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GenMsg Copyright (c) 1992, 1993, 1994 G. K. Pace
OS2 Version 1.07
July 30, 1994
DESCRIPTION:
GenMsg is a FidoNet compatable message viewer/editing system designed
for systems using the *.msg format of message storage. It is a "shell"
type system. There isn't a text-editor built in, you use GenMsg to call
your favorite Ascii Text editor (I use VDE a very good editor) to edit the
text. GenMsg then formats it to FidoNet specifications for the type of
message it is. GenMsg can also shell to other utilities... Such as Pretty
Good Privacy (PGP) a "free-ware" Public Key encryption system. PGP can be
called by GenMsg for decoding encrypted messages, and for encrypting,
signing, or clear-text signing of messages.
GenMsg was the first FidoNet message editor available which would
interface PGP to Fidonet messages. Today it is the most up-to-date of
those which have come since... <grin>
FEATURES:
GenMsg supports the D'Bridge mailer, and can be setup to replace the
Internal Editor, or as an alternate Editor to be used as needed. Refer to
the enclosed DBRIDGE.TXT file for information on configuring for use with
D'Bridge.
GenMsg supports the SecureMail principal, and can be configured to
refuse to show the contents of in-transit messages... for you "snoopy"
types, you can disable this and view anything on your system... <grin>
Registered versions also include the function for returning E-Mail which
cannot be delivered (for those who Route Mail for others) in a secure
fashion... the text of message is not viewed when using this function.
GenMsg supports the use of Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) for use in
handling encrypted, ascii-armor, and clear-text signatures in FidoNet
messages.
GenMsg is designed to utilize the Ascii-text editor of your choice, so
that the editing commands can be as you prefer. I suggest use of VDE, a
fully configurable editor which is very one of the best I've seen for this
purpose! The enclosed file GMSG-VDE.ZIP contains some configuration files
for VDE, which setup VDE for use with GenMsg. Refer to the Readme.txt file
in this archive.
GenMsg can handle messages of upto 64K in length. (Non-registered
versions, 32K)
GenMsg provides full INTL and POINT addressing. Default addressing
style allows shortcuts in address entry. For example, to address to node
12 in your net, just enter 12 when prompted for the INTL address. To
address it to point 3 of node 12 in your Net, enter 12.3...
GenMsg provides for a Configurable "default" ORIGIN line, and the
ability to configure each area differently thru use of a file named ORIGIN
in each message directory, which contains the origin string.
GenMsg supports the use of UTC message dating. Since this is not a
FidoNet standard, the Date is "hidden" behind a CTRL-A in the typical
FidoNet Kludge fashion...
GenMsg provides "Auto Formatting" of messages destined to the Internet
via a gate-way. If you set up GenMsg for using a uucp-gate, it will
automatically format such messages for you.
SETUP:
GenMsg requires that you have a configuration file named GenMsg.ini.
If you will be accessing EchoMail and/or LocalMail message areas, you will
also need an "areas.bbs" type list of those areas. You will have to have a
Text Editor which can be called from GenMsg, and for the encryption
features you will need Pretty Good Privacy (PGP).
GenMsg.ini:
The configuration file GENMSG.INI must be in the same directory
GENMSG.EXE is in. If you rename GENMSG.EXE, you will have to rename
GENMSG.INI to match. (example: if GENMSG.EXE is renamed to GMSG.EXE,
GENMSG.INI must be renamed GMSG.INI)
GENMSG.INI must contain setup information specifying your name, INTL
address, the Ascii-text Editor to call, and the directory path to your
NetMail. There are many other optional parameters that can or should be
set for your apprication. Refer to the accompanying GENMSG.INI for
information on how to configure GenMsg.
Message Areas List:
Unless you are going to use GenMsg for your NETMAIL area only, you will
need to have a list of other message areas GenMsg can access. GenMsg can
use the "standard" AREAS.BBS, or can be configured to use another list that
you've created. Since the standard AREAS.BBS does not normally include
LOCAL message areas, the method of having a separate list for GenMsg to use
is generally prefered. The name of such file can be any legal DOS name and
must be specified in GENMSG.INI.
The format of this list is explained more fully in the file
MSGAREAS.BBS which has been included as an example of how to create this
list.
ENVIRONMENT:
GenMsg calculates the UTC date and time based upon your system clock,
and expects to find the environment variable TZ to be set indicating the
time shift between your local time, and Greenwich Mean time. To set the
variable use the DOS command Set in your Autoexec.bat file as:
SET TZ=EST5 (Eastern Standard time)
SET TZ=EST5EDT (Eastern Daylight savings time)
The first three alpha characters should be the abbreviation for your
standard time zone. the (next) single digit should be the offset in hours
from Greenwich Mean time for your standard time zone. If Daylight Saving
time is observed in your area, you should add the last three alpha
characters, which automatically compensate for daylight savings when
appropiate for calculating UTC...
You SHOULD also have the PGP environment variable PGPPATH=pgpstuff set
for PGP to act properly. Refer to the PGP Docs for this information!
SETUP of PGP PASS-PHRASE:
GenMsg provides for the installation of your pass-phrase to enhance the
ease of use of PGP. When installed, GenMsg secures the pass-phrase in an
encrypted form inside of the GenMsg.EXE file. It will then decrypt it, and
pass it to PGP when it calls PGP, upon return from PGP the decrypted pass-
phrase is distroyed. GenMsg will only accept your pass-phrase for storage
if it can obtain the required information from your system that it needs to
store it in a secure manner. Not all systems will have the required
information available - thus this option may not be available to all Users
of GenMsg.
