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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS);faqs.060
John Beasley has posted information on his OR-Lib, which contains various
optimization test problems. Send e-mail to umtsk99@vaxa.cc.imperial.ac.uk
to get started. Or have a look in the Journal of the Operational Research
Society, Volume 41, Number 11, Pages 1069-72.
There are various test sets for NLP (Non-Linear Programming). Among
those I've seen mentioned are
- ACM TOMS (Transactions on Mathematical Software), V13 No3 P272
- publications (listed in another section of this list) by Schittkowski;
Hock & Schittkowski; Floudas & Pardalos; Torn; Hughes & Grawiog.
Many of the other references also contain various problems that you
could use to test a code.
The modeling language GAMS comes with about 100 test models, which
you might be able to test your code with.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. "What is MPS format?"
A: MPS format was named after an early IBM LP product and has emerged
as a de facto standard ASCII medium among most of the various commercial
LP codes. You will need to write your own reader routine for this, but
it's not too hard. The main things to know about MPS format are that it
is column oriented (as opposed to entering the model as equations), and
everything (variables, rows, etc.) gets a name. MPS format is described
in more detail in Murtagh's book, referenced in another section. Here
is a little sample model, explained in more detail below:
NAME METALS
ROWS
N VALUE
E YIELD
L FE
L MN
L CU
L MG
G AL
L SI
COLUMNS
BIN1 VALUE 0.03 YIELD 1.
BIN1 FE 0.15 CU .03
BIN1 MN 0.02 MG .02
BIN1 AL 0.7 SI .02
BIN2 VALUE 0.08 YIELD 1.
BIN2 FE .04 CU .05
BIN2 MN .04 MG .03
BIN2 AL .75 SI .06
BIN3 VALUE 0.17 YIELD 1.
BIN3 FE .02 CU .08
BIN3 MN .01 AL .8
BIN3 SI .08
BIN4 VALUE 0.12 YIELD 1.
BIN4 FE .04 CU .02
BIN4 MN .02 AL .75
BIN4 SI 0.12
BIN5 VALUE 0.15 YIELD 1.
BIN5 FE .02 CU .06
BIN5 MN .02 MG .01
BIN5 SI .02 AL .8
ALUM VALUE 0.21 YIELD 1.
ALUM FE .01 CU .01
ALUM AL .97 SI .01
SILCON VALUE 0.38 YIELD 1.
SILCON FE .03 SI .97
RHS
ALOY1 YIELD 2000. FE 60.
ALOY1 CU 100. MN 40.
ALOY1 MG 30. AL 1500.
ALOY1 SI 300.
BOUNDS
UP PROD1 BIN1 200.00
UP PROD1 BIN2 750.00
LO PROD1 BIN3 400.00
UP PROD1 BIN3 800.00
LO PROD1 BIN4 100.00
UP PROD1 BIN4 700.00
UP PROD1 BIN5 1500.00
ENDATA
MPS is an old format, so it is set up as though you were using
punch cards, and is not free format. Fields start in column 1,
5, 15, 25, 40 and 50. Sections of an MPS file are marked by
so-called header cards, which are distinguished by their starting
in column 1. Although it is typical to use upper-case throughout
the file (like I said, MPS has long historical roots), many
MPS-readers will accept mixed-case for anything except the
header cards, and some allow mixed-case anywhere.
The NAME card can be anything you want. The ROWS section defines
the names of all the constraints; entries in column 2 or 3 are E
for equality rows, L for less-than ( <= ) rows, G for greater-than
( >= ) rows, and N for non- constraining rows (the first of which
would be interpreted as the objective function).
The largest part of the file is in the COLUMNS section, which is
the place where the entries of the A-matrix are put. All entries
for a given column must be placed consecutively, although within
a column the order of the entries (rows) is irrelevant. Rows not
mentioned for a column are assumed to have a coefficient of zero.
The RHS section allows one or more right-hand-side vectors to be
defined; most people don't bother having more than one. In the
above example, its name is ALOY1, and has non-zero values in all
7 of the constraint rows of the problem. Rows not mentioned are
assumed to have a right-hand-side of zero.
The optional BOUNDS section lets you put lower and upper bounds on
individual variables (no * wildcards, unfortunately), instead of
having to define extra rows in the matrix. All the bounds that have
a given name in column 5 are taken together as a set. Variables
not mentioned in a BOUNDS set are taken to be non-negative. There
is another optional section called RANGES that I won't go into
here. The final card must be the ENDATA, and yes, it is spelled
funny.
