Re: Snake Oil on the Water...

["Deranged Mutant" <WlkngOwl@unix.asb.com>]

On 16 Jun 96 at 11:19, Alan Olsen wrote:

> I recieved this on another list.  The snake oil is starting to flow pretty
> heavy.  I expect it to get worse...

> >Subject: Windows 3.x or Win95 FREEWARE Mail/Encryption Program
> >X-UIDL: 788ef8d7083cb4f8e94b2c20183773b5
[..]
> >At the following two sites, you may download the FREEWARE Pegasus Mail
> >program version 2.3.3 16 bit for windows 3.x or a version for WIN95. The
> >unique thing about it, besides its simplicity and that it's a great mail
> >program better than Eudora, it has a built in encryption program that is as

Actually, it is much better than Eudora and has plug-ins for 
encryption.  The native encryption sucks, and the author warns 
against it (it's there as a demo of the crypto API!).

There *is* a PGP-plugin (w/source) that uses PGP to 
encrypt or decrypt mail and add keys.  The last version I saw had 
shitty key management... if you're emailing somebody at an address 
different from the key-id, it didn't prompt you for another key (and 
Pegasus 2.2 sent it out in cleartext!).

I don't like the add on much, but many others do, aware of that flaw 
and some others.

Seems like the person who wrote that message doesn't know what he's 
talking about.

There's a difference between snake oil and a user who doesn't 
understand a product.

Rob.
 
---
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Key-ID: 5D3F2E99 1996/04/22 wlkngowl@unix.asb.com (root@magneto)
        AB1F4831 1993/05/10 Deranged Mutant <wlkngowl@unix.asb.com>
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