# Proliferation of user names

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proliferation-of-user-names/934118>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [March 2, 2021, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proliferation-of-user-names/934118 "2021-03-02T15:09:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proliferation-of-user-names/934118/21 "2021-03-08T14:45:25Z")

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I started using a password manager (1Password) and never looked back.

If an employer makes passwords complex and doesn’t allow password managers, I base it off the date, like ItsJan2017&.

I imagine this is quite easy to guess because it’s a common problem, but my philosophy is I have to do my job, and at least I’m not leaving it on a Post-it note under the keyboard. If they want stronger passwords they can try making it a little easier to manage.

IT security can be such a canine-equestrian theatrical production sometimes.

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proliferation-of-user-names/934118/22 "2021-03-08T14:55:28Z")

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I have three usernames at work (technically, there’s a fourth, but I only log in there once a year or less) and maybe a half dozen online (usually because my preferred one has already been used).

I do need multiple passwords, but I put them into specific categories. For instance, I have to reset people’s passwords all the time, and the temporary password I give them are names of comedians. I have similar categories for the other passwords I need to change at work. If I know a password is the name of a mystery author, it’s much easier to keep track. Something like “Agatha&Christie” is easy to remember and when it expires, you go to “Ellery&Queen” or even mix them up “Roald&Marsh.” (And no, I do not use mystery authors as a category.)

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**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proliferation-of-user-names/934118/23 "2021-03-08T15:24:26Z")

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At my job, my userID is a smartcard and my password is its PIN. They’ve done a good job unifying authentication and authorization to that single-sign-on interaction.

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