encode

Synopsis:
   $encode(<text>)
   $decode(<text>)

Technical:
   Given any input, $encode() will return a unique string that can serve as
   an lvalue (a variable name that can be ASSIGNed to.)  Use $decode() to
   retrieve the original text.  The $encode() function is case-preserving.

Practical:
   The $encode() function is used to convert an arbitrary text string into
   a string suitable for use in variable or alias names.  This might be
   used to set up a hash table keyed with nick!user@host patterns.  The
   $decode() function does just the opposite, converting a string returned
   by $encode() to the original string.

Returns:
   encode: encoded string
   decode: decoded string

Examples:
   $encode(hello there)               returns "GIGFGMGMGPCAHEGIGFHCGF"
   $decode(GIGFGMGMGPCAHEGIGFHCGF)    returns "hello there"
   $decode($encode(hello there))      returns "hello there"

See Also:
   assign(5)

Other Notes:
   You should not trust $encode() to return any specific string.  You may
   only trust that it is unique given the input string, and that you may
   use the return value as an lvalue.  Any other use of $encode() should be
   considered an error.