Willie Nillie Passwords - Tech Support Forums

brandon184 · October 24th, 2006, 07:46 PM

I just had an argument with the girl who is equivelent to my wife that has left me *fuming* ...

She wanted to plop her lazy ass down to watch TV because she was bored (she watches an extraordinary amount of television) .. we don't have cable or satellite right now because we're waiting for it to be installed. She wanted to password to my XP account on my laptop so that she could watch a video on the laptop on the LCD television that I (generously) purchased for our current home. She frequently proclaims, "I NEVER ASKED YOU TO BUY THAT!" -- though has no problem spending every aching minute that she's at home WATCHING it...

Anyway, I told her I wouldn't give her my password. I've explained this to her before, but apparently she doesn't ever freaking listen. I have a select few passwords that I use for everything. I consider them secure for my purposes. People are traditionally very good about not asking me for my password. I have a machine or two that I let people roam around freely on, and no one ever asks me to tell them my password. Most feel that they "don't need to know" what it is.

I don't provide my password to anyone because I consider that it would be unprofessional. I have a lot of business data on my machines - none of which is extremely sensitive, but some of which my clients would probably prefer that not anyone else see. And regardless, it's just a personal ethic that I prefer to abide by. I respect my clients, their businesses and any and all data that they entrust me with. Therefore, NO ONE GETS MY PASSWORD(S). For any reason. Not to watch movies, not to browse music, not to check their e-mail.

Anywho, she's mad at me now and claims that I'm being an asshole and that I should be able to "trust" her with my password. Am I in the wrong here for refusing and not being pleased that she's being a major bitch about it?

B

Creatures · October 24th, 2006, 07:49 PM

hm what about "shared folders"?
multiple accounts?

things that pop into my mind

Creatures

jokostel · October 24th, 2006, 07:53 PM

give her an account with limited use...
its right in your control panel and takes all of 30 seconds

brandon184 · October 24th, 2006, 07:53 PM

I'm not looking for technical solutions on how we can both have access to shared data. I want to know if I'm being silly about the passwords.

She has her own account. (Which is what she uses on my expensive PC to bitch me out about these kinds of things while I'm at work trying to make a living.)

I don't think I should have to give up my password just because I never moved some of my movies into a shared folder, or copied them onto her account (which she never requested that I do to begin with).

Creatures · October 24th, 2006, 07:58 PM

hm well i would never give out my password, sure i would maybe change it^^ but in your case i can understand if it's important stuff on it which shouldnt be open to everyone, still she has a argument that you can trust her

anyway hard to say who's really right =/

Creatures

jokostel · October 24th, 2006, 07:58 PM

your stuff... is excatly that. yours.
but at the same time, you COULD move it to an encrypted key or download a 3rd party program the lock the folders,ect...
no matter how ya look at it, you got 3 options
1. stand your ground. probably end up pissing her off
2. let her have the password
3. move your things somewhere encrypted or hidden... from her reach

brandon184 · October 24th, 2006, 08:01 PM

It's not really an issue of whether or not I trust her. It's an issue of me having a responsibility to my clients that I keep their data safe. As my clients, they deserve to know that I'm making a universal effort to keep other people's eyes off their stuff. It's also an issue of her obviously having no respect for my career or my relationships with my clients.

jokostel · October 24th, 2006, 08:03 PM

should probably invest in a NAS box for yourself, and password that
linksys and buffalo make a few good models ...
all under 1k USD

The Real Bingo · October 24th, 2006, 08:07 PM

If she knows you use that password for many things, then I would just change it to something random. That's the first thing I'd do, because you never know.

Of course, I realize you're worried about client confidentiality, which is fine. I don't know you or her, so I can't say, but if it was a woman who was an "equivalent to a wife" to me, I think I'd let her use it without worrying about her snooping around my business stuff.

jokostel · October 24th, 2006, 08:10 PM

trb.... its the clients peace of mind is what he concerned about...
nothing more... if they dont have confidence their files are secure.... they will go elsewhere.