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Ask Slashdot: Cryptography in Mail software?

Posted by Cliff on from the secure-it-now dept.

Bartmoss asksL: "Obviously, nobody will use encryption if two problems occure: (a) your friends won't be able to read your mail because they don't have crypto, and (b) your software doesn't have crypto. I'm wondering - are there good HOWTO's and info sites on how to plug encryption into leading mail software for UNIX, Mac and Windows? What Windows-Software supports PGP, and which can have PGP support added? Does anybody have information on clients people could use for crypted mails?"

2 of 201 comments (clear)

  1. You simply cannot beat mutt by Nugget94M · · Score: 3

    Insofar as unix is concerned, you simply cannot beat mutt ( http://www.mutt.org/) for a pgp-aware mailer.

    If you're currently using either pine or elm, you're doing yourself a serious disservice not looking at mutt. It's easier, more flexible, and more powerful than any of the alternatives.

    PGP support is top-notch and native, for both v2 and v5 pgp. Highly recommended.

  2. Re:Well... by gasp · · Score: 3

    I agree that everybody should use encryption all the time. The best analogy I've heard is to snail mail:

    Encryption is an envelope. I notice that almost all snail mail is sent in envelopes instead of postcards.

    I suspect that if most users inherently understood this analogy and the technology underneath, the desire for encryption would be much more widespread.