Have and work on computers, but they don't know anything about them

It always amazes me how unsavvy people are about computers even though they work on one for decades, and have one at home (usually for their kyddies).

I don't claim to be computer savvy, but I don't have a computer and I used to not even type. But I know people who barely can use the Internet or when they do, they are awkward about it and slow like a snail. It is hilarious. I know people with computers that don't know what "BTW" is, what a "cookie" is, what a discussion board is, they look at mapquest like it is in a foreign language, and seem to have never have searched anything of interest to them.

People act like I'm weird because I don't have a computer, or 'net access at home, but they bought their computers (kids or not) and pay for the 'net access every month, but they must never use it. My GF took over 45 mins looking for an address one time and I called her and found it on 411 in 2 mins, and if I had the computer, I would have found it in 2 mins myself. She got lost looking for the place to take her board exams, I'm like didn't you put it in mapquest first? duh!

Just now I'm talking to a friend and he can't figure out his password for something. We're required to have 4 passwords at work for various crap. Would you believe he changes his passwords to something different every four weeks, and I mean, totally different?
Now he's mad because he can't remember a password from 8 years ago. (He's not doing this to be super safe either)

I'm like you haven't opened any of these Applications for 8 years?
no.

You haven't looked into that application for 8 years?
no

You had to do it last year at this time for the same reason you are now, you had to know the password.
I don't know.

You need the same password for your blackberry, don't you use it on that?
no.

I have 4 passwords for the work things and switch them around, everyone does, you don't use 4 passwords and change every single one to something totally different for all 3-4 things every four weeks for 8 years, unless you work for the CIA or something. You would totally run out of passwords and forget them every day. And, one might think to open different work applications, considering we NEED them.

People act like they are in the 21st Century and spend money to look like they are modern but truly know nothing and don't take advantage of the helpful tools on the 'net and computer that they spent money on, that is crazy to me.s

i have 3 passwords, but i add numbers on the end.. like frog12, then nextweek frog 11, and down to zero, then i change the word and so on.. all i need to really do is remember the number.. i hate computers)and love them), even though i live in them.

i prefer a book to pc text, i could easily live without a computer, but not without books..

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I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

>>>>>i have 3 passwords, but i add numbers on the end.. like frog12, then nextweek frog 11, and down to zero, then i change the word and so on.. all i need to really do is remember the number.. i hate computers)and love them), even though i live in them.

i prefer a book to pc text, i could easily live without a computer, but not without books..


right, exactly. Everyone does this. And if my passwords w/ the numbers don't work into a certain password configuration, then I might Capitalize one of the letters. This guy is changing 4 passwords every four weeks totally, then he' s mad at the company for making him use so many passwords and having to change them and remember them. crazy. this has been going on for 8 years.

I know, I too could live w/o computers. One fun thing about them is being able to find almost anything you may need/want to buy like replacement parts for electronics that have been long discontinued. Or seeing some home/personal gadget and wondering if it really works, and then a bunch of people write reviews and there's your answer! But otherwise, I don't care. But the best thing is I found the CF community when I thought I was the only person who wanted a CF life and thought CF thoughts. We were all hiding in plain sight out there!!!!

4 every 4 weeks, thats a little extreme, sometimes i dont use one for months, so i dont change..i like the net because its got a lot of information but i dislike it too for that very reason

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I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

My problem with passwords is that different systems and websites have different rules for creating them (i.e. lengths, combinations of letters and numbers and special characters). So, if you use one for a few different things, it will end up not being usable for a new website or system. I had this problem at my work when I was there, and have had similar problems on other systems since then.

I do the variation thing, mercurior, but that can make things confusing when I have similar but not identical passwords on different systems.

And screen names have the same problem. Sometimes, the one you want to use is not available because someone else has it. You usually don't have a problem with "rules" for creating screen names, only their availability.

i use at least a minimum of 8 letters 2 of those are numbers. 8 is the standard byte range i was brought up with.. and i have stuck with it since..yes i am an old tech..

screen names, i use pretty much all the same as my screen name.. i have an external password store,

i never seem to have a prob remembering my passwords.. maybe my brain works different..

*********************************************************************************************************************************
I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

I have started keeping my passwords and usernames in a rolodex.

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"I have learned that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is easy and fun as hell"

:eatu

try reversing the passwords in the list.. a slightly paranoid thing but.. if i have to write my password down, i write it backwards, that way i know it shuld be forwards.. just incase someone comes and takes or lookas at your rolodex.. once you get into pc security you get paranoid..

.. i know i am.. i wont use any email accounts other than one, nothing confidential, or private.. its just this and only this.. like business, romance (LOL). general, and everything else..

*********************************************************************************************************************************
I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

I keep my rolodex at home. I have a house alarm with a live monitoring service, so I am not worried about someone sneaking a peek.

The way I come up with new passwords (other than variations with numbers and special characters) is to pick a word, then scramble the letters into alphabetical order. If a letter appears more than once, alternate lower-case with caps.

For example, to use the word "bratfree", it would come out as "abeEfrRt", then you can add to it, like "abeEfrRt&123". A lot of systems require letters, numbers, and special characters. Some don't allow special characters at all; others are not case sensitive, and quite a few will not accept a password that spells a "real" word. It can be a PITA. This way I have not had any problems, other than remembering the different parameters from system to system. That is what I need the rolodex for.

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"I have learned that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is easy and fun as hell"

:eatu

we all have our own little ways.. yours may not work for me, mine may not work for you.. but thats ok..

i am paranoid about computers because i live in them so much.. but thats me.. i half teach computers to friends, and i sort of try to set them on a base level of security, like passwords (most of the people i teach are friends of my mums, and aunts.. a lot of them are over 75.. so i have to make sure its simple enough for them, yet hard enough for a potential hacker(sometimes their grandkids looking at porn)

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I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein