Create a GPG key and upload it to the keyservers
Linux instructions
There are a number of tools available to Linux users including many different plugins for popular email clients. I recommend using the enigmail plugin for the Thunderbird mail client as a place to start. Install both tools as you would any other software and then take a look at this guide from Security In-A-Box:
Sending and receiving encrypted messages.
OSX Instructions
The GPGTools project maintains an easy installer for GPG and instructional materials for generating a key and uploading it to the keyservers. Take a look at
their homepage for the software and a video explanation, then refer to their
Where do I start? guide for more detailed instructions.
Windows instructions
The GPG4win project maintains an easy installer for GPG and instructional materials for generating a key and uploading it to the keyservers. Take a look at
their homepage for the software, then refer to their
Gpg4win Compendium guide for more detailed instructions.
Proof
To prove success, please
send me an encrypted message. You can find my key on the keyservers, id 0x3E908FC3, or at
https://moglen.law.columbia.edu/moglen.key, and you can
verify its fingerprint. I can then retrieve your key from the keyservers, send you a reply encrypted to that public key, and thus we can confirm that your encryption kit works.