Psion 3a Series - Passwords

Passwords
Warning: Hie casual use of passwords is dangerous. It is all too easy to decide to
password-protect a Word Processor document, say, then return to it some time later only
to find that you cannot recall the password. Unless you remember (or guess) the
password, the information in that fde is then lost to you, just as if you had deleted the
file.
You must decide whether your Series 3a contains any information which needs to be
protected. If not, you may decide not to use passwords at all.
Choosing a password
If you just want to protect information against casual snooping, you don't have to go to
any great lengths to pick an "un-guessable" password. Just make sure the password is
something you won't forget.
If you have some important information which needs real protection, you should think
more carefully about your password. If anyone makes a serious attempt to guess your
password, they may well try your date of birth, car registration number, spouse's name,
and so on. It is much safer to invent a short password, perhaps part of some word or
words which means something to you. The important thing is that the password is
almost impossible for someone else to guess.
Before using a password for individual files, it is a good idea to get used to it by setting
it as the system password for a while, even if you only intend using it for individual
files. You will then have to type it in whenever you turn the Series 3a on, and after a
few days (or maybe weeks) you will know the password for good.
You can use different passwords for different files but the more you use, the more likely
you are to forget one. Most people who use password-protection use only one
password.
Setting the system password
I Move to the System screen and select the 'Password' option on the 'Special' menu.
2. In the dialog which is displayed, enter a password of up to eight characters. Padlock
symbols are shown on the screen in place of each letter, so that no-one can read the
password as you type. If at any time you think you have made a mistake, press
Delete to delete backwards towards the start of the password. (Esc leaves the 'Set
password" dialog without setting a password.)
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You can enter the password in upper or lower case.
3. Having typed the password once, press i to move to the 'Confirm password' line, and
type it again. This is to guard against accidental typing errors.
4. Leave 'Password set' to 'On', to turn passwords on. When you now press Enter to
confirm this dialog, a system password is set. The next time you turn the Series 3a
on, you will have to type the password.
The job of a password is to make information secure. If you forget the system
password, you must do a hard reset before you can use the Series 3a again. All
information in internal memory w ill be lost when you do this. (To do a hard reset,
hold down the right-hand Shift key, and gently press something like an unfolded paper
222 15: Security and backups