[117327] in Cypherpunks
Re: Its the GUI, stupid
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (David Honig)
Tue Aug 31 14:33:14 1999
Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19990831103640.00800920@pop.sprynet.com>
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 10:36:40 -0700
To: Anonymous <nobody@replay.com>, cypherpunks@toad.com
From: David Honig <honig@sprynet.com>
In-Reply-To: <199908310523.HAA17210@mail.replay.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Reply-To: David Honig <honig@sprynet.com>
At 07:23 AM 8/31/99 +0200, Anonymous wrote:
>but a general lack of interest in understanding
>the machine itself also plays a large role.
Don't get me started on the anti-engineering pushbutton
culture. Its a deeper problem than simply cars and drivers.
Maybe when society crumbles, we'll just go out and buy a new one.
>If a computer user doesn't understand the *general* principles behind
>public-key cryptography, there's no point in providing a fancy GUI to
>hide the messy details -- he'll simply click around until *something*
>happens, with no assurance that the result will be useful or secure.
Not sure what you mean by principles here. The way to teach
a tool is to show what it does; build up a useful mental
model of the thing; leave the innards for the interested.
Do you remember the proofs of various
properties of Fourier transforms that you were subjected to? Or do you
remember how to use them (inputs, outputs, what the outputs mean)?
Explain to granny the difference between a secret key
and PK method. Go through a typical usage scenario.
Discuss trust and introducers in real life, and trust models in PGP.
Discuss passphrase guessing, and tell her a few of
*her* likely passphrase choices to illustrate how the game is played.
Do *not* mention modular exponentiation.
I think we agree though, if by "principles" you mean
what it does. PGP is not like a word processor:
Throw it at someone, figure it out, no harm done meanwhile, and *you can
see your errors*. PGP is like a car: it requires a bit of instruction (or
reading the manual if solo); but the UI can help instruct the first time,
and reinforce the proper usage.
(If you leave your parking brake on, an indicator lights up.)
