Passwords
I don't see the advantage, or how it works. To me, it seems like everyone has the same password, so only the username is different. I'm talking of a VAX here.

For example, when I got my account the password was "expired", and therefore I had to enter a new one when I first used the account. This was all explained to me, so I was ready for it. They told me the system would prompt, and just to follow the instructions. I did:

USERNAME: xxxxxxxx ( I won't tell you what that is, obviously)
PASSWORD: 1qaz2wsx (they told me to type this).
YOUR PASSWORD HAS EXPIRED.
PLEASE ENTER YOUR PASSWORD: your password
ENTER YOUR PASSWORD AGAIN TO VERIFY: your password

And then, apparently, it lets me use the system.
So, now my password is "your password", just as I was told. Talking to my co-workers, they get the same prompts, so it seems to me that we all have the same passwords, but the username is different.

That's why I won't tell anyone my username.
I'm in DND, and they're fanatical about security. "Never tell anyone your password" they said. The system operators never need your password, they said, so don't give it to anyone on the phone, they said. I think they mean "your username", because everybody has the same password, but they say "password" because that sort of gives a "secret air" to the whole thing. Or, maybe it's misdirection: anyone who doesn't know will think the passwords are different, or something.

It's a real problem, though, when something won't work. Sometimes I can't print to the connected printer, so I call the support desk. Now, I don't know if those guys are jerks, or what, but damn near every time I call they ask for my username. Well, I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday, so there's no way I'll give them that. They say they can't help unless I give them my username, and I won't, so that pretty much ends the discussion. When this happens I always call system security and tell them the operator wanted my password, but I wouldn't give it to him. They say they'll check on it, but I never hear what happens. We must have big problems if the trouble desk operators don't know they're not supposed to ask for a password.

Anyway, there's a big change coming next week, I guess. The system is telling me my password will expire at the end of the month. I asked to see what to do, and they (the trouble desk - they didn't ask for my username this time) told me just to select "Change Password" and follow the prompts. It was pretty much the same as the above, and it still wants me to type "your password". But, when I do, it tells me "that password is invalid" or something. I guess I have to wait until the end of the month for the prompt to change, because it still wants "your password". The system is smart enough to know that your password" is already my password, so it won't change it 'cause it's not ready for the new ones yet. Or something. Or maybe I'm supposed to change the username, but no matter what I try there (even if I use the "your password") the system won't accept it. I hope all this works at the end of the month, though. I hope when the password changes the system will let me print my print job. Otherwise, I'll be calling the trouble desk again, and that never works.