Subkeys

[Kevin A. Pieckiel]

Greetings, users:

I'm trying to better understand this concept of subkeys.  I think I'm just
dense, because I can't glean the info for which I'm searching from the man
pages, handbook, etc.

I understand that one main key is used to signatures.  This key usually
doesn't expire.  There is another key--a subkey--used for encryption.  It
is not uncommon for this key to have an expiration date.  This subkey can
be replaced to ensure better security should an old encryption key be
compromised.

What I don't understand is why my encryption subkey doesn't show up on the
public keyservers.  If I create a new encryption subkey on my keyring and
try to --send-keys to the keyservers, I get a response that there were no
new keys, UIDs, or signatures in the keyblock sent my GnuPG.  To me, this
implies that there IS no public part of my encryption subkey, and this makes
no sense to me.

Could someone please help explain this better, or point me to resources with
clearer or more complete explanations?

Thanks,
Kevin

"I vilify you because you vilify yourselves.
I am your enemy because you are the enemies
of the gods and you do not know it."
--Kahlil Gibran, My Countrymen