on 9/14/00 3:05 AM, Schau, Brian at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Are you all telling me to compromise security just because people don't want
> to learn how to do Grafitti? What about making a password of
> letters/numbers you actually can remember to get right each time?
>>> Have you considered not masking the password at all? Is it
>>> really necessary on a handheld device? Having a password swiped over your
>>> shoulder is a lot less of a danger on a 4-inch screen compared to a 17-inch
>>> screen.
The suggestion was made to show the password because even when you know
Graffiti, you occasionally get a different result than you expect. For
example, I've been using Graffiti since 1996 or so (on the Newton
originally), and I still have trouble getting a recognized '4' from time to
time. When I have used programs that masked the password field, I often am
frustrated because I have to enter everything over if the password is
invalid, because without feedback I have no idea _why_ it is invalid.
Security is certainly important, but as software designers we must often
seek a balance between security and convenience. What do your customers
expect or need? Once you have that answer, the rest is just algorithms.
JB
----------------------------------------------
JB Parrett [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Palm, Inc.
Remember: the entire population of the universe,
with one trifling exception,
is composed of others. - John Andrew Holmes
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