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[gnu-emacs] / doc / lispref / package.texi

diff --git a/doc/lispref/package.texi b/doc/lispref/package.texi
index 4bc50b2358f390ab09419de67036b4871f58c67f..21a8ddd5d03502a8d6aec9340af7555b9d8c33be 100644 (file)
--- a/doc/lispref/package.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/package.texi
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 @c -*-texinfo-*-
 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
-@c Copyright (C) 2010-2014 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+@c Copyright (C) 2010-2015 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
 @node Packaging
 @chapter Preparing Lisp code for distribution
@@ -113,8 +113,10 @@ package loading is disabled if the user option
 This function initializes Emacs' internal record of which packages are
 installed, and loads them.  The user option @code{package-load-list}
 specifies which packages to load; by default, all installed packages
-are loaded.  @xref{Package Installation,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs
-Manual}.
+are loaded.  If called during startup, this function also sets
+@code{package-enable-at-startup} to @code{nil}, to avoid accidentally
+loading the packages twice.  @xref{Package Installation,,, emacs, The
+GNU Emacs Manual}.
 
 The optional argument @var{no-activate}, if non-@code{nil}, causes
 Emacs to update its record of installed packages without actually
@@ -290,7 +292,7 @@ case for the default GNU archive).
 
 Otherwise, the base location should be a directory name.  In this
 case, Emacs retrieves packages from this archive via ordinary file
-access.  Such ``local'' archives are mainly useful for testing.
+access.  Such local archives are mainly useful for testing.
 @end defopt
 
   A package archive is simply a directory in which the package files,
@@ -342,3 +344,38 @@ otherwise, an error is raised.
 @noindent
 After you create an archive, remember that it is not accessible in the
 Package Menu interface unless it is in @code{package-archives}.
+
+@cindex package archive security
+@cindex package signing
+Maintaining a public package archive entails a degree of responsibility.
+When Emacs users install packages from your archive, those packages
+can cause Emacs to run arbitrary code with the permissions of the
+installing user.  (This is true for Emacs code in general, not just
+for packages.)  So you should ensure that your archive is
+well-maintained and keep the hosting system secure.
+
+  One way to increase the security of your packages is to @dfn{sign}
+them using a cryptographic key.  If you have generated a
+private/public gpg key pair, you can use gpg to sign the package like
+this:
+
+@c FIXME EasyPG / package-x way to do this.
+@example
+gpg -ba -o @var{file}.sig @var{file}
+@end example
+
+@noindent
+For a single-file package, @var{file} is the package Lisp file;
+for a multi-file package, it is the package tar file.
+You can also sign the archive's contents file in the same way.
+Make the @file{.sig} files available in the same location as the packages.
+You should also make your public key available for people to download;
+e.g., by uploading it to a key server such as @url{http://pgp.mit.edu/}.
+When people install packages from your archive, they can use
+your public key to verify the signatures.
+
+A full explanation of these matters is outside the scope of this
+manual.  For more information on cryptographic keys and signing,
+@pxref{Top,, GnuPG, gnupg, The GNU Privacy Guard Manual}.  Emacs comes
+with an interface to GNU Privacy Guard, @pxref{Top,, EasyPG, epa,
+Emacs EasyPG Assistant Manual}.