While I was buying stuff at my local Beverly’s Crafts today, I noticed a little book on the checkout counter. Password Storage! said the cover. Store all your user names and passwords in one handy book!
“This is a terrible, terrible idea,” I said to the checkout clerk, indicating the notebooks. “These notebooks may as well be called Take My Identity — Please!”
“Ha,” said the clerk. “Yeah.”
“You should be actively discouraging people from buying these,” I said.
“Totally,” said the clerk, smiling.
“I’m serious,” I said, not smiling.
“Um…here’s your receipt,” said the clerk and turned to the next customer.
On further reflection, I guess I am in favor of these notebooks. If a certain percentage of the population writes down all their passwords in one convenient, easy-to-steal notebook then maybe identity thieves will be less likely to try to access MY stuff. Also, I was going to post a link to them but it turns out that there are millions of kinds. Enjoy.