Thanks, I did download Electum too, I had an idea to try them both. Electum sounded kind of less secure but correct me if I'm wrong. There's a lot of reading about personal security and the merits of various wallets to do while I wait. Just 2 weeks to go now...
Electrum is theoretically slightly less secure than Bitcoin-Qt because you're trusting somebody else's copy of the blockchain, which is where all of the essential Bitcoin data is ultimately stored. In practice, the risk is extremely low, barring a big Bitcoin-stealing conspiracy. Your private key (the thing that proves you own your Bitcoin addresses) is still stored locally, and is encrypted.
Generally speaking, you're pretty safe as long as you:
- Only install wallet software from trusted sources.
- NEVER share your private key with anyone, regardless of what client you're using.
- Keep your computer's antivirus and anti-malware software updated and running.