The following is a description of how I got a Linux version of the PGP encryption program, how I installed it, and a few observations about quirks in the program. The Linux version of PGP that I got is PGPcmdfw_6.5.2_Linux.i386.rpm and it offers the options of 1024 or 2048 bit encryption. The 2048 bit option is compatible with people using PGP 2.6.2 with an extra command that will be noted later in REMARKS and QUIRKS.

Plan ahead and decide in which directory you want to download the program. Just for grins I used the mkdir command in an xterminal and made a directory called siva after the Hundu god of destruction and creation.

Use a browser to go find a good place to get the program. I used Google and typed "pgp|linux" and soon found my way to an MIT site and found the Linux version to download to my directory called siva. The file that downloaded was PGPcmdln_6.5.2_Lnx.FW.rpm.tar.

Next, in an xterminal and in my directory siva I used the command:

tar -x PGPcmdln_6.5.2_Lnx.FW.rpm.tar

I then had the file PGPcmdfw_6.5.2_Linux.i386.rpm in the directory siva.

To install the program I referred to a good install guide at /usr/doc/PGP-6.5.2 named PGPCmdLineInstallGuide.pdf.

At a xterminal I used the following command to install PGP:

rpm -iv PGPcmdfw_6.5.2_Linux.i386.rpm

REMARKS --- The command line Linux PGP v. 6.5.2 is very similar to the DOS v. 2.6.2. When you generate your secret key you have the option of 1024 bit or 2048 bit encryption. All of the people I correspond with use the DOS v. 2.6.2 and after I read that there was a command you could use while encrypting that would allow you to have the 2048 bit encryption be compatible with 1024 bit users I chose the stronger option. An example:

If you were encrypting a file called "rome.txt" to a user called "Attilla" who had 2048 bit capability I would type:

pgp -eat rome.txt attilla

If you were encrypting a file called "rome.txt" to a user called "Attilla" who had 1024 bit capability I would type:

pgp -eatcompatible rome.txt attilla

QUIRKS --- When you encrypt a file you usually wind up with a file name like "rome.pgp" or "rome.asc" depending on the options you use. I found that when using the "compatible" command I wound up with a file named "mcompatible.asc" every time. This can be goofy because if you do not rename the file the people with whom you correspond are going to wind up with a lot of files called "mcompatible.asc".

There are several approaches to dealing with this quirk but here is what I did. In siva I typed:

touch rome.asc

Creating an empty file called "rome.asc" and then typed:

mv mcompatible.asc rome.asc

CONCLUSION

Chuck Steele

-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
Version: 2.6.2

mQCNAzJZeHoAAAEEANNxV53lfflhIrbXJcj7rZ1ER/lrOPfPJyvR0GhoaSpG41Nz
/34GWpef1WVvwpGWsF/a8FfozsXX0aBIu3qxCpW8XewovDA2Es6/JBLn+7bsIf1i
BI7gH4fzdn622+Q1+foZckLR+euN0XOKd7UwrtKjRAg053m2oTIjJbWQD3x9AAUR
tCJDaHVjayBTdGVlbGU8c2FuZHNwdXJAcGFsbXRvcC5jb20+tBRzYW5kc3B1ckBw
YWxtdG9wLmNvbQ==
=VVWe
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----