[kwlug-disc] Generating and using PGP keys

[unsolicited]

Paul Nijjar wrote, On 02/20/2009 7:38 PM:
> --- On Thu, 2/19/09, Oksana Goertzen <ogoertzen at gmail.com> wrote:
>> There is a version of Thunderbird  that runs from USB.  I've not
>> tried it but it might be of some use to you.  This is for Windows or
>> Wine on Linux.
>>
> 
> Something like this might work (modulo keyloggers, I guess). Certainly
> extensions like FireGPG are not an option for public machines, because
> pretty much no public machine allows you to install arbitrary
> software.

I get why you say what you say, but ... Firefox also runs as a 
portable app from a USB key. I have it / them on my key now. With my 
favourite firefox add-ons included.

I've plugged in my USB to a college computer (after having logged in 
to Windows with a valid id), and used both Firefox, and ssh (after 
starting putty) then vnc'ed into home. I've done this from the 
Waterloo Public Library as well.

My purpose at the time was to have my 'favourite Firefox environment' 
on hand all the time, and to tunnel into home where 'my favourite 
desktop' was already set up. My portable Firefox has, of course, my 
favourite bookmarks already present. It became easier to tunnel into 
home than to keep track as to whether the latest version of that doc 
was on my key, or at home. e.g. When I loaded the doc from my key, did 
I actually make any changes.

http://portableapps.com/

I found it quite effective.

Make it bootable, add FreeDOS, Puppy, DebianLive, or the like, and 
your range of possibilities away from your own environment increases. 
Portable XAMPP, Xming, GNUcash, or VMware Player, anyone? Or anything 
else that is self-contained within a directory or can be made to be. 
(e.g. some programs have options to keep their settings in an .ini 
file in the local directory.) If I remember correctly, there are also 
pre-/post- program bits that can be run to insert stuff into and out 
of the registry. Cygwin stuff, in general, can be directory-contained.

Haven't used Thunderbird myself, but it is there (as a portable app).

Yes, I'm sorry, this is all Windows stuff. No, this isn't a 
presentation topic. Raul (and then Kyle?) have already done it. Puppy, 
then USB booting. Their presentations led me to this stuff. [And, yes, 
I too, fell afoul of the formatting a usb key > 2GB problem.]

There are other windows things you can do such as 
http://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd or http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/.

Let alone making the USB key bootable and copying a live cd to it. 
Carry the live CD too, and you've got both boot methods covered. But 
the USB key can be updated, unlike the CD. Such as with that new 
bookmark you found. qemu or kqemu based, typically.

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/