat Came Back]]
* [[The Cat Came Back]]
* [[The Exit Is That Way]]
* [[The Exit Is That Way]]
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* [[What Is This, X?]]
* [[What Is This, X?]]
* [[Where Did We Go Wrong?]]
* [[Where Did We Go Wrong?]]
* [[Who's On First?]]
* [[Who's on First?]]
* [[Why Are You Looking At Me Like That]]
* [[Why Are You Looking At Me Like That?]]
* [[Why Didn't You Just Say So?]]
* [[Why Didn't You Just Say So?]]
* [[Wounded Gazelle Gambit]]
* [[Wounded Gazelle Gambit]]

Revision as of 01:48, 9 April 2014

File:0.jpg
Alice and Bob [1]


When the interaction between two hypothetical characters is needed to explain or describe some system, they are nearly always called Alice and Bob. Alice and Bob - A and B. This duo originally started out as a standardized way to explain cryptography. Over time, the duo has been adopted in explanations of mathematics, physics, quantum effects, and other arcane places, but have also been seen in fiction. They are also found in a surprising number of trope definitions.

Where more than two characters are needed, other names are used, such as Carol and Charlie. Some names have acquired standard meanings, such as Eve the Eavesdropper. Lists of these can be found in Bruce Schneier's book Applied Cryptography, and at that other wiki. Note that The common names are: Alice Bob Charlie/Charley. This works for most situations.

The use of Alice and Bob is suggested in General Suggestions, but some of us (notably those who really are called Alice and/or Bob) sometimes wish a little imagination could be applied. That's where Aerith and Bob come in. Or Jim and Mary. Or Dick and Jane.

See also Those Two Guys, Greek Chorus.

Examples of Alice and Bob include:


Film

Literature

  • In most cryptography textbooks, communications are presented as being between Alice and Bob, and must be secured from a third-party interloper named Eve (for Eavesdropper, of course!). If the problem requires the involvement of more than two parties, then Charlie and Donna may be introduced. This is the basis for the Xkcd reference. Other character names sometimes used for special purposes include Mallory (a malicious active adversary, capable of changing the messages sent between Alice and Bob, whereas Eve merely listens), Trent (a mutually trusted third party, whom Alice and Bob might prevail upon to execute protocols in which they don't trust each other), and Peggy and Victor (the prover and verifier, respectively, in zero-knowledge proofs).
    • Game Theory books often use an adaptation of Alice and Bob in "Rose and Colin" (rows and columns on game theory charts), with "Larry", or "layer" thrown in for three person games.
      • Game Semantics books tend to use Abelard and Eloise (for resemblance to the universal and existental quantifier symbols, which are an inverted A and a backwards E). They are also the names of a medieval logician and his lover.
  • Alice and Bob are the names of the parents in Vernor Vinge's Rainbows End, and a government official is named Eve Mallory.
  • E. R. Emmet's "Our Factory" puzzles feature "Alf", "Bert", "Charlie", and so on.

Live Action TV

  • TV and Movie example: Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
  • One of the logos at the end of The Bonnie Hunt Show (2008-2010) is for "Bob & Alice Productions".
    • Bonnie's Hunt's parents are named Bob and Alice so it is either just a reference to her parents or both.

Music Tropes

  • Nerdcore Rap artist MC Plus+ has a song about cryptography named "Alice and Bob".

Newspaper Comics

Oral Tradition

Video Games

  • Used in a very surreal Cyberspace level in World of Goo called "Alice and Bob and the Third Party," where you intercept information-goo transmitted from cosmicGrrrl! to LaconicCrusadr13.
  • Used as examples for an explanation of quantum teleportation in Remember 11.

Web Comics

Web Original

Real Life

  • Alice and Bob really are quantum- a professor at the University of Washington has used two separate remote cameras, named Alice and Bob, to test the theory of non-locality and its potential for time travel, by attempting to receive a message before it's sent. The experiment hasn't yielded results so far, but it's telling.
  • In Linguistics, it's more often John and Mary.

TV Tropes (Wiki)

  1. ↑ cartoon by John Richardson in Physics World, March 1998
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