What is the best file encryption for linux?

[Walter Dnes]

  This discussion hasn't gone the way I expected.  Maybe I should go
into more detail.  Whole-disk-encryption is overkill, and risks total
disk loss.  There is nothing illegal on the netbook, or embarressing.
This is only a small netbook for travel.  I'm not taking my entire life
story on it.  I'd have no problem with police searching it.  Having it
stolen would "only" cost me money to replace, and time to re-install on
the new system.  The only stuff I do want to protect are the plain text
userID+passwords to a few accounts.  I intend to...

- copy ~/.getmail/ to a directory on /dev/shm
- tar or zip the directory to a single encrypted file on disc or USB key
- delete the directory ~/.getmail/, and replace with a symlink to the
  directory on /dev/shm

  When I download email, I'll decode and pipe to untar/unzip the
directory to /dev/shm so that the ~/.getmail/ symlink is valid, and
getmail can find the appropriate rc files with plain text userID and
password strings.  The last line of the email download script will wipe
the directory in /dev/shm.  I only need to encrypt one file (zip or
tarball or whatever).

-- 
Walter Dnes <waltdnes-SLHPyeZ9y/tg9hUCZPvPmw at public.gmane.org>
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