The mono project allows you to create machine executable code by
embedding the runtime intrepreter together with your code.  Perhaps
something like that can be done with Ruby as well.  I don't know how
difficult it is, but the algorithms are probably transferable from the
mono project.

On 8/19/05, John Wells <lists / sourceillustrated.com> wrote:
> Derek Wyatt said:
> > If the code is encrypted, how are you going to decrypt it?
> >
> > I think you have your key types mixed up.  It's the public
> > key that can encrypt and the private key that can decrypt.
> 
> You're absolutely right...I did flub that in my description, didn't I?  I
> suppose the point here is question the viability of packaging a key (the
> private key) in the ruby executable to allow decryption of code the
> encrypted with the public key.  Public/private is a little confusing in
> this scenario, so I'd prefer a locking key and unlocking key.  I would
> still keep the public key private and secret, so it's truly not "public".
> 
> Now, how easy it would be to retrieve the unlocking key from the ruby
> executable, I have no idea.  I've been led to believe by Lothar's comments
> that it's possible to conceal it or the actual decryption point well
> enough that anyone would have a very difficult or impossible time getting
> at it, but that's possibly (probably?) naive.
> 
> Thanks,
> John
> 
> 
>