From: Mark Aldrich <maldrich@grctechs.va.grci.com>
Date: Thu, 29 Feb 96 12:54:35 PST
To: Deranged Mutant <WlkngOwl@UNiX.asb.com>
Subject: Re: ViaCryptPGP 4.0?! (was Re: PGP integrated into Z-Mail)
In-Reply-To: <199602282222.RAA15759@UNiX.asb.com>
Message-ID: <Pine.SCO.3.91.960229154133.18824B-100000@grctechs.va.grci.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


On Wed, 28 Feb 1996, Deranged Mutant wrote:

> > 
> > I dont know.  I dont work for ViaCrypt, and they have been fairly
> > secretive in their work.  For all I know, they've made ViaCrypt PGP
> > 4.0 completely incompatible with PGP 2.6.2 and PGP3.
> 
> I would have thought you and Colin would have some communication with 
> Phil regarding PGP3, since PGP is his trademark.
> 

We're a beta tester for the ViaCrypt 4.0 product.  They have not made PGP 
4.0 incompatible with prior releases.  They've added some non-PGP 
features, like pseudo-key-escrow and key expiration dates, to make the 
product more palatable to some "corporate" users.  Many of the features 
are "localized" to that instance of PGP and don't actually inflict any 
changes onto the encrypted results.  I,E., making a key expire on a given 
day doesn't "break" the ability of others to read files from a PGP 4.0 user.

I also think that the comment about ViaCrypt being "secretive" is a 
little odd.  ViaCrypt tends to be very up-front about what they're up to 
(at least, they have been with us), and they openly solicit input as to 
'what features does PGP need to have in order to make it so you can use 
it in your business?'  Hence, they now have a Personal Edition and a 
Business Edition.

If folks have got specific things that they're worried about, I'll try to 
offer my observations about the beta product versus the "stock" product.  
However, I don't think that the perception that ViaCrypt's secretive 
about the "enhancements" is at all valid.

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