[eru]

> [...] making computers burn CPU cycles computing (mostly unused) hashes seems to be something we humans want to do since around 15 years ago.

Keep in mind that there's a big difference between cryptographic hash functions and the kind of hash functions investigated here.

[baq]

Yeah notably examples are given with their inverse functions. I’m pretty sure you don’t want that in a crypto hash ;)

[keepamovin]

Haha! :) No, not overall, but you do want reversible steps in a crypto hash as Reversible steps make better mixing functions, Because you’re not losing information so you avoid iteratively diminishing that information leading to a smaller state space, and more state collisions.