Re: MIME (again)

[Bob Snyder <snyderra@dunx1.ocs.drexel.edu>]

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Michael  Conlen scribbles:

> Thats what that thing was susposed to be. I got the same things with
> pine, which I know is susposed to be mime aware. Anyway all this talk
> about it gave me an idea. A PGP mime extention, where your mail says that
> you have a PGP encoded message, enter secret pass phrase to contiue. I
> think this would do a couple of things

This is out in draft form.

> 	First get PGP installed on more machines. Sys Admins who install
> 	MIME aware applications would almost be required to install PGP
> 	beacuse it is a part of MIME.

Just like they are almost required to install MS Word because of the
existance of application/ms-word?

Speaking as a SysAdmin, if it were a limited use item, where only a
few people wanted it, I would show the users how to set up their own
MIME handling, like metamail's .mailcap file.

> 	Secone more people would be introduced to PGP. The first time they
> 	use a MIME aware application ie. PINE they would be given a
> 	message that they do not have a public/private key set up, ect.
> 	That time could be used to explain the basics of encryption,
> 	public/private key's, and security issuse of using PGP.

Only if the user chose to send things in application/pgp (or is it
text/pgp?)  If they chose to send text/plain, they'd never have to
deal with PGP.

Forcing PGP down people's throats is not a way of winning "converts."
You need to convince them of the need, they present well-integrated
tools that make it simple.  If you try to force people to use PGP,
they'll find work-arounds and do what they can to avoid it.

Bob

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