For comparison, here is the same model written out in equation
format.
Minimize
VALUE: 0.03 BIN1 + 0.08 BIN2 + 0.17 BIN3 + 0.12 BIN4 + 0.15 BIN5
+ 0.21 ALUM + 0.38 SILCON
Subject To
YIELD: BIN1 + BIN2 + BIN3 + BIN4 + BIN5 + ALUM + SILCON = 2000
FE: 0.15 BIN1 + 0.04 BIN2 + 0.02 BIN3 + 0.04 BIN4 + 0.02 BIN5
+ 0.01 ALUM + 0.03 SILCON <= 60
MN: 0.02 BIN1 + 0.04 BIN2 + 0.01 BIN3 + 0.02 BIN4 + 0.02 BIN5
<= 40
CU: 0.03 BIN1 + 0.05 BIN2 + 0.08 BIN3 + 0.02 BIN4 + 0.06 BIN5
+ 0.01 ALUM <= 100
MG: 0.02 BIN1 + 0.03 BIN2 + 0.01 BIN5 <= 30
AL: 0.7 BIN1 + 0.75 BIN2 + 0.8 BIN3 + 0.75 BIN4 + 0.8 BIN5
+ 0.97 ALUM >= 1500
SI: 0.02 BIN1 + 0.06 BIN2 + 0.08 BIN3 + 0.12 BIN4 + 0.02 BIN5
+ 0.01 ALUM + 0.97 SILCON <= 300
and
0 <= BIN1 <= 200
0 <= BIN2 <= 750
400 <= BIN3 <= 800
100 <= BIN4 <= 700
0 <= BIN5 <= 1500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. "What software is there for non-linear optimization?"
A: I don't claim as much expertise in this area, but the question is
frequent enough to be worth addressing. If I get enough feedback, this
section might grow large enough to need to be split off as a separate
FAQ list.
It's unrealistic to expect to find one general NLP code that's going to
work for every kind of nonlinear model. Instead, you should try to find
a code that fits the problem you are solving. Nonlinear solution techniques
can be divided into various categories, such as unconstrained, linearly
constrained, convexly constrained, or general. If your problem doesn't
fit in any category except "general", or you insist on a proven optimal
solution (except when there no chance of multiple local minima), you should
be prepared to have to use a method that boils down to exhaustive search,
i.e., you have an intractable problem. See the comments in the MIP section
on Simulated Annealing and Genetic Algorithms.
Several of the commercial LP codes referenced above have specialized
routines, particularly for Quadratic Programming (QP, linear constraints
with a quadratic objective function). Many nonlinear problems can be
solved (or at least confronted) by application of a sequence of LP or
QP approximations.
There is an ACM TOMS routine for QP, #587, available from the netlib server,
in directory /netlib/toms. See the section on test models for detail on
how to use this server.
There is a directory, /netlib/opt, on the netlib server containing a
collection of optimization routines. At my last check, I saw
- "praxis" (unconstrained optimization, without requiring derivatives)
- "tn" (Newton method for unconstrained or simple-bound optimization)
- "ve08" (optimization of unconstrained separable function).
- "simann" (unconstrained optimization using Simulated Annealing)
- "vfsr" (constrained optimization using Simulated Annealing)
Again, see the section on test models for detail on how to use this server.
Here is a summary of codes mentioned in newsgroups in the past year, not
sorted into categories.
- MINOS - Stanford University, Office of Technology Licensing, 415-723-0651.
This code is often used by researchers as a "benchmark" for others to
compare with.
- NPSOL - Stanford University, Office of Technology Licensing, 415-723-0651.
- QPSOL - Stanford University, Office of Technology Licensing, 415-723-0651.
- NAG Library routine E04UCF.
- IMSL routine UMINF and UMIDH.
- Harwell Library routine VF04.
- Hooke and Jeeves algorithm - reference?
- MINPAK I and II - Contact Steve Wright, wright@mcs.anl.gov
- GENOCOP - Genetic algorithm, Zbigniew Michalewicz, zbyszek@mosaic.uncc.edu
said to be available by ftp at unccsun.uncc.edu (152.15.10.88).
