When gpg v2.0.30 is asked to retrieve a key, this hangs for no clear reason, and
then fails as follows:

Little-Net:~ minfrin$ gpg --keyserver pgp.mit.edu --recv X
gpg: NOTE: old default options file `/Users/minfrin/.gnupg/options' ignored
gpg: requesting key X from hkp server pgp.mit.edu
gpgkeys: key X can't be retrieved
gpg: no valid OpenPGP data found.
gpg: Total number processed: 0
gpg: keyserver communications error: keyserver helper general error
gpg: keyserver communications error: Invalid public key algorithm
gpg: keyserver receive failed: Invalid public key algorithm

• There is the message "key X can't be retrieved" but this message does indicate

why (DNS failure? Timeout out? Dunno).

• The message "gpg: keyserver communications error: keyserver helper general

error" is completely meaningless. What is a "general error" and what do I do
with that information?

• The message "gpg: keyserver communications error: Invalid public key

algorithm" is also meaningless, if we cannot download the key, why are we
complaining about the algorithm used on a key that doesn't exist?

• The message "gpg: keyserver receive failed: Invalid public key algorithm"

looks like the same message is bubbling up the stack, pointlessly.