Password managers

I can’t imagine living without a password manager. It’s a simple database of account names and passwords that itself is password-protected with a single password. There are dozens of password managers out there. The one I use, and have been using for years, is a freeware program called Whisper 32. I have an icon in my Quick Launch toolbar so I can open Whisper with one click. When I do, it asks me for my password:

When I enter the password, I see all the services that I’ve entered in the database, along with my usernames and passwords. In this screen shot, I’ve hidden my passwords and I’ve shown only the first few characters of my usernames:

When I need to enter a username or password into a web site or other password box, I can copy my username to the clipboard by clicking the abc icon in the toolbar, or copy my password by clicking the ** icon. (I usually just type the username and copy the password if it’s gibberish, or type the password as well if it’s something I use commonly.) To enter a new service, username, and password, I click the lock icon. This presents a simple data entry box:

If I click the Generate button, Whisper can create a very secure, randomly generated password according to parameters I specify:

Whisper 32 is not designed with CIA-type security in mind, but for the average person it’s a very handy device that enables one to create and maintain a large number of complex passwords without brain overload. Have another favorite password manager? Please comment.