- DFPMIN - Numerical Recipes (Davidon-Fletcher-Powell)
- Amoeba - Numerical Recipes
- Brent's Method - Numerical Recipes
- FSQP - Contact Andre Tits, andre@src.umd.edu. Said to be free of charge
to academic users.
- CONMIN - Vanderplaats and Associates, Goleta CA
- NOVA - DOT Products, Houston TX
- GRG2 - Leon Lasdon, University of Texas, Austin TX
- GINO - LINDO Systems, Chicago, IL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. "What references are there in this field?"
A: Too many to count. Here are a few that I like or have been
recommended on the net. I have *not* reviewed them all.
General reference [1]
- Nemhauser, Rinnooy Kan, & Todd, eds, Optimization, North-Holland, 1989.
(Very broad-reaching, with large bibliography. Good reference; it's
the place I tend to look first. Tough sledding for beginners.)
LP
- Chvatal, Linear Programming, Freeman, 1983. (I find it hard to whole-
heartedly recommend any one LP textbook, but this is one I'd probably use
in teaching an undergraduate course.)
- Hughes & Grawiog, Linear Programming: An Emphasis on Decision Making,
Addison-Wesley, 1973.
- Luenberger, Introduction to Linear and Nonlinear Programming, Addison
Wesley, 1984. (Updated version of an old standby.)
- Murtagh, B., Advanced Linear Programming, McGraw-Hill, 1981. (Good one
after you've read an introductory text.)
- Schrijver, Theory of Linear and Integer Programming, Wiley.
- Williams, H.P., Model Building in Mathematical Programming, Wiley 1985.
(Little on algorithms, but excellent for learning what makes a good model.)
Interior Point LP
- Marsten, et al., "Interior point methods for linear programming",
Interfaces, pp 105-116, July-August 1990. (Introductory article, written
by authors of a good commercial code.)
- Marsten, et al., article to appear in ORSA Journal on Computing, 1993.
(The latest results; a tech report version may be available sooner.)
- Wright, M., "Interior methods for constrained optimization", Acta Mathematica,
Cambridge University Press, 1992. (Survey article.)
There is also a bibliography (with over 1000 entries!?!) obtainable by
mailing to "netlib@ornl.gov" and saying "send intbib.bib from bib".
Nonlinear Programming (can someone help classify these more usefully?)
- Bazaraa & Shetty, Nonlinear Programming, Theory & Applications.
- Coleman & Li, Large Scale Numerical Optimization, SIAM Books.
- Dennis & Schnabel, Numerical Methods for Unconstrained Optimization
and Nonlinear Equations, Prentice Hall, 1983.
- Fiacco & McCormick, Sequential Unconstrained Minimization Techniques,
SIAM Books. (An old standby, given new life by the interior point
LP methods.)
- Fletcher, R., Practical Methods of Optimization, Wiley 1987. (Good
reference for Quadratic Programming, among other things.)
- Floudas & Pardalos, A collection of test problems for constrained
optimization algorithms, Springer-Verlag, 1990.
- Gill, Murray & Wright, Practical Optimization, Academic Press, 1981.
(An instant NLP classic when it was published.)
- Hock & Schittkowski, Test Examples for Nonlinear Programming Codes,
Springer-Verlag, 1981.
- Kahaner, Moler & Nash, Numerical Methods and Software, Prentice-Hall.
- More, "Numerical Solution of Bound Constrained Problems", in Computational
Techniques & Applications, CTAC-87, Noye & Fletcher, eds, North-Holland,
29-37, 1988.
- More & Toraldo, Algorithms for Bound Constrained Quadratic Programming
Problems, Numerische Mathematik 55, 377-400, 1989.
- Schittkowski, Nonlinear Programming Codes, Springer-Verlag, 1980.
- Torn & Zilinskas, Global Optimization, Springer-Verlag, 1989.
Other publications
- Forsythe, Malcolm & Moler, Computer Methods for Mathematical Computations,
Prentice-Hall.
-Hansen, Global Optimization Using Interval Analysis, Marcel Dekker, 1991(?).
(I'd be interested if anyone has any opinions on this one.)
- Kennington & Helgason, Algorithms for Network Programming, Wiley, 1980.
(A special case of LP.)
- Kirkpatrick, Gelatt & Vecchi, Optimization by Simulated Annealing,
Science, 220 (4598) 671-680, 1983.
