newbie question

[madrook@cox.net]

Hi Graham,

oops.  I should probably add this important factoid.  Sorry for not saying
it earlier:

I'm trying to setup a batch system - so a GUI shell doesn't work unless it
can be controlled via some sort of automation process.

I read the FAQ that recommended dispensing with passphrases altogether, but
I'm not sure I understand the full implications of that.  It seems better to
have the management program send the password on the command line that to
have no password at all.  I'm guessing that stealing the keyring file is all
someone would need if there were no passphrases.  I'd rather make them have
to steal the keyring AND find AND steal the passphrase before they could use
the keys.

I've used the --password-fd 0 option to send the pwd on STDIN, but in
Windows that means using an input pipe from a file written to disk.  Is
there another way?

I just realized something though -- these other shells must have a mechanism
for getting the passphrase from themselves to GPG -- does anyone know how
they do it?

Thanks,
Brad