The Most Important Software I Use is Roboform
Do you write your passwords down on paper? Do you worry that you might lose them? I used to.
Here’s a software tool that I’ve used for years and don’t think that I could live without. If you spend even one tenth the amount of time I do online, I’m guessing you can’t either. It’s Siber System’s Roboform password manager and you can use it for free.
Let me state up front that I have NO association with this company other than being a customer. Heck, I’m not even an affiliate!
The bottom line is this - If you do ANYTHING online, you NEED this software.
Here’s how it works: Roboform securely keeps track of all your passwords in a toolbar that you install in your browser. It makes the filling out of new online accounts (including the creation of good passwords and user names) very easy and secure.
You’ll never have to remember or look for a password again.
It keeps all your passwords and user names in a software that resides in both your browser and
runs in your system tray (the area near your on clock at the bottom right of your screen).
While browsers today WILL KEEP track of your passwords, it won’t generate them for or log you in.
When you go to a site that you’ve got saved in Roboform, you can press a button to log into the site with Roboform and it instantly puts your password and username into the form and logs you in.
What’s more important however, is something I wasn’t aware of until I started thinking about writing this post and that’s the fact that I use Roboform predominantly as my bookmark manager more than I do my actual book marks.
This is quite a paradigm shift for browser usage because 80% of the sites I visit have some kind of membership or secure area that is unique to me.
Now, when I want to use an application like Salesforce.com, check my bank balance, pay some bills, book some travel, buy something on ebay, check webmail, (etc. etc. …you get the idea), I no longer use my bookmarks.
Instead, I just open up my browser, click on a the “Logins” button on Roboform and it does the rest.
Roboform then goes to the login page of the site or web application that I want to use, it fills in the details and it even logs you in.
It’s so helpful and really makes the web an easier place to be. I really don’t think that I could live without it.
When you ask Roboform to create passwords, it generates much stronger ones than you and I do - which is a good thing given how much information we’re keeping online these days.
The only risk that I can see is if you forget your master password. Roboform requires a master password each time you start your computer, or if you’ve been inactive on your computer for a certain time limit that you can set in the options menu.
Roboform is available for free. The free version allows you to keep up to 10 pass cards. If you use more than 10, you’ll have to pay $29 USD for the software. I have and still think it’s one of the best tools I’ve ever bought online.
You can read review about Roboform on Cnet or got to the publishers website, Siber Systems.
There are a lot of other features that I don’t use in Roboform. However, for me, the basic features were well worth the spend.
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About the Author: I value good design, growth, effectiveness, simplicity, profitability, lots of sleep, tons of laughter and above all, freedom. If it makes money - it's a business. If it doesn't make money - it's a hobby. Period.
Omarra Byrd | Jun 20, 2008 | Reply
I actually love the RoboForm software myself. I use it all of the time and it takes all the menial everyday tasks that I have to perform on my computer daily and shortens them extremely! What once took me fifteen minutes to complete now takes me only one second because RoboForm does the same task with just one click. In fact I wrote a Report about a lot of RoboForm’s capabilities for use that aren’t even touched on in the User’s Manual for RoboForm. You can get that Report here:
http://www.booksbonkers.com/TheRoboFormReport!.html