Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
There are a number of USENET Newsgroups dedicated to crypto-related topics.
These newsgroups often have vigorous discussion on many fascinating issues.
At their best, these discussions exemplify the scientific method in that hypotheses are formulated, and rigorous analyses, sometimes on a sentence-by-sentence basis, often ensues.
Many newsgroups have created "Frequently Asked Questions" which constitute a database of many common questions, and their generally accepted answers. These serve the dual purposes of informing individuals who are new to the subject, as well as minimizing the repetition of the same common questions being asked and answered many times.
SCI.CRYPT is to the newsgroup dedicated to the SCIENCE of CRYPTOLOGY.
Because of its size, the SCI.CRYPT FAQ is divided into the following ten parts:
In addition to the SCI.CRYPT newsgroup, there is also a SCI.CRYPT.RESEARCH newsgroup. It's faq can be found here:
RSA Data Security, Inc. has the following three-part FAQ:
I used to have a copy of the Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) files here.
However, I was ordered to remove them by someone who had chosen the pompous nickname "Galactus".
The FAQ files had been distributed by him world-wide via the Usenet network, in the newsgroup "comp.security.pgp.announce".
And, for what grave sins was I ordered to remove the FAQ files? Because I had "modified the appearance of the document with the inclusion of some background image, a rainbow 'ruler', and your own footer." Imagine that! I had added a rainbow ruler line, and even added a nice white background! Guess I should be ashamed, for publicizing the availability of PGP, and making it look nice too, on my web site!
I find it amusing and ironic that while John Perry Barlow writes in
Phil Zimmermann's book "The Official PGP User's Guide" that
"... it's probably only a little hyperbolic to claim that you are
holding a work as liberating as _Common_Sense_ ...", only to have
the PGP FAQ files ordered removed from this web site -- imagine, the
unpardonable sin of rainbow lines have been added, against the rules
of the galactic censors!
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Copyright © 1996 Cryptosystems Journal.
Most recent update on 20-AUG-97.
E-Mail to: Tony S. Patti, Editor & Publisher.