What is Debian-User for? (Was: Re: What is GnuPG UID for?)
On Thu, May 08, 2003 at 04:54:40PM +0200, Matthias Hentges wrote:
> Am Die, 2003-05-06 um 17.22 schrieb Fernando Shayani:
> > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> > Hash: SHA1
> >
> > Can anyone help me understand what is the GnuPG User ID is for?
> >
> > I understand that I can make more than one UID with the same keypair,
> > but what's that for? And how can I choose witch one I want to use to
> > sign the message each time?
> >
> > I'm using WinXP with WinPT.
> ^^^^^
> ?????
To elaborate a little on what Matthias' somewhat terse heiroglyphics ;-)
might mean, I'll observe that after several weeks of seeing the
staggering quantity of email generated by the Debian-User Mailing List,
it seems justified to propose the following:
The original author is asking the List for help with using GNU Privacy
Guard (GNU != Debian) software on Micro$oft Windows XP (Debian have not,
and I believe never will, made a release codenamed "Windows XP").
Some readers, such as Mr. Hentges, might be justified in feeling that
the poster is exploiting the generosity of those who answer questions
on Debian-User in an illegitimate manner, since the question is neither
on-topic for the mailing List nor serving the interests of promoting
Free Software Operating Systems (I am quite sure that Richard M.
Stallman did not sign-off on the establishment of the GNU Privacy Guard
project in order that M$ Windows users could acquire encryption software
systems gratis!).
If this was a low-volume List, it might not matter much. But in fact it
is one of the highest-volume Lists I have ever seen, and OT inquiries
suck away a precious resource: the attention of knowledgeable Debian
GNU/Linux users (experts) who are needed by other Debian GNU/Linux users
to get help with their Debian systems.
The fact that a later respondent in the thread saw fit to show
generosity and answer the o.p.'s question doesn't change the big
picture.
I just find, when I ponder the possible futures, that it feels a bit
deplorable to contemplate a degradation of the quality of assistance
available on Debian-Users, brought about because of non-Debian user
questions crowding out the legitimate uses of the List. GPG assuredly
has its own List for user questions (and a Windows XP user assuredly has
access to a WWW browser and can find their way to the GNU website, where
they can access lists of Lists that GNU maintain as support for their
software). In my opinion, then, it is acceptable and not just "cranky"
or "rigid or "ungenerous" for such OT diversions as this one, to be
rejected by respondents on this List as the illegitimate exploitations
that they are.
My Opinion,
Soren Andersen
--
See my OpenPGP key at https://savannah.gnu.org/people/viewgpg.php?user_id=6050
GnuPG public key fingerprint | "Only when efforts to reform society have as
BD26 A5D8 D781 C96B 9936 | their point of departure the reformation of
310F 0573 A3D9 4E24 4EA6 | the inner life -- human revolution -- will
they lead us with certainty to a world of lasting peace and true human security."
-- Daisaku Ikeda
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