diff --git a/doc/todo/git-annex-test___58___skip_tests_if_external_utils_have_problems/comment_1_240c9c45a629124dc35f4ed0dddd7355._comment b/doc/todo/git-annex-test___58___skip_tests_if_external_utils_have_problems/comment_1_240c9c45a629124dc35f4ed0dddd7355._comment
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+[[!comment format=mdwn
+ username="joey"
+ subject="""comment 1"""
+ date="2019-03-22T14:18:48Z"
+ content="""
+I kind of like that the test suite will fail if git-annex is being used in
+some broken environment, because it gives an easy way to check if git-annex
+is able to fully work.
+
+Note that, the test suite does try a self-test of its ability to use gpg
+before proceeding with other gpg tests; if that self-test fails it does
+abort the other tests in that test block. That self-test does not currently
+test encryption or decrpryption, only that gpg can access the test key
+pair.
+"""]]