Woe is me...

[Charles Martin]

> From: Paul Bernhardt <pbern10 at xmission.com>
>
> Most of us run our systems without needing to type the password when we
> boot.

But you still need to know it everytime you install software that has 
anything to do with updating or modifying the system, which occurs on a 
pretty routine basis. You also need to know this password to install 
some major software packages, or to run system maintenance programs. So 
most people who run OS X will need to know their admin password and are 
reminded of this need often enough to not forget.

But still, it can happen. That's why Apple created an easy but not 
terribly obvious way to reset the password. Sure someone malicious 
(with OS X knowledge and a bootable OS X disk) could change it on you. 
And that would be no fun ... for the 15 second it would take you to 
reach for your OWN bootable OS X disc and reset it again.

99% of the time, though, it's just folks who thought they knew their 
password but got something wrong (don't remember if OS X passwords are 
case-sensitive). They would probably figure it out given time, but are 
impatient and don't want to bother.

>  And, many of us leave the machines on or in sleep mode nearly
> constantly, so, not knowing the correct password is only of limited 
> value.
>
I can't work out what you mean by this. If you don't know the correct 
password, you can't ever upgrade or modify or maintain the system until 
you either learn the password or reset the password.

_Chas_
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