Using GPL Software For Email and File Encryption

Because privacy is important, the security of information is sometimes legally required, and internet communication often does not provide this necessary security inherently. Email encryption and file encryption can provide a higher level of security for internet communication, but too often providers of proprietary encryption technology and related services like the PGP Corporation's PGP encryption software are too expensive to fit the budgets of people or organizations involved. I have researched the viability of using GNUPG, the GNU Privacy Guard software, for file encryption and email encryption for use within my organization. GNUPG is free and open-source software, so the only foreseeable contraindication was usability: is it easy enough to install, use, and manage to deploy and support for several thousand users. With the help of two other pieces of open-source software, the GDATA plug-in for Microsoft OutlookTM and GNUPG Shell Extensions, it did prove itself to be a worthy solution, will save us the $70-$80 per seat licensing of PGP, and can be deployed to an unlimited number of users.