On Fri, Jan 16, 2004 at 10:17:30AM -0700, Rob Sims wrote: > On Wednesday 14 January 2004 01:41 pm, Pigeon wrote: > ... > > "Make a signature": > > original-file.txt, 13021 bytes > > -- signing process --> > > original-file.txt + separate signature file, length 5105 bytes, named > > "original-file.txt.gpg", containing binary data > > > > From this, it looks to me as if "Make a clear text signature" corresponds to > > your definition for "complete signature", and we also have two different > > types of "detached signature", a short form which actually is called a > > "detached signature" and a much longer form which is just a "signature". > > The original-file.txt.gpg file is complete; you could send it to someone > and it would be readable using GPG and your public key. It's only 5105 > bytes because files are compressed before encryption (signed files are > encrypted with your private key, decryptable by anyone with your public > key). By signing and not clear-signing, you force anyone who wants to > read your message to use the tool that will also verify authenticity. > By clearsigning, you make signature verification optional. > ... > Most encryption first compresses the data both to hide underlying patterns > (good compression is virtually indistinguishable from random data) and > to reduce the amount of data to encrypt. Further, compression of > well encrypted data is not possible (encrypted data also appears to be > random), so compression done first is the only way to save space and/or > bandwidth. I see. The fog clears... Many thanks for your comprehensive explanation. -- Pigeon Be kind to pigeons Get my GPG key here: http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x21C61F7F
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