Rather than pointing people to strange publications we've never heard of written by authors without credentials, might I suggest... 1) The PGP docs themselves are very good and far better as a tutorial on cryptography than any of the "PGP tutorials" that have appeared in the fringe literature. They are also free. 2) Read a real text on cryptography. It isn't a childrens game. Its a real branch of math and computer science, and really bright people devote their lives to it. If you wanted to learn about medicine, would you pick up a professional medical text, or something written in a 'zine by people you hadn't heard of? Perry Peter Davidson says:

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Date: 14 Jul 93 19:50:26 EDT From: Michael Glazer <72440.2236@CompuServe.COM> Subject: PGP

Folks,

I'm trying to learn more about practical cryptography in general and PGP and similar programs in particular. Any advice?

@article{Nathan92, author = {Paco Xander Nathan}, journal = {Fringeware Review}, month = {July}, number = {1}, pages = {17--18}, title = {Tutorial: PGP}, volume = {1}, year = {1992}

Fringeware Review is available for $3.50 from Fringeware Inc., P. O. Box 49921, Austin, TX 78765 (512-477-1366, fringeware@wixer.bga.com)

This issue also has articles on inter-experiential snorkeling, cruzin' the internet, email lists, tom jennings, the abolition of work, mind control, cyborganics, melt-o-media and even cypherpunx.

In message <9307151349.AA05001@snark.shearson.com>, "Perry E. Metzger":

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Rather than pointing people to strange publications we've never heard of written by authors without credentials, might I suggest...

Excellent comments, Perry, yes, but *I* have heard of Fringeware, so maybe I'll throw some of my comments about Paco, as an "author without credentials." (Not that I'm a cypherpunk with credentials or anything. =) ... Fringeware is a 'zine which Paco Xander Nathan publishes, and while he's no cypherpunk, he's an intelligent guy, so I'm pretty sure his article would be a good one. Sameer Parekh-zane@genesis.MCS.COM-PFA related mail to pfa@genesis.MCS.COM

Thank you kindly Sameer!! I'm pleased to find a ref to FWR#1 here, in a bibliography no less :) I'll add a plug that our new magazine is in int'l distribution, ISSN 1069-5656. The tutorial was written as a practical intro for people who would *not* be comfortable reading this list, but who would probably read the PGP docs anyway. The premier issue includes an article about Cypherpunks from my interview/stay/club-hopping with Eric Hughes back in Sep 92, along with a tutorial on how to join interesting email lists, such as this one. LERI-L's cofounder Scotto adds philosophical insights about the Net, virtual communities and lists in general, plus Tom Jennings favored us with beautific wisdoms on a predominantly cypherpunk theme. Whether I am a "cypherpunk" or not is as always debatable, but to assuage your fears Perry, I've been on this list nearly a year, posting occasionally. Creditials? I have degrees in Math & CompSci from Stanford, +20 years programming experience including a lot of Unix & comm work for Bell Labs, and my writing appears in Mondo 2000, WiReD, 2600, bOING-bOING, Pix-Elation, WER, etc.. some of which, to relative extents, appear to hold value within the context of this list. (tongue placed firmly in cheek) Those of you who actually read 'em may have noticed my bent for going mano-a-mano in court and on the streets against distopian organizations such as the Secret Service, the DEA's droids and a particular multinational telecom giant which shall go unmentioned. FWR is jointly published with my biz partner Jon Lebkowsky, who shares a similar trail of magazine gigs, along with fame as illuminary/host/ gopher editor on the WELL and president of EFF-Austin.. We run a popular Interent email list, fringeware@wixer.bga.com Hopefully, knowing these tidbits, we can all rest easier at night, assured that the hallowed trust of PGP has not been tainted by an unsocialized and heathen publication. NB: Perry, we're *TICKLED* silly that you refered to us as "strange"; may we consider this as "letter to the editor" material? BTW, we'd been waiting eagerly.. FWR staff had decided to just shush and wait for SOME kind of mention/review to pop up here, eventually :) Thank you. pxn. ---- PS: even our firm's *lawyer* participates in this list: strange.. credentials.. geez! :)