[Enigmail] Drama!

[John W. Moore III]

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA512

- -------- Original Message  --------
Subject: [Enigmail] Drama!
From: Michael Kane <michael at kaneuniversal.com>
To: enigmail at mozdev.org
Date: Friday, February 15, 2008 6:31:41 PM

> I had been dreaming of an open source software package that:
> 
> * installs GnuPG
> * installs Thunderbird
> * installs Enigmail
> * imports the user's address books (either locally or from webmail)
> * walks them through setting up keys
> * publishes the keys to a server, and optionally their address books
> 
> That's not so far-fetched to me.  Is there a reason it should be?

Far-fetched? No.  All in one?  Well, How about 4 out of 6?

2 Applications come to mind; Mobility Email [www.mobilityemail.net] &
Jon Haller's Portable T-Bird w/Enigmail.  I know the Source Code for
Mobility is freely available but I don't believe either will
automatically Import Address Books.  Both will Run from a USB Drive and
it's easy enough to Export an Address Book and then Import it into
another Application.

If You are contemplating Your Grandmother using Encryption then I
believe that either of the above or Thunderbird + Enigmail will suffice;
all without Your Grandmother having to return to College for classes in
Math or Computer Science.

I'm am making a few assumptions:

1.) 'Grandmother' refers to a living relative and isn't a Codename for
the leader of a terrorist cell.

2.) The Nature of Grandmother's is that they want to stay in
communication with their Grandchildren.

3.) The Grandmother in this scenario is comfortable with using Email.

This will involve some configuration on the part of the Grandchild, but;
simply install GnuPG, Thunderbird & Enigmail.  Construct a Per-Recipient
Rule for communication with You.  Use the Enigmail Key Generation Wizard
to create Grandmother's Key allowing Her to come up with a
Password/Passphrase that She can easily remember. [this will be useful
should water boarding ever be applied :) ]  Enigmail can be Set to
remember the password/passphrase for as many minutes as desired.

Unconscious competence will make many with vast cryptographic knowledge
wince at this but, frankly, Grandmother isn't using Encryption because
She has suddenly become paranoid.  She is most likely only agreeing to
do so because of insistence on the part of the Grandchild.  Anything
that facilitates the exchange of Email with said Grandchild will be
tolerated, within limits.  In fact, doing the Set-Up will justify a
visit to Grandmother which will delight Her immensely. :-D  For this
purpose Enigmail is the ideal Frontend for GnuPG since it really only
requires dexterity with a Mouse and knowledge of PC/Email use.

If You choose to go with the Mobility or Portable method, then Set-Up
can be performed on Your end and the USB Drive can simple be shipped to
Grandmother.  Later, should Grandmother's paranoia and cryptographic
knowledge both increase then the practice will be invaluable and another
Key can be constructed at that time.  In the beginning all that is
required is a Mail Program, Enigmail, GnuPG and an adequate gpg.conf File.

JOHN ;)
Timestamp: Friday 15 Feb 2008, 19:45  --500 (Eastern Standard Time)
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.9-svn4691: (MingW32)
Comment: Public Key at:  http://tinyurl.com/8cpho
Comment: Gossamer Spider Web of Trust: https://www.gswot.org
Comment: Homepage:  http://tinyurl.com/yzhbhx

iQEcBAEBCgAGBQJHtjInAAoJEBCGy9eAtCsPoqQH/jxlgb+JzN+qnrQbA8yU2kbZ
l83RuikaT80GFwZlabIyHBjdI4mk8QcarcTu29XRhMCsiwSGXrfRAl82hgDAhdMK
JQb2AujBE+tcRTQmRQrtOZSHLI/jSeNjSmSiHYd14x3TDCFygM4mXN9g/c/iWL/K
yQHGeW4XPb81gqQY5pAdImM8lBiqkdy70eq2vfU6pXpHuJ/CPAm/gxnSMj3vECI+
AmS7h5CW0/UCZhyD6hgA6cGc4bZVguXQmmvndUFLlwHeAUN/cWSfMtryT3qsFM7x
+nii633MBJueytIK8sv0GJT/fZHcKRaVRsowvE3EFaGy4HkNTFZJ7aagLoRb2qw=
=W35a
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----