Here is a few questions revolving around the same core problem.
- Let's say I generate a PGP keypair.
- I now get the keypair signed by person A at signing party X.
- In the evening, I give my now-signed public key to person B.
- Next day I get my public key signed by person C at signing party Y.
- In the evening, I give my now-signed public key to person D.
- Person B and person D now both have my public key, but different versions (I don't know if version is the right word).
- Imagine a person E obtains my public key from both person B and person D.
How does person E determine which one to use?
Similar, I could start by making two copies of my public key and then get them signed by two mutually different groups of people.
Again, how can a later-coming person's PGP software determine which one to use?
I wonder if it can automatically merge the signatures in to an all-containing key, if and only if the list of attached signatures need to be self-signed by my private key.
Finally, do people keep uploading their keys to keyservers as they get signed by more and more people?