Keeping track of passwords
If you own a computer and the internet is part of every day, then you may suffer from password overload. Between remembering passwords for email accounts, social networking sites, forums that address your varied interests, bank accounts (for online banking), your library account and your own blog(s) or website(s), you must have at least ten passwords (and don’t forget your usernames too!) bouncing around in your brain (and this is a conservative estimate).
I forget where I read it but using your brain to remember things like phone numbers, usernames and passwords is not supposed to be the best use of your brain, and writing these things down, or having a place where you can refer to them is a better idea, as it frees your brain to do other things, like keeping a running tally of the number of calories in every piece of food that crosses your lips.
The best way I have of keeping track of all my passwords is a simple spreadsheet. I organize my passwords (and usernames) by the categories above, and try to remind myself to update the file as my passwords increase and change. This helps me keep track of my various accounts, and I can’t deny being shocked every time I look at the file and see all the things I’ve signed up for, forgotten about or gotten bored with.
(I must admit that I still try to memorize all my usernames and passwords though to save the step of opening the file)
How do you keep track of your usernames and passwords?
password, password overload, username, remembering passwords, keeping track of passwords
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July 3rd, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Make your passwords a random number of digits of Pi. Everyone knows that right?
July 3rd, 2007 at 11:39 pm
I use and love roboform. I absolutely love it. You can use it free for 10 “passcards” which might be all you need. For a nominal fee to register it, I can save a limitless number of logins and passwords, and it is convenient to be able to fill in my basic info whenever needed - online purchases, sweeps entries, etc.
July 4th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Dave - strangely enough none of my passwords consist of only numbers. I’ve never even considered it!
Lynn - thanks for the tip. I’ve never heard of roboform but I’ll check it out.
July 14th, 2007 at 7:14 am
well real honestly i put my passwords
in my phone book just like a real contact entry
such as com ed user: pw:
also i use mostly the same password for everything if i can, except the bank one, which i obsessvivly view to check to see if i forget to write down a hot dog purchase or something heheh
The reason i dont go the doc way or spreadsheet is because the phone book is a more pysically accessable thing.
(my computer isnt that organized im saying )
July 16th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
http://passwordsafe.sourceforge.net/
By far the best application for keeping passwords. It will also generate them for you.
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Don’t name your spreadsheet “passwords” or anything. Especially on a network. I would recommend hiding as best you can your digital/physical spreadsheet from those who would use it for personal gain.