Verifying GnuPG-signed documents with PGP 5.0i

[nb@thinkcoach.com]

I wrote:

> >   I have tried to verify GnuPG-signed documents with PGP 5.0i,
> > (the newest available international version of PGP for unix

Werner Koch <wk@isil.d.shuttle.de> replied:

> 5.0i is very old and very buggy. 

You are so right. I'm very glad that GnuPG is available now!!!

> > - However, when I merely do 'gpg -s' or 'gpg -a -s', then PGP
> >   dies with signal 11 (segmentation violation).
> 
> Did you keep the --force-v3-sigs in your options file?

Yes.

> Your message uses compression algorithm 2 which pgp 5 does not understand,
> if you would have encrypted to someone elses key (created by pgp5.0), gpg
> would have use algorithm 1 because algo 2 is probably not listed in the
> recipients compress algo preferences.  But if you don't encrypt, gpg
> uses a default algorithm.  Compress algorithm yields better compression
> rates than 1.  

Many thanks for this explanation!


However I'm wondering why don't you make algo 1 the default algorithm,
for better compatibility with PGP?

> You can override this with the option --compress-algo 1 or don't use
> compression at all (-z 0)

I have now put

compress-algo 1

in my ~/.gnupg/options file; however I'm wondering whether this might
have the undesired side-effect of using algo 1 also when encrypting
to a recipient who is known to use software that can handle algo 2 also.

May blessings from the eternal God surprise and overtake you!
                                                                Norbert.

-- 
New snail mail address: Norbert Bollow, Weidlistr. 18, CH-8624 Gruet.