GenMsg provides yet another degree of security for the USE of the pass-
phrase. When installing the pass-phrase you will be asked for a GenMsg
password. This password should not be the same as your PGP pass-phrase.
The GenMsg password can be a phrase (include spaces, etc.) and it must be
at least four but not exceeding 79 characters in length.
Once the pass-phrase is installed GenMsg will check the system
information each time it is envoked, if it doesn't match the information it
has stored, it will refuse to use the copy of the pass-phrase and the
GenMsg password it contains to keep it secure. GenMsg will refuse to use
the stored pass-phrase and GenMsg password if the GenMsg.EXE is copied to
another Disk and envoked, or if envoked on another system.
To install your pass-phrase envoke GenSet with the command-line
argument <pathfilename> (i/e GenSet GenMsg.EXE). GenMsg will ask you for
your pass-phrase and if it can obtain all of the system information it
requires, it will store the pass-phrase. If you do not enter anything when
prompted to enter your pass-phrase, GenSet will delete any pass-phrase
it might have previously contained. (a useful way to insure that your
pass-phrase is erased from any copies of GenMsg you may copy for a friend)
Once setup, GenMsg will keep the pass-phrase for use until you change it,
or any part of the system information it monitors changes causing GenMsg to
refuse to use the pass-phrase.
When envoking GenMsg, the use of the stored pass-phrase is DISABLED for
security reasons. To ENABLE it you must use the command ALT-E from the
main (message view) menu. When enabling the pass-phrase you will be
required to enter the GenMsg password. The ALT-E command is a toggle, so
subsequent use of it will disable the use of the pass-phrase.
ORIGIN:
GenMsg will use the string you setup in GENMSG.INI as the ORIGIN for
messages you create (NOT NetMail messages) unless it finds a file named
ORIGIN in the message directory. This feature provides the ability for you
to customize the origin line you use for each Echo message area. The file
ORIGIN is an Ascii-Text file with one string in it. The string will be
trunicated if it is too long... Origin lines must not exceed 79 characters,
including your INTL address.
D'Bridge:
GenMsg can fit in with D'Bridge nicely. To use it with D'Bridge you
must enable D'Bridge mode in your GENMSG.INI, and have the ENVIRONMENT
variable of DB=path_to_DBridge or DBRIDGE=path_to_DBridge set.
GenMsg can function as a replacement for the D'Bridge Internal Editor.
Refer to the accompanying DBRIDGE.TXT file for further information
concerning setup.
PGP USE:
GenMsg (if setup to emplement this feature) will call PGP to Encrypt,
Ascii-Armor Sign, Clear-Text Sign, or Decrypt a message. Assuming you Have
PGP setup properly, and enabled in GenMsg...
Decode Function:
This function will call PGP to decode the message-text of the message
you are viewing. If the text contains a Public Key, PGP will process it,
and allow you to add it to your Key-Ring. If the text contains a Signed
Public Key (some people do this??? !!!) The first Decode Function will
remove the Clear-Text Signature, envoking the Decode Function again will
allow PGP access to the Public Key...
Note that when decoding a signed message, PGP will alert you if it
fails the verification process... other-wise the message will just be
stripped of the signature.
Encrypt Function:
PGP provides for the ability to encrypt for multiple recipients...
GenMsg uses this ability to allow you the ability to Decode a message
you've encrypted to someone else, by encrypting it for the designated
person(s) AND yourself. This feature allows you to re-edit a message if
you need to.
When GenMsg passes the "encrypt-to" name to PGP, it is enclosed in
quotation marks (" "). If you wish to encrypt for multiple recipients, you
MUST enter their names (when GenMsg asks for this info) in this manner:
first name" "second name" "third name","etc...
NOTE that the begining and ending quotation marks are NOT added! Each
name is separated by quotation marks separated by a space. This string
cannot exceed 256 charaters in length.
Signing Messages:
GenMsg can call PGP to sign a message in one of two modes: Clear-Text
Mode, and Ascii-Armor Mode.
Clear-Text mode is the most used, as the text of the message can be
read without the use of PGP. Calling PGP to Decode a Clear-Text message is
done to VERIFY that the message-text has not been altered, and was signed
by the person who owns the Public Key used for verification.
Ascii-Armor signatures appear to be encrypted, and cannot be read
without proccessing them with PGP. Altho they appear to be encrypted, they
are not... anyone using PGP can process it for viewing, the Decode function
verifies that the text has not been altered, and that it was signed by the
person owning the Public Key used for verification.
Bogus "signed" messages are not processed by PGP. They are similar in
appearance to a PGP clear-signed message but are truely bogus...
PLEASE NOTICE THIS!
GenMsg would not be what it is, were it not for the input received by
those who are thoughtful enough to provide suggestions for its
improvement... I appreciate ALL who have assisted in this manner.
Special thanks are due to those who not only provided suggestions, but
incentive, encouragement, and other types of assistance... without which
GenMsg would have stopped progressing long ago. (I personally don't mind
programs without "glit 'an glitter" features... ) Those who have had a
significant impact upon GenMsg include:
- Christopher Baker at 1:374/14
- Barry Kapke at 1:125/33
And last but not least, Tom Jennings... without whom none of this
would have ever been necessary...
-gk
For additional information contact:
GK Pace
4590 Dixie Way
Mims, Florida USA 32754
(407)269-3088
1:374/26 @ FidoNet
gkp@f26.n374.z1.fidonet.org