Subj : FTN-style mailers/re
To   : deon
From : Ogg
Date : Fri Dec 20 2024 09:46 pm

Hello deon!

 d> Hmm, I've actually thought about adding PGP support to
 d> clrghouz, but I've been held back by two things: * An easy
 d> way to create/read PGP signed messages, openxp might be
 d> easy, but not sure what PGP "doors"/"plugins" exist for
 d> BBSes that most folks use? * A valid use case

Doesn't really make sense to have PGP "doors" on a BBS.  The  
whole point of PGP-privacy is local control of block generation  
and decryption.


 d> I think using PGP would be a valid usecase for netmail
 d> messages - since they are in the clear, and routed netmail
 d> could be read by anybody in the path to the destination.

Yes.. OpenXP can handle in-line PGP blocks in netmail quite  
well.  Based on the existence of the U,ENC flags in the  
nodelist, encrypted netmails seem to be well supported in Z2,  
but not anywhere else.

But I think the OpenXP's email (smtp/pop3) is the best vector  
for PGP usage.


 d> Not sure for echomail though - unless you wanted to sign
 d> your message, but that doesnt really add that much more
 d> value. (Like DNA, it would proove the same person authored
 d> many messages, but doest proove who that person is until a
 d> trusted authority validates it.)

Right. No point of PGP messages in echomail - everyone  
participating in an echo would need each others public keys. It  
would just be a bit of a nightmare to manage a group-line of  
keys as people join or leave.

I've recently learned of the newsgroup alt.anonymous.messages  
that seems to be akin to what we speak, but not sure how useful  
such a thing really is except as a novelty.  If people can post  
anonymously, then there can also be potential for undesireable  
spam.


 d> I was thinking of creating a voting system - which you get
 d> one vote and that is validated by a PGP signature, but if
 d> nobody can generate signed messages (easily) its
 d> pointless... (EG: Vote for an echoarea creation, etc)

Yes.. PGP signed messages could be a good way to validate  
"official" votes over email.


--- OpenXP 5.0.58
 * Origin: (} Pointy McPointFace (21:4/106.21)

.