What skill sets should non-professional BTC-ers try to acquire?

[Ayle56]

If you want to see the metadata hidden inside your PGP key, or messages signed with it you can use this online PGP packet analyzer.

https://countermail.com/?p=tools

At the bottom of the page there is a text box with a PGP packet analyzer label where you can paste your key or message. It's the easiest PGP packet analyzer tool to use that I know of.

[OROBTC]

...

Ayle56 and Dabs

Each of you has a message on somewhat different subjects.

Ayle56...  Eeek!  Some of that last post on the last page made my brain break out in some kind of mental rash or something.  I dimly understand what you are writing about Craig Wright in Oz, but that's about it.  But, I will check out the countermail tool you provided in due course (soon).  I already have a homework assignment to check out verifying signatures...



*   *   *

Keep in mind, though, that we are ALL likely "little fish" (I am anyway), and so are not a target of our pals at .gov.

Would the Rich And Powerful be commenting here at bitcointalk?  Probably not (well, maybe r******* and some developers/pioneers, but I wouldn't know).

Still, the more who are better informed, the better for all of us.

[OROBTC]

...

I am now reasonably comfortable using gpg4win encryption.

Thank you again Dabs and Ayle56.

I will tinker with them both some more to nail down my knowledge better.

*  *  *

One question:

I tried exporting "my keys" to a flash drive, bit it looks like it only sent the Public Key.  So, how would I decrypt a message on ANOTHER computer (the one at my office)?  I do not see how to do that.

Or does that mean having to have a Key Set for each computer one actively uses?

*  *  *

So, in a few days it's on to other technologies...  

[owm123]

Regarding the government snooping, TOR is quite slow for your everyday use. You may want to consider a high speed VPN instead.

If you pick one that does not log anything from its costumers (including real IP, DNS, websites visited, etc), you are already very difficult to find.

Yes totally agree.
There are several good VPN providers out there who offer really a great service.
And often you can pay them with Bitcoin!

This link can be helpful to get some informations.
https://torrentfreak.com/anonymous-vpn-service-provider-review-2015-150228/

I dont fully agree. It depends what you are using tor for. I use tor almost all the time. Even writhing this is through tor. So its fully usable, unless your everyday use includes lots of youtube or downloading stuff.

And with VPNs I would be careful, especially on the list you provided:
http://txti.es/2015-vpn-providers-and-paying-using-bitcoin

[OROBTC]

Regarding the government snooping, TOR is quite slow for your everyday use. You may want to consider a high speed VPN instead.

If you pick one that does not log anything from its costumers (including real IP, DNS, websites visited, etc), you are already very difficult to find.

Yes totally agree.
There are several good VPN providers out there who offer really a great service.
And often you can pay them with Bitcoin!

This link can be helpful to get some informations.
https://torrentfreak.com/anonymous-vpn-service-provider-review-2015-150228/

I dont fully agree. It depends what you are using tor for. I use tor almost all the time. Even writhing this is through tor. So its fully usable, unless your everyday use includes lots of youtube or downloading stuff.

And with VPNs I would be careful, especially on the list you provided:
http://txti.es/2015-vpn-providers-and-paying-using-bitcoin

OK, let's switch focus to TOR vs. VPNs then.  I have never used TOR before, and it looks complicated for a beginner.  I am aware of it's website ( https://www.torproject.org/ ), but still it looks more complicated than email encryption.

Do you three (owm123, Denker and NorrisK) have other comments for a non-pro like me?  How hard is it to learn?


What do some others btctalk members have to say about TOR?


Disclosure: I am not into illegal things nor have any desire to go there.  I just want to know how to be private as I may so choose.

[Yakamoto]

Regarding the government snooping, TOR is quite slow for your everyday use. You may want to consider a high speed VPN instead.

If you pick one that does not log anything from its costumers (including real IP, DNS, websites visited, etc), you are already very difficult to find.

Yes totally agree.
There are several good VPN providers out there who offer really a great service.
And often you can pay them with Bitcoin!

This link can be helpful to get some informations.
https://torrentfreak.com/anonymous-vpn-service-provider-review-2015-150228/

I dont fully agree. It depends what you are using tor for. I use tor almost all the time. Even writhing this is through tor. So its fully usable, unless your everyday use includes lots of youtube or downloading stuff.

And with VPNs I would be careful, especially on the list you provided:
http://txti.es/2015-vpn-providers-and-paying-using-bitcoin

OK, let's switch focus to TOR vs. VPNs then.  I have never used TOR before, and it looks complicated for a beginner.  I am aware of it's website ( https://www.torproject.org/ ), but still it looks more complicated than email encryption.

Do you three (owm123, Denker and NorrisK) have other comments for a non-pro like me?  How hard is it to learn?


What do some others btctalk members have to say about TOR?