- Press, Flannery, Teukolsky & Vetterling , Numerical Recipes, Cambridge,
1986. (Comment: use with care.)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. "Just a quick question..."
Q: What is a matrix generator?
A: This is a code that creates input for an LP (or MIP, or NLP) code,
using a more natural input than MPS format. There are no free ones.
Big names in this area are GAMS (Scientific Press), LINGO (LINDO
Systems), and AMPL (information is in netlib/opt on the Netlib server).
These products have links to various solvers (commercial and otherwise).
Q: How do I diagnose an infeasible LP model?
A: A model is infeasible if the constraints are inconsistent, i.e., if
no feasible solution can be constructed. It's often difficult to track
this down. The cure may even be ambiguous: is it that some demand
was set too high, or a supply set too low? A useful technique is Goal
Programming, one variant of which is to include two explicit slack
variables (positive and negative) with huge cost coefficients, in each
constraint. The revised model is guaranteed to have a solution, and you
can look at which rows have slacks that are included in the "optimal"
solution. By the way, I recommend a Goal Programming philosophy even if
you aren't having trouble with feasibility; "come on, you could probably
violate this constraint for a price."
Q: I want to know specifically which constraints contradict each other.
A: This may not be a well posed problem. If by this you mean you want to
find the minimal set of constraints that should be removed to restore
feasibility, this can be modeled as an Integer LP (which means, it's
potentially a hard problem). Start with a Goal Programming approach as
outlined above, and introduce some 0-1 variables to turn the slacks off
or on. Then minimize on the sum of these 0-1 variables.
Q: I just want to know whether or not there *exists* a feasible solution.
A: Finding out if a model has a feasible solution is essentially as hard
as finding the optimal solution (within a factor of 2 on average, in
terms of effort in the Simplex Method). There are no shortcuts in
general, unless you know something useful about your model's structure.
Q: I have an LP, except it's got several objective functions. Help!
A: This is indeed a difficult class of model. Fundamental to it is that
there may be no unique solution. Approaches that have worked are
Goal Programming (treat the objectives as constraints with costed
slacks), Pareto preference analysis, and forming a composite objective
from the real ones. There is a section on this whole topic in Reference
[1]. My general advice is to attempt to cast your model in terms of
dollars and cents wherever possible; sometimes the multiple objectives
disappear! 8v)
Q: I have an LP that has large almost-independent matrix blocks that are
linked by a few constraints. Can I take advantage of this?
A: In theory, yes. See section 6.2 in Reference [1] for a discussion of
Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition. However, I am unaware of any commercial
codes that will help you do this, so you'll have to create your own
framework and then call your chosen LP solver to solve the subproblems.
The folklore is that generally such schemes take such a long time to
converge that they're slower than just solving the model as a whole.
My advice, unless your model is so huge that a good solver can't handle
it, is to not bother decomposing it. (It's probably more cost effective
to upgrade your solver, if that's why you can't solve it, than to invest
your time.)
Q: I need to find all integer points in a polytope.
A: There is no known way of doing this efficiently. A related question
is how to find all the vertices of an LP, with the same pessimistic
answer. The book by Schrijver is said to discuss this.
Q: Are there any parallel LP codes?
A: IBM has announced a parallel Branch and Bound capability in their
package OSL, for use on clusters of workstations. "This is real, live
commercial software, not a freebie. Contact forrest@watson.ibm.com".
Jeffrey Horn (horn@cs.wisc.edu) recently compiled a bibliography of
papers relating to research on parallel B&B.
I'm not aware of any implementations (beyond the "toy" level) of
simplex or interior-point solvers on parallel machines.
Q: From a roll of cloth of given width and unlimited length, cut out ...
A: You are referring to the Cutting Stock (or Trim Loss) problem. It is
in most LP textbooks, or Reference [1]. I think it's an interesting
problem, because the model formulation hinges on how you generate the
variables of the eventual LP; you can't really just write down the
equations. This trick of so-called Column Generation is used in diverse
other problems such as airline crew scheduling. A related idea,
Constraint Generation, is used to solve the Traveling Salesman Problem.
Q: I am trying to solve a Traveling Salesman Problem ...
A: I knew you'd ask that. Look at the bibliography in the Integer
Programming section of Reference [1], particularly the ones with the
names Groetschel and/or Padberg in them. TSP is a famously hard problem
that has attracted many of the best minds in the field. I don't believe
there are any commercial products to solve this problem.
