* gpg.texi (OpenPGP Options): Clarify that personal-foo-preferences

overrides recipient preferences (safely).

2 files changed, 18 insertions, 10 deletions

diff --git a/doc/ChangeLog b/doc/ChangeLog
index 709d9fb08..eb4fe82bd 100644
--- a/doc/ChangeLog
+++ b/doc/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2009-08-17  David Shaw  <dshaw@jabberwocky.com>
+
+	* gpg.texi (OpenPGP Options): Clarify that
+	personal-foo-preferences overrides recipient preferences (safely).
+
 2009-08-14  David Shaw  <dshaw@jabberwocky.com>
 
 	* gpg.texi (GPG Configuration Options): Document keyserver options
diff --git a/doc/gpg.texi b/doc/gpg.texi
index 21af12121..84aa799a9 100644
--- a/doc/gpg.texi
+++ b/doc/gpg.texi
@@ -1968,17 +1968,19 @@ message modification attack.
 Set the list of personal cipher preferences to @code{string}.  Use
 @command{@gpgname --version} to get a list of available algorithms,
 and use @code{none} to set no preference at all.  This allows the user
-to factor in their own preferred algorithms when algorithms are chosen
-via recipient key preferences.  The most highly ranked cipher in this
-list is also used for the @option{--symmetric} encryption command.
+to safely override the algorithm chosen by the recipient key
+preferences, as GPG will only select an algorithm that is usable by
+all recipients.  The most highly ranked cipher in this list is also
+used for the @option{--symmetric} encryption command.
 
 @item --personal-digest-preferences @code{string}
 Set the list of personal digest preferences to @code{string}.  Use
 @command{@gpgname --version} to get a list of available algorithms,
 and use @code{none} to set no preference at all.  This allows the user
-to factor in their own preferred algorithms when algorithms are chosen
-via recipient key preferences.  The most highly ranked digest
-algorithm in this list is also used when signing without encryption
+to safely override the algorithm chosen by the recipient key
+preferences, as GPG will only select an algorithm that is usable by
+all recipients.  The most highly ranked digest algorithm in this list
+is also used when signing without encryption
 (e.g. @option{--clearsign} or @option{--sign}). The default value is
 SHA-1.
 
@@ -1986,10 +1988,11 @@ SHA-1.
 Set the list of personal compression preferences to @code{string}.
 Use @command{@gpgname --version} to get a list of available
 algorithms, and use @code{none} to set no preference at all.  This
-allows the user to factor in their own preferred algorithms when
-algorithms are chosen via recipient key preferences.  The most highly
-ranked compression algorithm in this list is also used when there are
-no recipient keys to consider (e.g. @option{--symmetric}).
+allows the user to safely override the algorithm chosen by the
+recipient key preferences, as GPG will only select an algorithm that
+is usable by all recipients.  The most highly ranked compression
+algorithm in this list is also used when there are no recipient keys
+to consider (e.g. @option{--symmetric}).
 
 @item --s2k-cipher-algo @code{name}
 Use @code{name} as the cipher algorithm used to protect secret keys.