one-and-only-chances to config

Hi,

I've been frustrated multiple times by Thunderbird offering only one
chance to import files (from another email client or for a migration). 
In fact, I've never  been ready to take advantage of this feature when
it was offered.  I never remember this trap because I migrate less than
once a year.  I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling, but that doesn't
get me another "first time start." 

Now I see the same approach to the Enigmail Wizard. 

These one-shots wouldn't be so bad if there were a warning, so a new
user could quit and come  back when ready. 

But to spring the one-time offer the way it's done seems almost cruel,
like a nasty trick played by somebody I don't know, for no apparent
reason.   The phrase "gratuitous insult" comes to mind.

WF

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Re: one-and-only-chances to config

W F wrote:

> The phrase "gratuitous insult" comes to mind.

Please do not feel insulted; gratuitously or otherwise.

I empathize with Your frustration with Thunderbird's lack of ability to
Import Contact information but from one other MUA.  I have often wished
that T-Bird offered an option in the Toolbar or Tools menu labeled
'Import' that would allow One the opportunity to Import Contacts from
not only an existing installed MUA but also from Webmail Services.
Perhaps as simply as allowing the User to choose a .csv File much as
Calendaring Applications do.   <SIGH>  Other than suggesting this to
Developers there isn't much I can do about this unless I wished to
configure and write such a patch Myself.  I haven't been sufficiently
irritated yet to resort to that.  :-D

As to Enigmail; exactly which Wizard to You feel is short changing You?
 Key Generation is easily accomplished as many times as One desires by
clicking on 'Generate' in the toolbar from the Key Management screen.
Would You please be more specific in describing exactly which Wizard
function(s) You wish to have more access to?

TIA

JOHN ;)
Timestamp: Thursday 01 Jan 2009, 08:30  --500 (Eastern Standard Time)

Re: one-and-only-chances to config

W F wrote:
> I've been frustrated multiple times by Thunderbird offering only one
> chance to import files (from another email client or for a migration). 

Some of us undoubtedly agree with you, but none of us are in a position
to change this.  Enigmail and Thunderbird are two totally separate
projects with totally different developers.

That said, you may find "Tools --> Import" to be useful.

> Now I see the same approach to the Enigmail Wizard. 

How?  I've never found anything in the Enigmail Wizard which could not
be accomplished just as easily in a couple of mouse clicks from the main
UI.  There is nothing special about the wizard -- this is by design.

What are you trying to accomplish from the wizard that you feel you
cannot accomplish otherwise?

> But to spring the one-time offer the way it's done seems almost cruel,
> like a nasty trick played by somebody I don't know, for no apparent
> reason.   The phrase "gratuitous insult" comes to mind.

While we understand you are frustrated, it is generally a good idea to
(a) not accuse people you are asking to help you of insulting you,
especially (b) when there is an excellent chance you are overlooking
some things which are relatively obvious.

Re: one-and-only-chances to config

W F wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I've been frustrated multiple times by Thunderbird offering only one
> chance to import files (from another email client or for a migration). 
> In fact, I've never  been ready to take advantage of this feature when
> it was offered.  I never remember this trap because I migrate less than
> once a year.  I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling, but that doesn't
> get me another "first time start." 
> 
> Now I see the same approach to the Enigmail Wizard. 
> 
> These one-shots wouldn't be so bad if there were a warning, so a new
> user could quit and come  back when ready. 
> 
> But to spring the one-time offer the way it's done seems almost cruel,
> like a nasty trick played by somebody I don't know, for no apparent
> reason.   The phrase "gratuitous insult" comes to mind.

I'm aware about this. In the trunk versions there is an entry in the
OpenPGP menu called "Setup Wizard".

-Patrick

Re: one-and-only-chances to config

On 1/1/2009 9:15 AM, Patrick Brunschwig wrote:
> W F wrote:
>> Hi,
> 
>> I've been frustrated multiple times by Thunderbird offering only one
>> chance to import files (from another email client or for a migration). 
>> In fact, I've never  been ready to take advantage of this feature when
>> it was offered.  I never remember this trap because I migrate less than
>> once a year.  I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling, but that doesn't
>> get me another "first time start." 
> 
>> Now I see the same approach to the Enigmail Wizard. 
> 
>> These one-shots wouldn't be so bad if there were a warning, so a new
>> user could quit and come  back when ready. 
> 
>> But to spring the one-time offer the way it's done seems almost cruel,
>> like a nasty trick played by somebody I don't know, for no apparent
>> reason.   The phrase "gratuitous insult" comes to mind.
> 
> I'm aware about this. In the trunk versions there is an entry in the
> OpenPGP menu called "Setup Wizard".
> 
> -Patrick

I'm using a trunk version and there is not a setup wizard there.

