wmono@Direct.CA wrote: w> On Sun, 22 Sep 1996, Mixmaster wrote:
Can any native English speaker please paraphrase the account start-up procedure for us?
w> I took a stab at re-writing the help file, and I've attached it below. w> The operator of jena might want to use it instead of the help file w> currently being distributed, after correcting any errors and adding w> the German sections back in. OK, it's an improvement, but there's still some obscurity and a couple of other problems: w> I believe these instructions are correct -- I was able to follow them w> to create a nym, and use it. YMMV. So far I have had no luck, but this may be due to a mail lag, I dunno... w> * The hexadecimal key-ID forms the Email address. For example, if the nym's key is 0x01020304, the address will be: anon-01020304@as-node.jena.thur.de Already a confusion: Is not the address pseudonym@as-node.jena.thur.de? And, since the key ID is an eight-digit hex number, why the confusing "...if the nym's key is 0x01020304, the address will be:" ^^ ...or am I missing something already? w> * The user-ID of the key contains the pseudonym, only. Note: This is different from the convention, which is to include the Email address in angle brackets. OK, so if I understand this properly, when prompted for an account name in PGP one simply enters pseudonym ...with no quotes or address ("pseudonym" <pseudonym@someplace.net>). w> If the signature is valid, the decrypted body should be a header for w> the outbound mail, followed by a blank line, then the body for the w> outbound mail. The following are headers considered valid by the w> server: w> * Subject: (or Anon-Subject:) w> * To: (or Anon-To:) w> * Newsgroups: (or Post-To: or Anon-Post-To:) The header fields in parens are identical in function or not? w> - Run 'pgp -esa -u "pseudonym" anon@as-node anonid.asc' to sign and w> encrypt the extracted key for the server. These various command lines in the helpfile do not work in the pre-legal PGP 2.6/uix/ui versions preferred by many, though equivalent command lines of course exist. w> - Test your nym by posting to a test group (de.test is recommended due to the location of the server) and wait several days before requesting mail delivery. Well, the sent message didn't show up in the newsgroup here, but there are often lengthy delays anyway... w> - If it didn't work, repeat the entire procedure. It's possible that the key-ID already exists in the server's database and belongs to another pseudonym. The procedure didn't produce results for me so far, but before trying again I wish to get confirmation that I am trying properly: (Shortform directions) 1: Generate key with simple, one-word pseudonym, no quotes, no address, no nothing. 2: Generate -kxa keyfile, pseudo.asc 3: -esa encrypt keyfile with Jenaer Remailer's PGP key and send to anon@as-node.jena.thur.de via a remailer. 4: Account is automatically established and should work immediately. To test... 1: Prepare message textfile according to sample: Newsgroups: de.test Subject: Test This is the test message textbody... [or, alternately...] To: de.test@news.demon.co.uk Subject: Test This is the test message textbody... 2: PGP encrypt the filebody and two header lines with the Jenaer Remailer's key using the -esa command, signing the cyphertext with your key previously sent to the remailer. 3: Send the resulting cyphertext message to the Jenaer Remailer via another remailer, making sure to avoid command words in the Subject: field of the outgoing message. As I say, following these protocols I have not yet seen a resulting message in the test group I have chosen. Do you feel this is due to lag, or am I doing something obviously wrong? w> 2E.request Email to be delivered? [...] w> - Never request a delivery to your real Email address. So here's what I really want to know: When/if the new account is up and running, how _does_ one discreetly retrieve his mail? I don't see how, other than to have it sent to alt.anonymous.messages via a mail2news netmail address such as alt.anonymous.messages@news.demon.co.uk and then pick through the mess there until some cyphertext message responds to his right key. Either that or else have it sent to yet another pseudonymous account, with all the uncertainties and delivery vicissitudes that entails.