When information technologies go bad:
Posted by DeLong at January 30, 2003 10:19 AM | Trackback"I'm sorry I'm late. There I was, driving along, doing fine, using my GPS-based navigation system. And all of a sudden it says, 'You have arrived!!' And I hadn't. And I couldn't persuade it that I hadn't...
"I'm sorry, sir, but this supermarket is closed." "But I've finished half my shopping." "The cashiers won't open until 8 AM." "But the front door was open!" "So the employees can get in, sir." "But the Andronico's website says you open at 7!!" "Our website is out of date, sir."
"Timbuktu Pro X requires that you type your passphrase."
"[types]"
"Timbuktu Pro X requires that you type your passphrase."
"I did!"
"Timbuktu Pro X requires that you type your passphrase."
"At least, I think I did. I haven't had to use my master password for the program for six months"
"Timbuktu Pro X requires that you type your passphrase."
"And when I chose my master password, I picked an easy-for-me-to-remember transformation of a word that would be obscure to anybody else."
"Timbuktu Pro X requires that you type your passphrase."
"And I picked a new word--a word different from that I'd used for any other password"
"Timbuktu Pro X requires that you type your passphrase."
"And I didn't write it down on a scrap of paper and put it in my desk... "
"Timbuktu Pro X requires that you type your passphrase."
"And now I can't remember it..."
I've run into this problem before. My solution was to create an Excel Spredsheet with all of my passwords and the corresponding programs/websites. Normally, this would be a serious security risk, but since I am the only person who uses my computer (although, occasionally my spouse uses my computer) I put the Spreadsheet file in a really obscure directory (not My Documents or Mac's equivalent) that I only know. Whenever I forget a password I know where to look.
Of course, there is always the chance that my computer could get hacked and someone could gain access, but there is added security by using an obscure directory.
Also, you could create a spreadsheet and either place it on a PDA or put it on a floppy disk (that is mislabled), that way you can keep up on your passwords, but if someone is looking for them they will pass the disk over.
Posted by: Taxed on May 9, 2003 11:55 PM