Relatively simple explanation of GNFS

[bur]

I recently came across this article by a Michael Case of Oregon State:

A Beginner's Guide to the General Number Field Sieve

I found it very helpful in grasping the various steps, especially since it also has a detailed numerical example.

Maybe it is also useful to other non-mathematicians (if better suited there, please move to Misc Math).

[jasonp]

Further introductory references:

Matthew Briggs' 'An Introduction to the Number Field Sieve' is a very good introduction; it's heavier than C&P in places and lighter in others

Michael Case's 'A Beginner's Guide to the General Number Field Sieve' has more detail all around and starts to deal with advanced stuff

Per Leslie Jensen's thesis 'Integer Factorization' has a lot of introductory detail on NFS that other references lack

Peter Stevenhagen's "The Number Field Sieve" is a whirlwind introduction the algorithm

Steven Byrnes' "The Number Field Sieve" is a good simplified introduction as well.

Lenstra, Lenstra, Manasse and Pollard's paper 'The Number Field Sieve' is nice for historical interest