Best Way To Remember Passwords

Memorise each one. You're a clever person. You can keep track. And no-one else will ever know what's inside your head. Problem is, it's not going to be the odd one or two passwords you must remember. It's going to be more like 100 or 200 hundred.

Every password must be different otherwise as soon as someone manages to suss it out once, they can use it time and time again. So all of your passwords MUST be different.

As well as being different from each other, they must also be rather complicated. Your dog's name just will not do - too easy to guess. Neither will your favorite color. Anything that can be found in a dictionary is too easy for the automatic 'harvesters' to discover - the hackers have software which uses a whole dictionary to try and get your password.

They do the same with names, so you can't use your favorite Uncle's name either. No, it has to be really complicated.

But you still want to remember it, don't you? Hundreds of 'it's.

Carry on reading - or take the shortcut and click this link:
http://www.roboform.com/php/land.php?affid=lmhil

None of us wants to get Mad Cow,so keep your brain active and put all your passwords into a small address book which will keep them alphabetical.

Yes, this will work.

But where to keep what you've written down? OK, so it's really no big deal at home where family members can be trusted. But in environments where there is a risk that someone will mis-use your book if they know where to find it, then it must be kept either on your person at all times (even in the shower!) or under lock and key - and you have to hide the key somewhere too!

I think you will find even your bank wants to be sure your passwords are not written down and easily accessible.

Hmm. It's still rather a problem, isn't it?

There's a fantastic program from Siber Systems' called AI Roboform, which will handle all your passwords for you. There's even a USB flash drive version, which means that if you use more than one computer, you can plug in the USB stick to use it and then when you've finished, 'stop' it and take it out. It removes all traces of ever having been there.

Roboform can be set up for use with more than one person as well. Passwords, logins and all sorts of details can be safely kept behind a master password too. The master password times out after a couple of hours of inactivity. It's absolutely brilliant!

You can try out Roboform for free (http://www.roboform.com/php/land.php?affid=lmhil)
and it will let you save 10 entries. If you want to save more you need to buy it.

Oh, and because you don't need to remember passwords for yourself any more, you can even get Roboform to generate really nasty (ie good) ones for you - and save the whole login ready for next time you want to use it. Clever, eh? It does a lot more than there's room in this lens to explain.

Yes, there are other password management programs. You only have to run a search in Google to see hundreds of them. But I really like Roboform.

Perhaps because I've been using it for many years now, and that they gave me a discount when I bought the USB stick version, or just because it's like a pair of old slippers.

For whatever reason, I do urge you to give it a try and save the space in your brain for memorising more interesting data.

Yes, there are other password management programs out there and a quick search in Google, Tucows, ZDnet etc will find them.

But I haven't found any software which works as well as Roboform.

Check it out here (you know you want to):
http://www.roboform.com/php/land.php?affid=lmhil

RoboForm was named PC Magazine Editor's Choice, and CNET Download.com's Software of the Year. RoboForm:

** Memorizes your passwords and Logs You In automatically.

** Fills long registration and checkout forms with one click.

** Encrypts your passwords to achieve complete security.

** Generates random passwords that hackers cannot guess.

** Backs up your passwords, Copies them between computers.

** Synchronizes passwords between computers using GoodSync.

** Searches for keywords in your passwords, notes and Internet.

** Portable: RoboForm2Go RF runs from USB key, no install needed.

** PDA-friendly: sync your passwords to Pocket PC and Palm.

** Neutral: works with Internet Explorer, AOL/MSN, Firefox. (Not with Google Chrome at time of writing.)

** IE 7 and Vista: are now supported.

So, there you have it. My thoughts and recommendation on the best way to manage passwords.