PGP algorithms versus gnupg algs.

[Fabio Roccatagliata]

Dear gnupg users,

I'm trying to focalize the different algorithms used by PGP and gnupg.
>From www.gnupg.org is possible to understand how gnupg doesn't use any
patented algorithms such IDEA or RSA but, basicaly, what it use ?

I found that it's widely pathable in order to support ElGamal, DSA, RSA,
etc... but without any patch what it use ?

If I have to teach how PGP work I could write a diagram like that:

it takes the message and use the hashing alg. MD5 in order to
create.......
it uses the ZIP compression algorithm.....
it generates 128 random bits
it uses IDEA
it uses RSA in order to encode the session key
it uses Armor Radix-64........

What are the not patented algorithms used by gnupg ? And how they work ?

Gnupg forces also the User ID to be in a standard format.... PGP doesn't
?

Please reply to in CC to: rocca@unige.it

Thanks,

Fabio Roccatagliata

Computer Science Dept.
University of Genoa
Italy