However, I feel a need to say (in the kindest possible way) that
something as important as the security offered by PGP, a one size fits

Some problem with Thunderbird 2.0.0.19 RU

Problem is only with e-mails, newsgroups messages are processed
correctly. Strange...

Re: one-and-only-chances to config

George Schoelles wrote:
> <Rant> I as many here started using PGP back in the command-line
> versions,

I started in 1992.  There are likely a few here who can go back all the
way to 1991, when it all began.

> learned the switches and felt fairly secure.  Now along comes a 
> graphical interface that can poke most anything into this secure
> sphere and we are OK with that?

_Yes._

When I was taking my graduate HCI (Human Computer Interactions) courses,
my professor -- a great guy named Juan-Pablo Hourcade -- spent a week
covering an airplane crash that killed a great many people.  The
official cause of the crash was pilot error: there were absolutely no
mechanical problems with the aircraft when it crashed.

However, the cockpit instrumentation was badly designed.  Information
was spread out over too many panels.  The pilot and co-pilot each were
able to, by their own instruments, get a partial picture of the
situation.  If either had known that the other's instruments were
reading, they would've known they were in trouble and would have avoided
the mountain they ultimately crashed into.  But the cockpit was poorly
laid out, and they didn't have ready access to each other's information,
and quite a large number of people died... because of bad user interface.

There are a great many other examples in the literature.  Medical
radiation machines that are prone to fatal misconfigurations due to

Enigmail 0.96a - Attaching public key, and attachments.

Hi,

Testing TB 3.0b1 with Enigmail version 0.96a (20090104-1343).
MacOSX 10.5.6.
gpg2.0.10.rc1

1. When OpenPGP/Attach My Public Key is selected, trying to send a
signed or an encrypted/signed message will display a warning:
...Sign/Encrypt failed, send unsigned/unencrypted..?

2. When OpenPGP/Attach Public Key... is enabled, and a public key is
selected from Enigmail's public keys list, sending a signed or encrypted
and signed message is successful, but the received message shows that no
public key file was attached. Enigmail does not display the expected
window with the three available options to process the attachment.
I remember from previous releases of 0.96a (I can't remember the date,
but it was a few months ago) that when selecting OpenPGP/Attach My
Public Key, the attachment didn't show in the upper right corner of the
message windows, but the attachment was included and sent, and that was
a *feature*, not a bug, of that 0.96a release.

3. When using TB's 'Attach'
select a public key *file* (attachment file shows in the upper right
corner of the window message)
choose OpenPGP/Sign

Enigmail displays what seems to be an in-line signed message (PGP
headers and footers are visible), displays also the expected window
where one can choose the three options for the attachment (sign/encrypt

Tiny bug and feature request

Hello list,

I have one tiny but to report and a feature request - just as the
subject suggests. First the bug: I'm trying to send a message and the
key selection dialog pops up because recipients haven't been found. My
intention is to click "Send message unencrypted" and hit ok. When doing
this with the keyboard, there appears to be a race condition: If the
combination of tabulator-space is pressed in a quick enough sequence
(which I appearently do so quickly I'm having that issue every other
time), the recipient selection checkboxlist doesn't become disabled.
Consequently, the OK button cannot be pressed. The workaround is to
uncheck the "Send message unencrypted" field and check it again. Version
seems to be arbitrary, I've discovered that thing ages ago but just
haven't gotten around to post a message yet. I'm on Linux, that might be
important though (haven't checked out with Windows).

One more thing, a feature request: I yesterday had a friend reporting a
strange problem which suddenly appeared with sending encrypted messages.
Suddenly it all stopped working, he couldn't sign nor encrypt. Yeah, I
know what you're thinking - that's obvious. But the GPG error message
did quite mislead me at first and got me stumbling. It would be nice if
Enigmail could spot the condition and just pop up a window "Hey, this
didn't work because your key expired".

Keep up the awesome work!

Kind regards,
Johannes

Re: one-and-only-chances to config

Robert J. Hansen wrote:
[...]
> End users should not need to be protocol wonks in order to use a
> protocol safely and effectively.  Bang, period, end of sentence.  We
> don't demand it from any other protocol; why should we demand it of
> OpenPGP users?

And if we do demand it, it will never penetrate any further into the user
community than it already has.

-C

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