E-mail passwords

I find that most users require about five attempts to come
up with a  
password that satisfies all of the rules for CalMail
passwords.

I have seen users who need more than five minutes to
complete this  
task.  Seriously -- five real minutes.

If I'm walking someone through the process, I pre-warn them
that they  
will most likely fail their first several attempts.  This
avoids the  
potentially socially awkward situation of a user failing
repeatedly  
at what appears to be a simple task.  I think it also helps
reduce  
anxiety as they repeatedly fail.  I get the sense that
reducing user  
anxiety in this way probably increases the likelihood of
solving the  
puzzle.

-Greg


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I always tell users to think of a word that they will
remember, then 
put "." in between each letter.  Example:

o.s.k.i.b.e.a.r

As long as it is 8 characters or longer, it works every
time.

Bernie


At 3:22 PM -0800 11/15/06, Greg Merritt wrote:
>I find that most users require about five attempts to
come up with a 
>password that satisfies all of the rules for CalMail
passwords.
>
>I have seen users who need more than five minutes to
complete this 
>task.  Seriously -- five real minutes.
>
>If I'm walking someone through the process, I pre-warn
them that 
>they will most likely fail their first several attempts.
 This 
>avoids the potentially socially awkward situation of a
user failing 
>repeatedly at what appears to be a simple task.  I think
it also 
>helps reduce anxiety as they repeatedly fail.  I get the
sense that 
>reducing user anxiety in this way probably increases the
likelihood 
>of solving the puzzle.
>
>-Greg
>
>
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>For information about Micronet, including subscribing to
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site:
><http://micronet.be
rkeley.edu/>.


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On Wed, November 15, 2006 15:22, Greg Merritt wrote:
>
> I find that most users require about five attempts to
come up with a
> password that satisfies all of the rules for CalMail
passwords.

  One possible reference to which you might try directing
your users:

  "How do I set strong passwords for all of the
accounts on my computer?"
  https://kb.berkeley.edu
/kb905

  Although this IST Knowledge Base document is written in
the context of
host account passwords, these password tips - or a variant
of them -
should likely also be helpful as a way to come up with
memorable and
rules-compliant CalMail passwords, CalNet passphrases, and
the like.

Aron Roberts
Information Systems and Technology


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