mail encryption/decryption

[Barry Shein]

Re: Someone asked how to send encrypted mail, another pointed
out the serious problem with sending non-printing characters
an encryption program is likely to generate.

See uuencode/uudecode, works wonderfully with mailed files, converts all
non-printables into an encoded printable format (with a 2:3 expansion I
believe), uudecode even strips the header (strips everything up to a
magic little line uuencode put in.) It also keeps the records short (I
think 45 chars by default) which is useful if you have to forward over
some routes, especially BITNET spools, some of which will chop at 80
(punch spools ya know.) I even moved it to our IBM3081 to aid using SMTP
as a 'poor person's FTP' (yes we have a license...geeez!) tho there are
limits to ascii->ebcdic conversions.

Note: regardless of the names uu(en/de)code have nothing directly to
do with UUCP other than their origin [ie. works over any net], just
handy UNIX tools.

	-Barry Shein, Boston University