Q: I heard about this new Russian algorithm for Traveling Salesman Problems.
A: You are speaking of Khachian's method for LP, published in 1979. It was
the first LP algorithm to have a polynomial bound on the amount of work.
Though important theoretically, it has had no impact in practice, because
the polynomial bounds are huge. It works by surrounding the solution
space with a sequence of shrinking ellipsoids. There continues to be
research done on this method, for NLP. The connection to TSP is false,
brought about by an erroneous New York Times article back then.
Q: I need to do post-optimal analysis.
A: Many commercial LP codes have features to do this. Also called Ranging
or Sensitivity Analysis, it gives you information about how much the
coefficients in the problem could change without affecting the nature
of the solution. Most LP textbooks, such as Reference [1], describe this.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. "Who maintains this FAQ list?"
A: John W. Gregory
LP Specialist (it says that on my business card, it must be true!)
Applications Department
Cray Research, Inc.
Eagan, MN 55121 USA
jwg@cray.com
612-683-3673
I suppose I should say something here to the effect that "the material
in this document does not reflect any official position taken by Cray
Research, Inc." Also, "use at your own risk", "no endorsement of products
mentioned", etc., etc. I probably should have scattered more "IMHO"s
around in the text, but that acronym seems weaselly and once you start it's
hard to know where to stop. I should have put in a few more smilies here
and there too, to assist the humor impaired - be on your toes. 8v)
I've tried to keep my own biases (primarily, toward the high end of
computing) from dominating what I write here, and other viewpoints that
I've missed are welcome. Suggestions, corrections, topics you'd like to
see covered, and additional material (particularly on NLP) are solicited.
Comments to the effect "who died and made *you* optimal?" will likely
result in you getting stuck with maintaining the FAQL instead of me. 8v)
I regret that when I started this list I didn't keep careful track of all
the contributors whose knowledge I tapped. In several instances, the
information herein comes from postings on the net, which I assumed to be
fair use and in the public domain. It being too late now to make individual
acknowledgements, I offer a blanket THANKS to all who have posted on these
topics to the net.
This FAQL is also being posted to news.answers, which is archived
in the periodic posting archive on pit-manager.mit.edu [18.172.1.27],
in the anonymous ftp directory /pub/usenet/news.answers.
Copies of this FAQL may be made freely, as long as it is distributed at
no charge and with this disclaimer included.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
END lp_faq
Xref: bloom-picayune.mit.edu alt.locksmithing:2310 news.answers:4507
Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!biosci!uwm.edu!linac!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!olivea!uunet!world!spike
From: spike@world.std.com (Joe Ilacqua)
Newsgroups: alt.locksmithing,news.answers
Subject: alt.locksmithing answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Summary: This post gives answers to many of the common questions
asked. It is strongly recommended that it be read before posting
to this group.
Message-ID: <locksmith-faq_723942608@world.std.com>
Date: 9 Dec 92 23:10:11 GMT
Expires: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 23:10:08 GMT
Reply-To: alt-locksmithing-faq@world.std.com
Followup-To: alt.locksmithing
Organization: Software Tool & Die
Lines: 494
Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu
Supersedes: <locksmith-faq_719681553@world.std.com>
Archive-name: locksmith-faq
Last-modified: 92/10/20
Version: 1.0
[This was written and posted a few times early this summer. We have
final gotten ready for news.answers and it will now be a monthly
posting ->Spike]
This FAQ does not attempt to teach you locksmithing, just to answer
simple questions, give you some hints on getting started, and point
you to sources of information. Also included is a glossary of common
terms. The Appendix covers many supply places, books and tapes.
Questions Answered:
1. Where can I get a lock pick set?
2. How can I make my own picks and tension wrenches?
3. Is it legal to carry lock picks?
4. Where can I get the "MIT Guide to Picking Locks"?
5. What books can I get on locksmithing?
6. What are "pick guns" or "automatic pickers" and do they work?
7. How do I open a Kryptonite lock?
8. How can I get keys stamped "DO NOT DUPLICATE" duplicated?
9. Do Skeleton Keys Exist?
10. Should I bother with high security ("pick proof") locks for my home?
11. What should I do after I read a book?
12. How do I continue learning about locksmithing?
13. How do Simplex pushbutton locks work?
14. What is the "shear line".
Glossary
Appendix of sources, books, videotapes.
