Password Fatigue

Does anyone else have 'password fatigue'?

Modern life is pretty bloody complicated and a big chunk of that for mine is all the usernames and passwords you're expected to remember for this and for that and also for this and for that.

I recently joined Twitter as a means of making this blog a little more accessible and upon having to come up with another username and password, I was struck by the realisation that it's all getting a bit too much. Particularly as all the IT security nerds say you really need passwords for every occasion (like a wardrobe or something) and it's best not to reuse them for multiple applications.

So I sat down and decided to make a list of all the username/passwords I have. I've got no doubt that I've missed a few but I ended up with a list of 20 in only a few minutes. As I said, there's definitely some I've missed so I could possibly have over 30 username/passwords that I need to remember to conduct my life in these modern times.

Of course, some of them are the same password or versions of the same despite the tech heads recommendations. And some of them are probably not 'needed' as such but hey, things like an ebay account and AFL Supercoach go along way to making life a little more interesting for many, not just yours truly.

The bottom-line is, that I need to remember a multitude of information such as usernames and passwords just to access my info, access my money, access my correspondence and even to access this blog. I understand the need for privacy and appropriate safeguards, but jaysus, it is becoming quite a drain on my cerebral capacities.

The regular ones are easier to remember obviously, but the ones that only get used fortnightly or even later and I'm sitting there scratching my head trying to think of something. And then after a couple of goes of submitting one, having to revert to the 'forgotten your password' page and then waiting for an email to come in before I can access my stuff.

I realise this may be a particular problem for me and many of you are sitting there asking what's my problem. But I do know from my former work colleagues that this is a problem for many because just before I left to go on leave, an email went around saying that from now on mandatory changes of your password would occur every two weeks rather than six. The collective groan that went across the floor was audible and could probably be heard by the IT boffins on the ground floor.

The HR system was even worst with passwords needing to be reset every two weeks but you only went into it on a fortnightly basis to check that you got paid so it was a case of having to come up with a new password everytime you accessed the system.

I guess I don't have to worry about all that right now while I'm on extended leave, but I do live in fear of that first day back when I'm asked to remember a heap of passwords that I probably reset in the days before I left and haven't used for over six months. I might need some more leave after going through that I reckon.

So yes, I'm suffering a little from password fatigue at the moment and am pining for simplier times with simplier ways of living my life. It's not going to happen though is it. Our lives are only going to get even busier and more complicated and many more username/passwords will be needed to conduct ourselves and our lives.

A scary prospect that one me thinks. I think I need to focus on something else to take my mind off it all.

Now what is my itunes password again?

EDM.