How do you organize your authorizations/accounts

[Tezza]

I see all the great deals here but what puts me off buying them is being able to organize all the authorizations and passwords to accounts etc for each plugin or VSTi and keeping track of it all.

It might be that it's just my expectations are wrong, what I think is normal isn't. At the moment, I write it down on a card and have to refer to it all the time.

Is there some special way to keep track of all this information, do people put it on their computers or have some easy way to file it or access it. What is the norm for the number of authorizations/accounts for the various plugins etc that people use with their DAW's. Perhaps I just need to alter my expectations and learn to organize better, I don't know.

Edited December 18, 2019 by Tezza

[Promidi]

I simply use an Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that contains all username and passwords for every purchase that requires one.

One sheet for music stuff.  Other for non music stuff

I have a macro that can search all sheets.

Edited December 18, 2019 by Promidi

[TerraSin]

For passwords I use a manager like KeePass, 1Password or LastPass

Excel for all my serial numbers

 

[Michael Vogel]

I use Dashlane. It syncs all my passwords between, iPhone, iPad and multiple PCs. All works automagically. 

Edited December 18, 2019 by Michael Vogel ( MUDGEL)

[kitekrazy1]

Roboform,  Zip files with serial included.

It's a lot easier now since everything is in your account online.

[filo]

KeyPass Portable

Edited December 18, 2019 by filo

[Larry Shelby]

I remember mine...and they're all different...but
variations of the same...

[Fwrend]

I use LastPass for home stuff but for audio, I've always just used MS Notepad and upload to OneDrive for access anywhere.

[Tezza]

So I have had a habit of not putting my passwords for anything near the internet but I can see that many don't care about that, perhaps I am being paranoid. For me the Excel sheet made up and with some blank spaces added for new ones might be the answer for me. But then, where to put it.

My laptop is always out at meetings, the library etc so I wouldn't want it on there, it is my only connection to the internet.

I have Microsoft Office on my offline DAW but there is only word on that computer for lyrics, I could put Excel on there and create a sheet but what happens if my computer is stolen. On my card I have a cryptic mnemonic for each password/serial number so even if people steal it, they would not know what the real passwords/serial numbers are without the mnemonic which only I know. 

I could do the same with the Excel sheet and just both print out a sheet and also leave it on the DAW.

Edited December 18, 2019 by Tezza

[Piotr]

I am also using KeePass (password database is put on google disk to be shared) and firefox (with sync on again to have the same settings across all my machines).

 

[DeeringAmps]

5 hours ago, cclarry said:

I remember mine...and they're all different...but
variations of the same...

Lars, you really is supa-human!
Old school here, I include a text file in the download folder.

T

[Michael A.D.]

I use a program called Ace Text to keep track of almost everything I do, from receipts to passwords to instructions for a particular VST to DAW hints&tips to... well you name it!

What's cool is that you never have to save anything - everything you write is saved automatically - just write (or paste from some other source).  And you create the categories/topics and you can search all the categories or a particular category.

Check it out:

https://www.acetext.com/

[Larry Shelby]

20 minutes ago, DeeringAmps said:

Lars, you really is supa-human!
Old school here, I include a text file in the download folder.

T

Tell why I do that.  If I have ANYTHING that resides on my PC, then, if hacked,
they would have access to that info, and consequently, ALL of my accounts, and
info.  NO THANKS!!!  Memory is a muscle...if you don't use it you lose it!!!
I'm making that BIG crossing to the big SIX ZERO in 9 days...I need to KEEP using
my memory!!!  I don't let ANYTHING on a computer "remember my password"!
I always DECLINE!

The SAFEST WAY, if you can't remember, is WRITE IT DOWN in a notebook,
or on a piece of paper!  That can't be hacked!!!  If it's on your PC/MAC, then
It's subject to "Data mining".  I'm not willing to take that chance!

[Tezza]

I use Firefox, it does ask me if i want to store passwords but i always say no, I think i disable it usually. A bit paranoid probably.

[DeeringAmps]

@cclarryGood advice actually, maybe I should take it to heart!

Thanks

Edited December 18, 2019 by DeeringAmps
add content

[Tezza]

I use mnemonics so if my serial number might be:

4683485322

The mnemonic might be the last 3 numbers or it could be the first etc or hidden or letters. In this case, it's the last 3 and what it is saying is:

322 = "Move the 3rd and 2nd number up 2" so the real number is:

4803485

 

[kitekrazy1]

37 minutes ago, cclarry said:

38 minutes ago, cclarry said:

The SAFEST WAY, if you can't remember, is WRITE IT DOWN in a notebook,
or on a piece of paper!  That can't be hacked!!!  If it's on your PC/MAC, then
It's subject to "Data mining".  I'm not willing to take that chance!

 

  That's the worst for me. I lose that stuff easy.

  The only thing I ever got hacked is my EA gaming account.  The dude who hacked it put a game on there and now it's mine. EA support was also great in handling it.   Most accounts send you an email if changes are made.

[rasure]

1 hour ago, DeeringAmps said:

Old school here, I include a text file in the download folder.

Same here. Url, username, password, serial number(s), order numbers etc

[slartabartfast]

 

15 hours ago, TerraSin said:

For passwords I use a manager like KeePass, 1Password or LastPass

Excel for all my serial numbers

 

Actually I use Keepass to keep track of serial numbers as well. There is plenty of space in the comments box to type in the software title serial numbers etc. and you can load copies of authorization files as attachments. The search function is plenty fast enough to locate what you need. The main advantage is that if someone gets hold of your computer (or hacks it at a distance) the authorizations, serial numbers etc. are encrypted. I keep a copy of the kdb files and a portable version of keypass on thumb drives scattered about--anyone getting one of those drives still does not have the master password but I will have all the useful stuff if the computer is stolen. Of course a stolen computer will not be instantly restorable if authorizations depend on a machine hash, but at least I will not lose my serial numbers. I use a spreadsheet to keep track of everything else, purchase dates and prices, dates an locations of installations, version numbers, remaining authorizations etc. but not the serial numbers. 

[Christian Jones]

I do like Larry; I have about 3 or 4 variations of the same password and I just remember them. That means it sometimes takes up to 4 attempts for me to log in to something. Is what it is.