encrypting to expired certificates

Martin Behrendt martin-gnupg-users at dkyb.de
Tue Sep 16 12:52:38 CEST 2014


Am 16.09.2014 um 12:13 schrieb Peter Lebbing:
> On 15/09/14 21:56, Robert J. Hansen wrote:
>> From the plain meaning of the word, "expiration."
>>
>> There's a half-finished liter of milk in my fridge that's now a week 
>> past its expiration date.  (Yes, yes, I'm going to throw it out once
>> I get home...)
>>
>> If you want, feel free to come by.  I'll pour you a glass of milk. 
>> After all, an expiration date doesn't mean "don't use this," right? 
>> It's only a number that's to be interpreted according to however
>> someone wants.
> 
> Sure! A week might be a bit much, but if it were 3 or 4 days I'd agree.
> Starting from slightly before the expiration date to well past, I simply
> sniff it, pour out a little, look if it is curdling... and if none of
> those things apply, I happily pour myself some perfect moo juice. A
> bloody shame to throw it away. You really throw out perfectly good food?
> Just because someone said "well, given our process variations, even the
> worst piece, even the milk produced on a hot day and picked up a bit
> late, would still be okay for one and a half week. To cover our asses,
> let's say we warrant it for a week"?
> 

Just as a side node. The usage of this example is a little unlucky
because it has so many traps based on cultural differences. I saw that
discussion coming when I read it.

In Germany on food products you will find the word "Expiration Date"
which literally means: "Don't eat me after that date." But there is a
discussion to change that because what they are actually meaning in this
context is: "I won't change my shape, taste and rigidity till that
date." So I guess, people with such a background are a little more open
to the interpretation of that phrase.
But as far as I know, in the US it says "Best before" to avoid that
confusion and make clear that this product is probably still good, some
time after that date.

And I think the same confusion is going on with respect to the
expiration date in our context. And I am all for not overloading the
meaning of words, so if I read expiration date than for me this is a
dead line. If you mean "best before" than I would prefer if people say
it like this.

Martin



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