NPR : E-Mail Encryption Rare in Everyday Use

[Ed Gerck]

John W Noerenberg II wrote:
> At 5:58 PM -0800 2/24/06, Ed Gerck wrote:
>> A phone number is not an "envelope" -- it's routing information, just 
>> like
>> an email address. Publishing the email address is not in question and
>> there are alternative ways to find it out, such as search engines.
> 
> Oh really?  Then you should be able to send a note to my gmail address.

I did quite not get the irony/humor. All I'm saying about an email
address is that (1) it does not work as an envelope (hiding contents); and
(2) there's no big problem in using it. You publish your email address
every time you send an email from it, which may also make it searchable.

> At 1:11 PM -0800 2/25/06, Ed Gerck wrote:
>> Arguments that people give each other their cell phone numbers, for 
>> example,
>> and even though there isn't a cell phone directory people use cell phones
>> well, also forget the user's point of view when comparing a phone 
>> number with
>> a public-key.
> 
> And that distinction is?
> 
> To me a cell-phone number is a string of characters, and a public-key is 
> - a string of characters.

The distinction should be obvious if you try to tell someone your public-key
over the phone, byte by byte for 1024 bits, versus telling her your
8-digit cell phone number.

Cheers,
Ed Gerck

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