Computers, the Internet and the World Wide Web.

In this section you can see what free software I recommend to enhance your enjoyment of computing and using the Net, and for a safer journey when you do.
I have written a bit about how I got into computers. Maybe I should write what I don't like about them too. Or what people use them for, like sending us junk email.

The Internet is an amazing medium of communications and a fantastic resource for information. The fact that it is has led to Governments trying to ban it in some places and restricting it in others. In the developed world, the Governments have decided that rather than ban it, they'd like to control it, and hence in Britain, the Regulation of Investigatory Powers (RIP) Bill came into effect to help along those lines. Look it up for an explanation of how it affects us. As well as this, you might like to know that our emails are filtered for key words by the authorities. Every email sent to or from a server on British soil is filtered - they don't have time and resources to 'read' them all manually. You might think this is ok because it helps cut down on crime here in the UK, but the emails are relayed to the US of A. Why? Why would the American security/intelligence services want to know what we are writing and to who? Look up the word 'Echelon' or try EchelonWatch if you'd like to know more. Big Brother is already here.

Anyway, I decided ages ago I would like to have encrypted email. I have recently found a way to get a free digital security certificate. I got it from Thawte. It took a while to fill out the forms and get it all right before waiting to download the certificate, but it's worth the effort. It allows you to digitally sign your emails (as well as encrypt them if your recipient has a certificate too). It might be handy to have some time. Once you've got it, it is very easy to use.

Alan