From: Randy Kramer <rhkramer@...>
Date: 2005-08-20T10:16:10+09:00
Subject: Re: Protecting commercial ruby code with public/private key encryption

On Friday 19 August 2005 11:46 am, Derek Wyatt wrote:
> I think you have your key types mixed up.  It's the public
> key that can encrypt and the private key that can decrypt.

I'm not sure if you're talking about a specific type of encryption, but most 
such codes can encrypt with either key and decrypt with either key.

If I want to send a (secret) message to you, I can encrypt it with your public 
key and you will be able to decrypt it with your private key.

If I want to send a message to everyone and "guarantee my signature" (i.e., 
sign it), I can encrypt it with my private key.  If it can be decrypted with 
my public key, it is (almost) a guarantee that I did originate the message.

regards,
Randy Kramer