Where to keep software keys, secure notes and more?

Sterns normally makes videos.

Apple has made several changes since this was published to make it more difficult for a thief.

Here’s her WSJ authors page:

https://www.wsj.com/news/author/joanna-stern

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I use my brain as my password manager :smiley:

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I think this has been discussed here on MPU as well:

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Surprised to read that you do not use DEVONthink for this.

I certainly could not remember all my passwords for every web site/app I use some of which I might only visit once in 18 months or more. At this moment I have 200+ passwords saved for the web and probably as many distinct ones on my iPhone and iPad for various apps.

Yes, thank you. This is helpful on the Mac. Unfortunately, I don’t see this option on mobile.

Thanks, everyone, for the helpful suggestions; much appreciated. I’m going to experiment with a combination of Keychain for PW and AN to secure other information such as license keys and the like.

I’m a little late to the game here, but I figured I’d chime in.

I know you’re anti-subscription and I get it, but I see you subscribe to the WSJ. What makes that subscription acceptable as opposed to something like 1Password? The WSJ is a news source that informs you and provides value, but so does 1Password (or any password manager, really).

I agree with @karlnyhus and his post above where he looks forward to your “I’m back to 1Password” post. I think sometimes we take a harsh stance against something, but we go a little too far. I’m certainly guilty of this myself.

Instead of paying 1Password for the safety and convenience of having a “one source of truth” vault, you’re splitting things up into Keychain and Apple Notes. In my experience, removing one thing from my workflow and then introducing two things seldom works, to say nothing of my complete lack of trust of keeping anything safe within Apple Notes.

Also, what happens if you find yourself in a scenario in a few weeks where the item you want to save doesn’t have a clear defining line between Notes and Keychain? Where do you save it? Will you remember what you chose 2 months out, or will you be fumbling for 10 mins looking for where you saved it? (I speak from experience). And what happens when you realize the one thing you always did in 1Password is no longer possible with your new system?

I understand the hatred of subscriptions, but I also look at other ways we all spend our money. I’m not saying this is you @Bmosbacker, but I know people who are anti-subscription who then drop $6 a day on Starbucks drinks or $80 a month on newspaper subs. Really? So that $6 a month Todoist sub is really killing you?

For me, the cost of 1Password filling my passwords across several platforms, the Watchtower service, the ability to store sensitive info – it’s more than worth it for piece of mind and convenience. I swear once a year when I pay it, then praise it the other 364 days.

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Thank you for taking the time to write such a thoughtful response. Responses like this one from you and many others keep me on this site and posting too much! :slightly_smiling_face:

I know you’re anti-subscription and I get it, but I see you subscribe to the WSJ. What makes that subscription acceptable as opposed to something like 1Password? The WSJ is a news source that informs you and provides value, but so does 1Password (or any password manager, really).

My organization pays for my WSJ subscription. :slightly_smiling_face:

I agree with @karlnyhus and his post above where he looks forward to your “I’m back to 1Password” post. I think sometimes we take a harsh stance against something, but we go a little too far. I’m certainly guilty of this myself …

I never vacillate between apps. :rofl::wink: Seriously, I don’t intend to abandon 1PW unless I think I can do so with “tolerable” friction. The jury is still out on this one.

I understand the hatred of subscriptions, but I also look at other ways we all spend our money. I’m not saying this is you @Bmosbacker, but I know people who are anti-subscription who then drop $6 a day on Starbucks drinks or $80 a month on newspaper subs. Really? So that $6 a month Todoist sub is really killing you?

Though my posts may suggest otherwise, I don’t “hate” subscriptions. But I dislike “renting” tools of any sort. I much prefer to own them. I recognize that some “renting” is unavoidable–utilities, streaming services, internet access-- but I don’t like being locked into a perpetual cycle of payments to use apps. I admit I may be making too much of the issue, but it “feels” like financial Chinese water torture. The money goes drip, drip, drip down the drain. This is why I’ve struggled to settle between Ulysses and Scrivener. I like Ulysses better, but I dislike “renting” my main writing app. :slightly_smiling_face:

I don’t buy Starbucks coffee; I buy McDonald’s coffee—it is good enough and much cheaper! :slightly_smiling_face: To put this into financial context. Let me add that after reviewing the numbers, I found the author’s final decision to lack wisdom and good financial practices.

As to $6 for Todoist, I don’t subscribe to Todoist, but the $6/month is $72/year. That is $360 over five years. Is that really a necessary expenditure given the alternatives?

The fact is, I’m blessed financially and can afford as many subscriptions as I like, but I strive to be a good steward of what I’ve been given. Of course, being a steward of my time is even more important.

I may stick with 1PW, but I thought the experiment would be worthwhile.

Thanks again for your thoughtful post; it did get me to think more carefully about my “obsession” with subscriptions. :slightly_smiling_face:

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I don’t frequent bars and I always shield my phone with unlocking it, and I keep it in my pocket unless I’m using it and I don’t lay it down-it goes in my pocket. That is not to say I could not lose it, I could but I am confident no one will see me enter my passcode. :slightly_smiling_face:

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I wear an Apple Watch so my phone can stay in my pocket most of the day too.

But after thirty years of encouraging people to use long unique passwords what would they think of me if they learned my most important data is protected by six digits? :grinning:

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I was just starting to read it, and you deleted it. If you’re worried about offending me, you won’t. I don’t offend easily. :slightly_smiling_face:

Nothing like that, just beating a dead horse. :slight_smile:

Oh, I don’t know. I’m open to being persuaded to relax a bit about the whole thing. You started to say something about using the computer for all of my work.

They seriously should also pay for a password management service, at least for key staff and IT. The major providers give employees a free personal account if they also have a work account.

Just the benefit of employees thinking twice when a shared credential doesn’t autofill on a phishing site is worth the expense.

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I think you ought to consider the free version of Bitwarden. It has everything most people need with none of the downsides of Keychain mentioned above. (Even the paid version is only $12 year.)

It’s also big enough to be trustworthy, it’s regularly audited, and it’s open source and has a large user base that includes a lot of people with the skills and motivation to review the source code.

It may not be as polished as 1Password, but it’s just a utility. Unlike your key productivity apps, you probably don’t spend more than a few moments at a time in your password manager after the initial setup.

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I have an encrypted database containing login information, but it was created for support purposes. It is a useful thing for sure, but I have a good memory.

Also speaking personally, randomized passwords I can’t remember don’t make sense to me and would tie me to a bit of software. I don’t even allow them to be stored in Keychain Access or use autofill in browsers. I am responsible for my own security, no matter how strict or lax it may seem to anyone else, and that includes devising and remembering my own passwords, encryption keys, etc.

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I’m curious about why you’ve decided not to use passkeys. I’ve been reluctant to try them so I’d be interested in hearing about your experience.

Waaay off-topic, their lattes are surprisingly good :slight_smile:

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I started working from home during COVID and haven’t gone back. I decided to buy a Chemex and get into the fresh beans, grinding game.

That, along with a few James Hoffman videos and coffee snobbery has been achieved. But when I’m out, I have no issue w McDonalds.

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+1