Monday 27 November 2006

Computer says No

We've moved from one e-mail system to another at work. For about an hour or so, all my messages disappeared into cyberspace. They weren't accessible from the old system and the new system refused to acknowledge my existence.

I spent much of that hour thinking up new passwords that became obsolete immediately because of the problems with my new account. Can you imagine how difficult it was to come up with multiple passwords that fitted the criteria (alphanumeric, eight or more characters, mix of upper and lower case, memorable) while the lad from IT kept suggesting that I used my husband's name or those of one of my children? He was particularly insistent about this. Insistent to the point of almost ending up with the monitor around his neck. It was very strange.

But, apart from this peculiar password obsession, he was pleasant and helpful and the transition from one system to the other went well. Eventually.

I expect it will crash tomorrow.

The latest news from the e-mail front: No need to wait for tomorrow. I just tried to log on to Current Contents through our library catalogue but I can't because it depends on the e-mail username and password. The old e-mail username and password. Not the new one.

I'm not happy.