[Winpt-users] Announcement for the second pre-release of 1.0.0

[Thomas Harold]

Timo Schulz wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> a few minutes ago I released a new pre-version. It mainly
> contains bug fixes but it also introduces a new 'feature'.
> 
> === NEWS ===
> * The key sign dialog now has a feature to display the
>   photo of the key owner if it is available.
>                                                                                 
> * Fix a problem in the key edit dialog when a new
>   subkey was added and the algorithm was displayed
>   as "???".
>                                                                                 
> * The verify list dialog now also uses icons to
>   make it easier to recognize the signature state visually.
>                                                                                 
> * Allow 8-bit passphrases, formerly utf8 encoding of the
>   passphrases.
>                                                                                 
> * Avoid crashes when the user tries to execute functions
>   that access the key cache during synchronisation.
>                                                                                 
> * Better keyserver error messages.
>                                                                                 
> * The decrypt/verify command does not show a separate signature
>   verify message box for each message any longer but add
>   the signature information to the viewer dialog. This avoids
>   that the user needs to remind the signature state, while viewing
>   the text.
>                                                                                 
> * Fix a special case in the keyserver code which would lead to
>   a crash after receiving.
> 
> 
> === END ===

Misc thoughts on the latest version (1.0.0pre1).  Take them as you will, 
some are personal preferences and might not work for everyone:

- The main WinPT key manager window does a much better job of sizing its 
columns then the previous one.  Well, mostly...  I'm using a laptop with 
123ppi.  I'm using normal-sized fonts (Display Properties, Settings) but 
under Advanced, General, I have the DPI setting to "Large size 120 dpi" 
which scales all of the fonts up by 25%.

Now that main WinPT window remembers the column widths I can finally set 
the columns and not worry about it anymore.

- The key edit dialog, OTOH, doesn't save the column widths and doesn't 
do a good job on my system of guessing the widths.  For example, the 
C/S/E/A columns show up as "*..".

- I wish the key edit dialog could be resized.  Once I collect a few 
UserIDs and new encryption keys (we create new encryption keys every 2-4 
years with expirations) the dialog gets a little crowded and I have to 
scroll up/down to see all of the keys or user IDs.

- Is there a way to put tooltips on the Key Edit dialog columns to 
remind me what the various columns mean?  Specifically the C/S/E/A 
columns (since the help button only displays a short-hand list of what 
the commands do).

Alternately, maybe a text area in the lower-left portion of the dialog 
with context sensitive help.  As you mouse-over the various controls 
this text could change to indicate what you are looking at.  Or maybe 
that text area could be used to explain what the currently selected 
command does.

- On the key edit dialog, the OK button is confusing where it is 
currently placed.  It should probably be moved up next to the Command 
listbox(?) control to indicate that it works in conjunction with those 
commands.

- Is there a way to list PhotoIDs in the Key Edit dialog?  (Does that 
even make sense?)  On one of my keys, I managed to get (2) PhotoIDs 
attached and I think I have to go into the command-line GPG in order to 
fix it.

- When changing the password for a key, is it a security feature that 
you have to enter the old password, then enter the new password twice 
before finding out that you entered the wrong old password?  (Instead of 
entering the old password, finding out you got it wrong before being 
asked to type the new password twice.)

(Or is this related to how WinPT interfaces with GnuPG?)

- The only way to get the WinPT preferences is via the system tray menu, 
there's no menu command inside of the Key Manager window.  And 
vice-versa, I can only get to the GPG configuration file via the Key 
Manager window and not the Preferences menu on the System Tray icon. 
Seems like I should be able to get to all 3 preference / config files 
from both locations.

...

I'm still exploring the rest of the interface, we're pretty happy with 
it so far.  One big advantage with WinPT is the Key Edit dialog that 
shows the GnuPG commands.  That works very well for me instead of having 
to explain the commands needed to work with the keyring on the 
commandline to our users.