What does it cost in real money ?

or, more to the point, why is an English website (.co.uk) quoting prices in Foreign currencies and not pounds sterling ?

You can build your own electronic-kit version of the Enigma:

http://www.xat.nl/enigma-e/

I built one of these (yes, I went so far as to build a nifty wooden case for it), and it was a truly weird experience to turn it on the first time and decrypt the included sample Enigma massage letter by letter: "DER FUEHRER IST TOT DER KAMPF GEHT WEITER".

Welcome to the internet, dumbass: it exists in more than one country. Wow!

Some of the bigger firms even keep websites in more than one domain, and if some dumbass sets their language preference in their cookie, they get automatically redirected to that country's version of the website. If they're particularly dumbass they won't even realise that this is happening, despite the obvious clue they should have noticed when they clicked on a link ending in ".com" and ended up at a web page ending in ".co.uk".

eBay itself is an American firm, so trades in and calculates all its prices in dollars, but if you go to one of the country-specific websites you'll see the equivalent displayed in the local currency. Compare:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270146164488

- price in $ only

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270146164488

- price in $ with equivalent in £

http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270146164488

- price in $ with equivalent in €

Just tried to nab this bar steward, and it seems that someone called David Blindgit got in first. Rumours on the grapevine suggest it will be used to perform heroics for the forthcoming ID card database....where you won't be able to buy a loaf of bread at Tesco's unless you prove your identity in triplicate.

I want proof before I'll pay. The Enigma has been well documented. I'm sure one could be cobbled together in a few weeks. Maybe I'll put one on the market. Wonder how much parts would cost.

"You can build your own electronic-kit version of the Enigma"

I am put in mind of "This Island Earth" or "Explorers". Did you start to get messages from the ghosts of WW2 U-boat men, asking if they can come home?

As of just a bit ago, the eBay listing has been removed. Perhaps one of the WW2 U-boat men has acted to protect the secrets of the Fatherland?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Box-for-WWII-German-Abwehr-Enigma-Machine_W0QQitemZ190132930663

If it's up for $16,000, that'll be about £2.43 at the current exchange rate ;-)

Seriously though, at today's rate, $16,000 US (I'm assuming US, not the many other dollars in use around the world), is equivalent to £7,797, 7 shillings, fourpence and three farthings.

In not one for flaming, but who the hell are you to call anyone a dumbass? El Reg is British and that is the point. We would like a British site to tell us equivelant prices in £. Im not evne going to comment on what you said about clicking on a .com and ending up at a .co.uk cos that was just a stupid thing to say.

I find it odd how Americans always seem very quick to insult people on here, and how often that results in them looking stupid. Like the fact that this person clearly dose not realise El Reg is Englis, or that EBay dose not only traid in Dollars. It gives the price in Dollars only when it is an American seller...

</flame>

P.S. Sorry to everyone else but I have just got fed up with this American stupidity.

Love the typing, the spelling, and the supposition that the person who posted "Sixteen thousand dollars, that's "how much"" was an American. Granted their flame was silly but so was your question.

All in all if you don't like the flames stay off of comment boards.

Re: the article... I find these machines fascinating. I think the people that own original working Enigmas should send some ciphertext to the chaps at Bletchley and let them try out that shiny new bombe! Something like "Free beers at the Old Swan on Friday, bring the drums for coasters"

Sorry, i'm a cryptohistory wonk....

It's gone