Howdy,

Does anybody use PGP for echomail or netmail?

I've always been thinking about implementing it in clrghouz, not necessarily for encrypting messages, but also for validating the sender.

Was it ever used in fidonet? Any BBSes that support it, or editors/doors?



...ëîåï
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deon wrote to All <=-

Does anybody use PGP for echomail or netmail?

Nope.

I've always been thinking about implementing it in clrghouz, not necessarily for encrypting messages, but also for validating the
sender.

Was it ever used in fidonet? Any BBSes that support it, or
editors/doors?

Fidonet banned encrypted mail for some time, thinking that people would
be made accessories after the fact for unknowingly routing crimes.



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

On 10 Nov 2025, deon said the following...

Does anybody use PGP for echomail or netmail?

I've always been thinking about implementing it in clrghouz, not necessarily for encrypting messages, but also for validating the sender.

Was it ever used in fidonet? Any BBSes that support it, or editors/doors?

I have used PGP in netmail before, but only every by signing or encrypting
the message in another utility & then pasting the result into whatever
BBS message editor I happened to be using at the time.

It really was more of a "let's see how useful this actually is", and I guess
if you need to encrypt a super-secret netmail to someone that may or may not travel through several systems, it has its uses.

Do I use it often? No

Is this message signed for any particular reason, other than that I can? No


Jay

... I was going to make an encryption pun, but I forgot my key.
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Re: Re: PGP
By: Warpslide to deon on Mon Nov 10 2025 04:50 pm

Howdy,

I have used PGP in netmail before, but only every by signing or encrypting the message in another utility & then pasting the result into whatever
BBS message editor I happened to be using at the time.

I guess that makes it a bit combersome to use.

I like the idea of encrypted messages - because as you know everything in this technology is "in the clear", given that some folks "route" mail, that means every hop to its destination can see it.

I'm also liking the idea of signing messages - perhaps when working a utility eg: a voting tool to ensure that the vote comes "only once?" from an "approved source".

Im probably going to play with it (just because I can) but its a shame it might not be that useful/usable for others...


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Hey Deon!

On Mon, Nov 10 2025 03:22:15 -0600, you wrote:

Does anybody use PGP for echomail or netmail?

I haven't seen anything recently, although there is a Fidonet echo or two related to it.

I've always been thinking about implementing it in clrghouz, not
necessarily for encrypting messages, but also for validating the
sender.

It's your product. Do what you want! ;)

Was it ever used in fidonet? Any BBSes that support it, or editors/> doors?

I believe there is a Fidonet echo called PGP_KEYS or something similar, but seeing as though I've unlinked from it permanently, I'm guessing there was no traffic in it for months.

I think Golded has some hackery done with it that can execute utilities outside of the program, so it can use 'pgp' directly, and have it edit/append the temporary file that is created when writing/replying to a message. Otherwise, I haven't seen it used much via BBSs or BBS editors specifically. It would probably moreso come from something like Golded or possibly even a newsreader/email client (for example, "OpenPGP" can be enabled in Thunderbird).

Regards,
Nick

... Sarcasm, because beating people up is illegal.
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I like the idea of encrypted messages - because as you know everything in t technology is "in the clear", given that some folks "route" mail, that mean every hop to its destination can see it.

What could you possibly be hiding in a networked message that you'd care who else saw it? If its THAT important and private, use normal email.

... Love me or hate me, but spare me your indifference.

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Re: Re: PGP
By: Dreamweaver to Deon on Mon Nov 10 2025 08:08 pm

Howdy,

What could you possibly be hiding in a networked message that you'd care who else saw it? If its THAT important and private, use normal email.

I'm not about using PGP to "hide" stuff, but can see the benefit of doing so. That said, since I use routed mail, I might, for example, want hops along the way to not read what I'm sending...

I'm more about using it to validate who the person is - when the medium is public and anybody can, relatively easily, impersonate anybody. I think there might be some useful tools in this medium that could benefit from it. (For example, a voting system, or interacting with areafix/filefix without a *fix password...)


...ëîåï
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Hi Accession,
In a message to Deon you wrote:

have it edit/append the temporary file that is created when writing/replying to a message. Otherwise, I haven't seen it used much
via BBSs or BBS editors specifically. It would probably moreso come
from something like Golded or possibly even a newsreader/email client
(for example, "OpenPGP" can be enabled in Thunderbird).

I used a program written by a kid (well he was a kid then) who rented
a room in my house. It's called "GoPGP" and works as an "editor" with
any sysop or offline mail reader.

I still have it installed, but I use it as a tagline manager now. :)
It's just easier then remembering all the command lines for pgp.

... Put on your seatbelt. I wanna try something.


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What could you possibly be hiding in a networked message that you'd care

who

else saw it? If its THAT important and private, use normal email.

Why stop there? Why not just make all netmail public for everyone to read?

That's just stupid. No one gave two shits about netmails being "that private" when it was invented. Who the shit cares now? Take it to email if you are THAT private.

... Funny how life imitates LSD...

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What could you possibly be hiding in a networked message that you'd care

who

else saw it? If its THAT important and private, use normal email.

Why stop there? Why not just make all netmail public for everyone to read?

|03--|11[|05esc|13!|05dEMONIC|11]|03--|07

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Hey Tiny!

On Tue, Nov 11 2025 05:33:56 -0600, you wrote:

I still have it installed, but I use it as a tagline manager now. :)
It's just easier then remembering all the command lines for pgp.

That's cool. In my case, I don't write top secret echomail or netmail messages online or anything. So I have no use for PGP when it comes to this hobby. I guess I could also see it being somewhat annoying when people write a message with one line of text and maybe a signature, and then have 12 lines of a PGP key. :)

Regards,
Nick

... Sarcasm, because beating people up is illegal.
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Hey Esc!

On Tue, Nov 11 2025 14:48:42 -0600, you wrote:

Why stop there? Why not just make all netmail public for everyone to
read?

I mean, they kinda did when they made echomail. ;)

Regards,
Nick

... Sarcasm, because beating people up is illegal.
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Hi Accession,
On <Wed, 11 Nov 25>, you wrote me:

That's cool. In my case, I don't write top secret echomail or netmail messages online or anything. So I have no use for PGP when it comes to
this hobby. I guess I could also see it being somewhat annoying when
people write a message with one line of text and maybe a signature,
and then have 12 lines of a PGP key. :)

I doubt the version of PGP it was written for would even be secure anymore.
I haven't installed PGP in 20-25 years. I'm like you, I don't have
anything to say around here that needs to be encrypted.

... Eye witnesses were on the scene in minutes.


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I haven't installed PGP in 20-25 years. I'm like you, I don't have
anything to say around here that needs to be encrypted.

I don't either, but part of me just thinks it would be cool to implement for the hell of it.

|03--|11[|05esc|13!|05dEMONIC|11]|03--|07

--- DayDream BBS/UNIX (Linux) 2.15a
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Hey Tiny!

On Tue, Nov 12 2025 05:15:12 -0600, you wrote:

I doubt the version of PGP it was written for would even be secure anymore.
I haven't installed PGP in 20-25 years. I'm like you, I don't have
anything to say around here that needs to be encrypted.

If needed, I can encrypt what I say myself.

!@#$%

;)

Regards,
Nick

... Sarcasm, because beating people up is illegal.
--- SBBSecho 3.31-Linux
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If needed, I can encrypt what I say myself.

!@#$%

Well (*#$! I ((*@I#@I(#@)(* I could do that! ahahaha

... Face reality; yet, indulge yourself in fantasy and fairy tales.

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