[Gllug] gpg - what are the strange characters ?

[Alain Williams]

I have been generating GPG keys, when it does it GPG prints out strings of '+.-<>' (see below)

What are these characters, I can see that it is trying to show progress, but what do
the different characters mean ?

Regards


We need to generate a lot of random bytes. It is a good idea to perform
some other action (type on the keyboard, move the mouse, utilize the
disks) during the prime generation; this gives the random number
generator a better chance to gain enough entropy.
+++++++++++++++.+++++..+++++.+++++.++++++++++.+++++.....++++++++++.+++++.+++++++++++++++.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++.++++++++++.+++++++++++++++>.++++++++++.>+++++.......................<+++++.........+++++


Not enough random bytes available.  Please do some other work to give
the OS a chance to collect more entropy! (Need 283 more bytes)
We need to generate a lot of random bytes. It is a good idea to perform
some other action (type on the keyboard, move the mouse, utilize the
disks) during the prime generation; this gives the random number
generator a better chance to gain enough entropy.
+++++++++++++++.+++++++++++++++++++++++++.+++++..+++++..++++++++++.++++++++++.+++++.++++++++++.+++++.++++++++++.+++++++++++++++.++++++++++..+++++.++++++++++.+++++>++++++++++....>.+++++.................+++++^^^


-- 
Alain Williams
Linux/GNU Consultant - Mail systems, Web sites, Networking, Programmer, IT Lecturer.
+44 (0) 787 668 0256  http://www.phcomp.co.uk/
Parliament Hill Computers Ltd. Registration Information: http://www.phcomp.co.uk/contact.php
Past chairman of UKUUG: http://www.ukuug.org/
#include <std_disclaimer.h>
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