Difference between http and https

Sorry if this has already been done but I have just received this email and I didn't know any of this, and we shop online a lot

What is the difference between http and https ?
Don't know how many of you are aware of this difference, but it is worth sending to those who do not.....
**The main difference between http:// and https:// is the word "s" - SECURITY!
** HTTP stands for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
The S (big surprise) stands for "Secure".. If you visit a website or web page, and look at the address in the web browser, it will likely begin with the following: http://. ;
This means that the website is talking to your browser using the regular 'unsecured' language. In other words,+ it is possible for someone to "eavesdrop" on your computer's conversation with the website. If you fill out a form on the website, someone might see the information you send to that site.

This is why you never ever enter your credit card number in an http website! ;But if the web address begins with https://, that basically means your computer is talking to the website in a secure code that no one can eavesdrop on.
See why this is so important, right?
If a website ever asks you to enter your credit card information, you should automatically look to see if the web address begins with https://.
If it doesn't, You should NEVER enter sensitive information....such as a credit card number.
PASS IT ON (You may save someone a lot of grief).

Thanks Sheree, going back a few years I seem to remember that there was also a little padlock at the bottom right of the screen which appeared when in 'secure' mode, but that seems to have disappeared on a lot of sites when in 'secure' mode which is a pity because I always thought that was more reassuring than just having the 's' appear after the http thingy.

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Https

Thanks Harvey and Rich, I was totally unaware of any of that info and Clive was gobsmacked when I told him, we've obviously lived a sheltered life