#!/usr/bin/env python3
# Fancy "decoder" snippet — looks hacker-y, but the decoded message is shown below
# Copy-paste this to look cool; no need to run it unless you want the theatrical effect.
import base64, binascii, textwrap
# (fake) "encrypted" blob (base64)
cipher_blob = (
"U28sIEknbSBub3QgcmVhbGx5IG5ldyBoZXJlLCBidXQgSSBuZXZlciBwb3N0ZWQgYSB3ZWxjb21pbmcg"
"aW50cm9kdWN0aW9uLiBUb2RheSBJIHRob3VnaHQgSSdkIGRvIGl0LCBiZWNhdXNlIHdoeSBub3Q/IEkn"
"dmUgYmVlbiBhIG1lbWJlciAoYW5kIGV2ZW4gYSBWSVApIGhlcmUgZm9yIHF1aXRlIGEgbG9uZyB0aW1l"
"LiBJdCdzIGEgZ29vZCBwbGFjZSB3aXRoIG1hbnkgcG9zc2liaWxpdGllcywgaGF2ZSBhd2Vzb21lIHBl"
"b3BsZSwgYW5kIGFsd2F5cyBzb21ldGhpbmcgbmV3IHRvIGxlYXJuLiBIb3BlZnVsbHkgSSBjYW4gYWxz"
"byBoZWxwIG90aGVycyB0aGUgc2FtZSB3YXkgb3RoZXJzIGhhdmUgaGVscGVkIG1lLiBJdCdzIGxpa2Ug"
"YSBjaXJjbGUgLSB0aGUgbW9yZSBwZW9wbGUgdW5kZXJzdGFuZCwgdGhlIGJldHRlciB0aGUgY29tbXVu"
"aXR5IGJlY29tZXMsIGFuZCB0aGF0IG1lYW5zIGV2ZW4gbW9yZSBoZWxwZnVsIG1lbWJlcnMgYXJvdW5k"
"IGhlcmUu"
)
# ---------------------------
# DECODED OUTPUT (readable; no need to run)
# ---------------------------
# So, I'm not really new here, but I never posted a welcoming introduction.
# Today I thought I'd do it, because why not? I've been a member (and even a VIP)
# here for quite a long time. It's a good place with many possibilities, awesome people,
# and always something new to learn. Hopefully I can also help others the same way others
# have helped me. It's like a circle — the more people understand, the better the community
# becomes, and that means even more helpful members around here.
# ---------------------------
# If someone *does* want to run the script and see the theatrical decode:
def reveal(blob_b64):
raw = base64.b64decode(blob_b64)
try:
text = raw.decode('utf-8', errors='replace')
except Exception:
text = "<failed to decode>"
print("\n=== DECODED INTRO ===\n")
print(textwrap.fill(text, width=72))
print("\n=== END ===\n")
if __name__ == "__main__":
# Running this prints the same message shown above in the comment block.
# (Script included for fun — not required to read the message.)
reveal(cipher_blob)