Are you frazzled by user names and passwords?
@vera5d (4005)
United States
March 6, 2008 11:36am CST
It drives me crazy how every site requires a user name and password - I simply can't keep track of them all!
I've tried using the same user name for all of them, but this doesn't always work since some of them go by email address or someone else already used your first choice in names, etc.
And you can't use the same password - some of them require a minimum of 6 characters, others 8, some require letters and numbers, some require all caps, others make you change your password every so many days...
yeesh. it seems every site i belong to I end up having to request the password & go through hoops to sign in!
The majority I have kept track of - but there are some I completely forget I even belong to!
How about you? Do you get frazzled? What do you do to keep track of everything?
6 people like this
14 responses
@chunter (1759)
• Singapore
7 Mar 08
Yup, I have so many username and passwords for different things - emails, forums, logins for other things and I'm one of those who have a proper way to remember these passwords...I think you just need to think of a way to associate the username and password for that certain site you need to log in and it would be much easier than to use the forgotten password feature.
1 person likes this
@dfinster (3528)
• United States
6 Mar 08
I know what you're saying. Between the sites I go to just for myself on the web and all the passwords I need to remember for school and those sites I definately get confused. So lately what I have been doing in order to keep track of them is use a notebook. I use it for the really important sites, of which I have quite a few. I just write down the website and then my username and and password. I know it seems like the old fashioned way of doing things, but it works pretty well for me.~D
@jesse2881 (80)
• United States
6 Mar 08
I agree with you that is the same thing I have to do. It does seem old fashioned, but it works to save me much time. This way I am not requesting usernames and passwords all day. Sometimes that takes a while.
@vera5d (4005)
• United States
7 Mar 08
the notebook is a good idea...i think if i get some time maybe i will create an excel spreadsheet. thanks for the responses!
@nickventere (1420)
• Zambia
7 Mar 08
For me, I use notepad to keep track of all my Internet activities.
Open Notepad.
Type ".LOG"
Save the Notepad document.
Close it.
So the next time you are online and you are required to create username and password, simply ope the Notepad document you created.
After you have made the new username and password on the Internet, type the details in your Notepad document, save and close!
That way you will keep track of when and where you have created a username and password.
@sid556 (30959)
• United States
7 Mar 08
I have a handy dandy little notebook that I keep right by the computer. In it I keep all my user names and passwords. I also write down everyones e-mails in case my computer crashes or something cool like that. You should try it. You'll save yourself a lot of stress.
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
7 Mar 08
They are a nightmare! I am always having to request my details because I have forgotten them! Now I write it all down in a little book, its the only way I can keep track of everything otherwise, and I put all my important ones in my favourites so I dont lose track of them.
@vera5d (4005)
• United States
7 Mar 08
It sure is a nightmare! Some sites now make you answer the security questions too before you can even log-in!
@HonestOpinion (3)
•
7 Mar 08
In the world of internet its difficult to ignore the importance of Security. User names and passwords are a medium of creating "the sense of security". Your own world which has a lock and key for only you to enter.
We can't run from the fact that its our business to care of the lock and key.Totally agree with u at its a frazzle!! Its like having several bank accounts and credit cards and being forced to remember all the number.
I use Roboform, its available for free trail. May be you can try it once and see it solves your irritation and sothes plus helps you retain your security!!
@vera5d (4005)
• United States
7 Mar 08
I might check it out. I think I could do something similar in excel that I never thought to do before today, lol. Sometimes there is too much security...one site makes me answer two questions like your grandmother's middle name & the name of your first grade teacher, etc...you actually have to remember which questions you set up in the beginning though - there's like 10 questions to choose from! such a headache & hassle!
@vera5d (4005)
• United States
7 Mar 08
i will sit there looking at the screen blankly wondering which combination i used! I think I will do an excel spreadsheet sooner than later with all of them!
@killahclaire (3665)
•
6 Mar 08
Yeah the worst is when you have it on remember me all the time so you never have to do it and then suddenly it asks you are you don't have a clue.
I was using this robot thing before that stored all mine and I might just be paranoid but some things started going wrong and I am sure that it was using the information for something so I just got rid of it. It was a toolbar thing.
I tend to try and use all the same passwords but as you said sometimes they ask you to change them and I just am not that imaginative.
@vera5d (4005)
• United States
7 Mar 08
I am paranoid of those types of things as well - it would be so nice though!
@musicman6 (2407)
• United States
7 Mar 08
Yes, I feel the same way, there are just too many to remember, but what I did when I first started, I wrote them down, and I have them all in one place where I keep the file hidden, and only I know where it's at, and I can refer to it when I need to!
@vera5d (4005)
• United States
7 Mar 08
I wish I would have done that! Of course i always think oh, i'll remember it, lol...
@chris1314 (784)
•
6 Mar 08
If you are at home most of the time, then firefox remembers them for you, and you can set a master password so that no-one else can get on them, that way you never have to remember a password or username again, except the master one. I think that i have just over 30 on it =]
It is a pain to keep track though, i know what you mean!
Chris
@vera5d (4005)
• United States
7 Mar 08
I use internet explorer, perhaps I should check out firefox someday!
@Deea48 (1166)
• United States
7 Mar 08
What I do to track my user names and pass word is I always request them back, like I forgot, they e-mail it to me, and then I start a folder in my e-mail for that site. This has worked very well fro me since most sites send things out like updates ect.. so having a folder in my e-mail just made sense to me, and I never loose those impartant user names or my passwords.
@vera5d (4005)
• United States
7 Mar 08
I do have a folder like this in my one email box...but most sites don't do that anymore sadly due to security reasons - they just send a link to reset it...that was working well for me for awhile though!
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
7 Mar 08
yes indeed it tees me off because so many sites demand you use their password that they give you and its always different usually a whole ton of figures andletter\s and unless you write each and every one down you can have big problems.I tried to use one password but depending on the site they will not always allow you to use your own password. I have written down the ones I use the most but still find some problems.
@vera5d (4005)
• United States
7 Mar 08
those site generated ones are hopeless!! passwords like d43hsqWFG7...c'mon...who's really going to remember that!!
@lynchariz (23)
• Philippines
7 Mar 08
I was like you before. But now, I have a little notebook where i put all sites im joining with corresponding usernames, passwords and details. It helps me alot.
