From: Derek Atkins <warlord@MIT.EDU>
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 94 14:33:46 PDT
To: sico@aps.hacktic.nl (Sico Bruins)
Subject: Re: PGP Question:
In-Reply-To: <e26_9404280718@apsf.hacktic.nl>
Message-ID: <9404282133.AA05939@toxicwaste.media.mit.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


> That's a big problem with PGP, so before you go experimenting first
> backup your key. When I tried editing an aka on mine (my email address
> had changed) I lost other people's signatures on my key. :-(

This makes sense..  A signature is a binding between a key and a
userID.  If you remove that userID, then clearly the signatures
binding that userID to the key should be removed as well, since
otherwise they are binding nothing.

What should be available (although it is not implemented) is a userID
revocation, where you can basically send out a messages that will
remove userIDs from a key.  Then again, signature revocations should
be implemented as well...

Hope this helps.

-derek

         Derek Atkins, SB '93 MIT EE, G MIT Media Laboratory
       Member, MIT Student Information Processing Board (SIPB)
    Home page: http://www.mit.edu:8001/people/warlord/home_page.html
       warlord@MIT.EDU    PP-ASEL     N1NWH    PGP key available