The primary software we use at my office was upgraded over the weekend, and part of that upgrade was enforcing more-strict password requirements. You know, so people can’t use passwords like “mydog’sname” or “mybirthday.”

To make sure everyone had a password that complied with the new rules, our old passwords were wiped out and we had to enter a new one the first time we signed in. Not that hard, right?

Wrong. So very, very wrong.

The office was a zoo today: some couldn’t type their password correctly (and they had it written down in front of them), others locked themselves out by typing the wrong password too many times. Still others couldn’t type their new password within a minute of having set it up.

Usually I can help people work through their computer woes. Since I have no interest in knowing everyone’s passwords, though, all I could do today was stand by helpless and watch people flail. Flail flail flail. It was rather gut-wrenching, for being so pedestrian.

Most confusing of all, though, was how many people forgot other passwords today. One couldn’t remember her Windows login, even, and spent some twenty-odd minutes making random guesses.

…huh?