(no subject)
At work, we have to change our e-mail password every 90 days. This is more than enough time for most people to forget how to do it.
Mitch (not his real name) sits on the other side of my cubical wall. The wall blocks sight, but not sound. Yesterday, Mitch needed to reset his e-mail password. This required 20 minutes, three people, and lots of conversation.
We have two different usernames--one to log on to the computer and one for e-mail, and to log on to e-mail we need username@company.com, but to change the password we just need username. And we can set up our e-mail to remember us so we don't have to retype the username every time, which makes it easy to forget it. So I understand why figuring out the correct username can take awhile. This is why I kept a copy of the instructions, but apparently not all of my coworkers thought to do that.
Mitch was getting most of his advice from Sue. Sue had tried to change her password, but hadn't been able to figure it out. I do not know why they all thought this made her qualified to talk Mitch through it.
During their many attempts at figuring out his username and password (which Mitch did know, but Sue and Nicole thought might be wrong), Nicole finally determined he did have the right password, because "it says 'username incorrect,' but not password. So that part is right." Because the computer knows if your password is correct even when it doesn't know who you are.
Finally, the correct username was discovered, the old password (wife's name plus a number) verified correct, the new password (wife's name plus a new number) chosen. But what's this? He has to retype the new password? Sue chimed in with more advice. "Oh, you don't have to do that. Just copy and paste. Otherwise you might make a mistake."
Fortunately the computer did not accept the copy and pasted password. Mitch retyped the new password and everything was right with the world. Except for me; I was still trying not to laugh or cry.
Mitch (not his real name) sits on the other side of my cubical wall. The wall blocks sight, but not sound. Yesterday, Mitch needed to reset his e-mail password. This required 20 minutes, three people, and lots of conversation.
We have two different usernames--one to log on to the computer and one for e-mail, and to log on to e-mail we need username@company.com, but to change the password we just need username. And we can set up our e-mail to remember us so we don't have to retype the username every time, which makes it easy to forget it. So I understand why figuring out the correct username can take awhile. This is why I kept a copy of the instructions, but apparently not all of my coworkers thought to do that.
Mitch was getting most of his advice from Sue. Sue had tried to change her password, but hadn't been able to figure it out. I do not know why they all thought this made her qualified to talk Mitch through it.
During their many attempts at figuring out his username and password (which Mitch did know, but Sue and Nicole thought might be wrong), Nicole finally determined he did have the right password, because "it says 'username incorrect,' but not password. So that part is right." Because the computer knows if your password is correct even when it doesn't know who you are.
Finally, the correct username was discovered, the old password (wife's name plus a number) verified correct, the new password (wife's name plus a new number) chosen. But what's this? He has to retype the new password? Sue chimed in with more advice. "Oh, you don't have to do that. Just copy and paste. Otherwise you might make a mistake."
Fortunately the computer did not accept the copy and pasted password. Mitch retyped the new password and everything was right with the world. Except for me; I was still trying not to laugh or cry.