[openpgp] Ideas for alternative user interface terms for OpenP GP structures

Hello,

this message isn't about protocols, algorithms or packet structures. 
It's just about user interface terms.

I have been struggling with the use of the term "certificate" in the 
context of OpenPGP. My pain points are:
- it implies third party certification even when there is none,
   which is often missing in OpenPGP transferable keys.
- it overlaps with the established use of the term with S/MIME,
   which is particularly relevant in applications that offer
   both OpenPGP and S/MIME functionality to users.

The alternative term "OpenPGP public key" also isn't perfect, because 
the objects that users work with contain more than just the public key.

Also overall, I think the terms "OpenPGP certificate" and "OpenPGP 
public key" and "secret key" are difficult to understand for users. 
(Especially when the word key is used for the public key, because in 
human language, a key is used for unlocking something, so there is risk 
of confusing secret and public keys. That's an argument for avoiding the 
term key when talking about public keys to users.)

I'd like to propose an alternative set of terms for OpenPGP objects to 
be used in user interfaces, to make it easier for users to understand.

I propose the term "Message Crypto Patterns" (or Mail Crypto Patterns) 
(MCP) as a user understandable abstraction as a replacement for 
"transferable public key" or "OpenPGP certificate.

Based on the name, users can tell "this is the thing I need to make 
cryptography work" and because cryptography is about transforming an 
object, "this is the pattern that is used for the transformation".

UI language could say Alice tries to find Bob's MCP. She can find 
candidate MCPs. She could see that one of them is a certified MCP 
(because it contains a certification signature). Alice can manually 
verify an MCP.

An MCP can contain multiple individual patterns. (That's why the 
suggested expanded form of the acronym says patterns, not pattern.)

The MCP can contain an encryption pattern (encryption subkey) and/or a 
signature pattern (signing subkey).

Alice uses the encryption pattern from Bob's MCP to encrypt a message 
for Bob. To verify a signed message from Bob, Alice checks that the 
signature matches Bob's signing pattern.

Patterns can be old (expired/revoked), new patterns can get added. An 
MCP can get updated to contain a new pattern.

It would also work to say "Bob's MCP contains a Post-Quantum encryption 
pattern". (The PQ pattern is a more advanced pattern to transform 
messages in a stronger way.)

The counterpart is the Message Crypto Secret (MCS), which contains the 
private crypto material.

What do you think? I'm looking forward to your feedback.

Thanks,
Kai

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