Disclosure: I am not into illegal things nor have any desire to go there.  I just want to know how to be private as I may so choose.

TOR, as a browser, is very easy to use for beginners. They have it all listed out and it is easy to connect to the normal internet. I use it here and there to browse some (legal) sites.

I have never used any TOR services beyond just the modified browser, so I can't speak any more.

[OROBTC]

...

Thanks, Yakamoto!

Once I finish learning enough about email encryption, TOR may very well be the next technology I try to learn about.  Learn enough to use it, I have no interest (nor ability) to dig down deep into it...

*   *   *

I am already in the process of setting up my new website (ameru.io) which I now own, but it has no content.  I have asked three website designers/builders to quote on about a 10 page site.  A fourth may quote if my computer guy puts my proposed website into the hands of someone here in town who knows about building websites...

This would be informational, with stuff I am interested in (BTC, gold, ball bearings (our business down in Peru), etc.).  I have various "virtual friends" into one or more of those subjects.  My goal would be to have all the stuff that I refer to in one nice handy place.  Others could come and take a look.  Non-commercial.

[Dabs]

There's a video of ... .. here,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUNGFZDO8mM

It's a senate hearing on bitcoin with Andreas Antonopoulos. You could grab his book too.

https://www.torproject.org/download/download-easy.html.en
TOR for Windows, easy to use download.

[saturn643]

TOR, as a browser, is very easy to use for beginners. They have it all listed out and it is easy to connect to the normal internet. I use it here and there to browse some (legal) sites.

I have never used any TOR services beyond just the modified browser, so I can't speak any more.

Tor is actually a network. The Tor browser is a modified version of Mozilla Firefox to work with the Tor network and better secure your privacy.

The difference between the Tor network and VPNs is that Tor is generally more private.

Tor uses essentially three (or more) proxy servers which act as layers, which is why it is called The Onion Router since it routes your data through layers like an onion. There are several thousand relays (proxy servers) which relay your data. One relay is the guard relay, and it is the one you connect directly to. It forwards your data to the next relay, which forwards it to the last one, the exit relay. The exit relay knows the website you are browsing. An important thing is that all of the connections between you and the exit relay are encrypted. It is up to you to use HTTPS for after the exit relay to keep your data secure. One of the most important aspects of Tor is that none of the relay's know everything about you (assuming they are all run by different people). If the relays were to log things, only the guard relay would know your IP address and only the Exit relay would know where you are trying to get to. But neither know the full story thus protecting your anonymity.

VPNs on the other hand are typically only one proxy server. The connection to the VPN may or may not be encrypted, but like exit relays, you still need HTTPS to encrypt further traffic. Using a VPN service run by someone else means that you are trusting them to not log your information. The VPN would know your IP address and what you are browsing, so it compromises your anonymity. The VPN provider would know everything, whereas in Tor no one knows everything.

[owm123]

Regarding the government snooping, TOR is quite slow for your everyday use. You may want to consider a high speed VPN instead.

If you pick one that does not log anything from its costumers (including real IP, DNS, websites visited, etc), you are already very difficult to find.

Yes totally agree.
There are several good VPN providers out there who offer really a great service.
And often you can pay them with Bitcoin!

This link can be helpful to get some informations.
https://torrentfreak.com/anonymous-vpn-service-provider-review-2015-150228/

I dont fully agree. It depends what you are using tor for. I use tor almost all the time. Even writhing this is through tor. So its fully usable, unless your everyday use includes lots of youtube or downloading stuff.

And with VPNs I would be careful, especially on the list you provided:
http://txti.es/2015-vpn-providers-and-paying-using-bitcoin

OK, let's switch focus to TOR vs. VPNs then.  I have never used TOR before, and it looks complicated for a beginner.  I am aware of it's website ( https://www.torproject.org/ ), but still it looks more complicated than email encryption.

Do you three (owm123, Denker and NorrisK) have other comments for a non-pro like me?  How hard is it to learn?


What do some others btctalk members have to say about TOR?


Disclosure: I am not into illegal things nor have any desire to go there.  I just want to know how to be private as I may so choose.

Tor browser is the easiest way to use Tor. It just works out of the box. And there is not really any learning to do, when using tor.

If you more conscious about your privacy when using internet, there are many guides explaining "good practices" of using tor, such as this one:  https://www.whonix.org/wiki/DoNot  . But if you just want to avoid your ISP or employer spying on what you are browsing from home or work, just using tor as you would normally use a browser is fine.

[OROBTC]

...

Thanks, own123.  I'll be looking into TOR soon.  It's no business of anyone else's where we go online.  Privacy is important.

And I suspect that terist [sic], money laundering, drug buying, etc. on the dark web is just a big Red Herring anyway.  Just more ammo for the STATISTS to impose their views.

Viva Bitcoin.  Viva encryption.  Viva TOR.