-GNUPGHOME=${GNUPGHOME:-"$MS_HOME"/gnupg}
-KEYSERVER=${KEYSERVER:-subkeys.pgp.net}
-REQUIRED_KEY_CAPABILITY=${REQUIRED_KEY_CAPABILITY:-"e a"}
-USER_CONTROLLED_AUTHORIZED_KEYS=${USER_CONTROLLED_AUTHORIZED_KEYS:-%h/.ssh/authorized_keys}
-STAGING_AREA=${STAGING_AREA:-"$LIB"/stage}
-
+MONKEYSPHERE_USER=${MONKEYSPHERE_USER:-"monkeysphere"}
+KEYSERVER=${KEYSERVER:-"subkeys.pgp.net"}
+CHECK_KEYSERVER=${CHECK_KEYSERVER:="true"}
+AUTHORIZED_USER_IDS=${AUTHORIZED_USER_IDS:-"%h/.config/monkeysphere/authorized_user_ids"}
+RAW_AUTHORIZED_KEYS=${RAW_AUTHORIZED_KEYS:-"%h/.ssh/authorized_keys"}
+
+# other variables
+REQUIRED_USER_KEY_CAPABILITY=${REQUIRED_USER_KEY_CAPABILITY:-"a"}
+GNUPGHOME_HOST=${GNUPGHOME_HOST:-"${VARLIB}/gnupg-host"}
+GNUPGHOME_AUTHENTICATION=${GNUPGHOME_AUTHENTICATION:-"${VARLIB}/gnupg-authentication"}
+
+# set default GNUPGHOME, and make sure the directory exists. this is
+# true for all functions expect user authentication
+# (ie. update-users).
+GNUPGHOME="$GNUPGHOME_HOST"