From: "P. J. Ponder" <ponder@freenet.tlh.fl.us>
Date: Thu, 7 Nov 1996 18:37:16 -0800 (PST)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Information [for new PGP user]
In-Reply-To: <3281FB84.3560@gte.net>
Message-ID: <Pine.OSF.3.91.961107213057.8220G-100000@fn3.freenet.tlh.fl.us>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain




On Thu, 7 Nov 1996, Dale Thorn wrote:

> stewarts@ix.netcom.com wrote:
> > >> On Tue, 5 Nov 1996, Edward R. Figueroa wrote:
[snip] 
> > You can read and compile the source code yourself.
> 
> [snip, snip]
> 
> Really?  All 60,000 or so lines, including all 'includes' or attachments?
> 
> I'll bet you can't find 10 out of 1,000 users who have read the total source,
> let alone comprehended and validated it.

the point is that the source code is available and public.  I may not be 
able to find any errors or hiddens trapdoors in it, but I have greater 
trust in it because many other people can read it and make public 
comments about it.   the advantage of a published (public) work is that 
even those of us who are not experts can gain the advantage of having the 
work reviewed openly by anyone who is so inclined.
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