Credit & Thanks
1. Where can I get a lock pick set?
Try a locksmith supply house. Look under "Locksmiths' Equipment &
Supplies" in the Yellow Pages. Your State or the company may have
requirements, such as having to prove you are a locksmith or showing a
drivers license; call and find out. Also look for mail order houses
in the Appendix.
2. How can I make my own picks and tension wrenches?
You can file or grind picks out of spring steel. It is best to use
spring steel - sources include hacksaw blades, piano (music) wire,
clock springs, streetsweeper bristles (which can be found along the
street after the sweeper has passed), etc. In a pinch safety pin
steel, or even a bobby pin (much worse) can be used. When grinding,
keep the steel from getting so hot as to anneal (soften) it. You may
have to re-harden/re-temper it. (See a book on knife making,
gunsmithing, or machine shop practice for a discussion on heat
treating steel.) Some people prefer a rigid tension wrench and just
bend a small screwdriver for this, but many prefer a slightly flexible
wrench and use spring steel.
The "MIT Guide to Picking Locks" and the "Eddie The Wire" books (see
below) cover making these tools. There are many places you can buy
picks and tension wrenches. See the appendix.
3. Is it legal to carry lock picks?
This depends on where you are. In the U.S. the common case seems to
be that it is legal to carry potential "burglar tools" such as keys,
picks, crowbars, jacks, bricks, etc., but use of such tools to commit
a crime is a crime in itself. Call your local library, district
attorney, or police department to be sure.
Places where it *is* illegal to carry lock picks:
The District of Columbia.
4. Where can I get the "MIT Guide to Picking Locks"?
You can't. The guide must exist in an online form, but no one seems
to have it. Rumor has it that (one of) the author(s) is aware of this
group and is unwilling to post the guide.
The guide is copyrighted, so scanning it in and posting would, in
addition to violating the author's wishes, be illegal.
5. What books can I get on locksmithing?
An excellent encyclopedic reference (based on reading the 1st edition
- but people have said that the 2nd and 3rd editions carry on the
coverage)
The Complete Book of Locks & Locksmithing, 3rd Ed.
C.A. Roper and Bill Phillips TAB Books
ISBN 0-8306-3522-X (Paper) 0-8306-?522-1 (Hard)
$18.95 (Paper) $26.95 (Hard)
also many people think highly of:
Eddie The Wire: How to Make Your Own Professional Lock Tools
"Eddie The Wire" Loompanics Unlimited
ISBN 0-685-39143-4
4 Volumes $20
Your local book store should be able to order these for you. You
can find other titles under "Locksmithing" in the Books In Print
Subject Index, which any decent bookstore should have. Also see the
Appendix.
6. What are "pick guns" or "automatic pickers" and do they work?
A "pick gun" is a manual or powered device that uses a vibrating
pin to try to bounce the pin tumblers so there are spaces at the shear
line so the the plug can rotate. They are not a panacea, aren't always
effective, and the net seems to feel that these are no substitute
for a little skill with a pick and learning how locks work.
7. How do I open a Kryptonite lock?
Easiest: If you registered your lock, call or write Kryptonite
for a new key. Or call a local locksmith, they should be able to
pick and re-key the lock for you.
Easy: Get a car jack and jack it apart. Careful, otherwise it is
very possible that you'll damage the bike.
Easy: Use a cut-off wheel in a Dremel tool to cut the lock at
the hole in the shackle (where there is the least to cut.)
Harder: If it doesn't have the newer brass jacket, peel back
the plastic coating on the key end, drill out the pin that
holds in the cylinder, remove the cylinder, open.
Hardest: Chill the metal of the "U" with liquid Nitrogen or
Freon, smash with hammer. While this is a "well known" method,
it may be an urban legend.
8. How can I get keys stamped "DO NOT DUPLICATE" duplicated?
Some locksmiths will take the Nike approach and "Just Do It".
Some will even stamp "DO NOT DUPLICATE" on the copy for you.
If that doesn't work, label the key by sticking some tape on
the "DO NOT DUPLICATE" stamp and try again.
9. Do Skeleton Keys Exists?
"Skeleton Keys" are keys ground to avoid the wards in warded locks.
There is no analog with modern pin tumbler locks. Master keys may
open a large set of locks, but this is designed in when the locks are
installed.
10. Should I bother with high security ("pick proof") locks for my home?