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I think the idea is that if it is returned as ASCII, it can be easily manipulated as text. While this isn't an issue for the actual algorithms, it is an issue if you'd like to save it as text, or transmit it as part of a message. You might well want to transmit it in order to mix symmetric and asymmetric encryption, so you send the key (used for symmetric encryption) in an email encrypted with asymmetric encryption (like PGP), and when the other parties have received this key in a secure manner, you can then use symmetric encryption for the rest of the rest of the session. Lots of systems mix symmetric and asymmetric in this manner, using the latter only to transmit 'session keys' for the former, and if you cannot do binary transmissions easily, plain ASCII is a good alternative.
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And once again, Probability proves itself willing to sneak into a back alley and service Drama as would a copper-piece harlot.
- Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick
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