I support your position not to store passwords on a computer if they are important or critical.

If the password criteria has been properly coded by the webmaster, passwords should time-out thus creating the need to use them again. The password validity time varies between sites with in my experience financial being the shortest followed by on-line shopping.

Really the only options are store or type.

DA

I store a great many passwords on the computer. What I don't do is put the complete username with each. I have about 10 different usernames memorized, each beginning with a different character and I keep only the first character of each in the file. Works for me, YMMV.

It is an unusual approach, and I am glad storing passwords in that manner does work for you. However, I cannot support maintaining passwords on important or critical sites on a computer. This is particularly true for novice users.

DA

thanks for the help.....dang....need to get into a place i went to but for the life of me cant think of the password.......ugh

Doesn't the site have a "forgot" remedy?

DA

this is why I keep a nice little spiral notebook that I write all of that info down in as I register to any site. I sure can not expect myself to remember any of that stuff any more. I know right where the notebook is but no one else does. I have found as I get older I have to put up with this kind of stuff!

I let FF save them. I know its not a good idea, but there's just too many to remember. I do have a master password plus a log on.

Jane

I use two sorts of passwords. First there are the financial and business sites such as the phone company and the bank and I don't disclose what I do with them.

And then there are those like here on GW where I don't care. Most are of the latter sort and I store them in a folder. It seems to me that the password here is for GW's needs, not mine. I got along fine here without one from, I've forgotten, perhaps '97 to perhaps '01.

I have about 4 memorized secure passwords. So if I forget a particular site password,, I cycle through all four.

Most sites it really doenst matter like garden web. It's not gonna kill me if someone access's my gardenweb or dslreports or where ever from within my home.

I do want to keep everyone out of my bank accounts and the couple of companies that have access to money though. Those login/passwords are not even written down in a notepad sitting next to my keyboard for anyone to stumble onto, they stay only in my mind.

Mikie,

"Most sites it really doenst matter like garden web. It's not gonna kill me if someone access's my gardenweb or dslreports or where ever from within my home."

I agree and that goes for the cookies that some members are always so worried about.

"I do want to keep everyone out of my bank accounts and the couple of companies that have access to money though. Those login/passwords are not even written down in a notepad sitting next to my keyboard for anyone to stumble onto, they stay only in my mind."

Absolutely correct in being pro-active in protecting your critical accounts. I like many write them down as I have eleven critical accounts to tend to; credit cards (3), bank (2), credit union (2), investment (2) and hospitalization insurance (2). I could never remember all of them as I do not duplicate user or passwords. Physical theft is a possibility of course, but I don't dwell on.

DA