People want feedback as they type their passwords, but stringing out the same character allows shoulder surfers to see the *length* of their passwords. An improvement on this process would be to *change* a single character displayed as each character is typed. So instead of

p
*
pa
**
pas
***
pass
****
passw
*****
passwo
******
passwor
*******
password
********

You would instead do
p
+
pa
*
pas
+
pass
*
passw
+
passwo
*
passwor
+
password
*

4 O'Clock In The Morning Grimes Dorm Fire Alarm Blues

Written 29 years ago, but according to my son, still apropos:

(sung to classic blues chords)

It was 4 o'clock this morning
My bed it felt so sweet
But this ringing in my ears
Tells me I've got to get up on my feet.
Maybe somebody's just been smoking
Maybe somebody's just a liar
But this clanging incantation
It says "Fire! Fire! Fire!"

I got the 4 o'clock in the morning
Grimes dorm fire alarm blues.

Roomy, can't we just forget this?
Roomy, turn back off that light!
You say the RA's at the door?
Why did they have to pick tonight!
I've got a morning midterm in Econ;
I've got an afternoon midterm in Chem.
It's only the sixth time since Friday
What the hell does it matter to them?

I got the 4 o'clock in the morning
Grimes dorm fire alarm blues.

Well the freshmen are all in their bathrobes
The sophomores are all fully dressed
But the juniors and the seniors
Are just sticking to their good rest.
They're going to go down with the building
Like the captains of their floors
But that's not what they're really thinking
They just don't give a damn no more.

I got the 4 o'clock in the morning
Grimes dorm fire alarm blues.

Who am I?

I am a follower of Christ in the Catholic tradition.

I am a son, husband and father.

I am a Unix system administrator.

I am an amateur musician.

I am a U.S., North Carolina, Chapel Hill citizen.

Most of my thoughts participate in that environment; if I put them here, you're welcome to them.