Ars Technica did a nice article yesterday on what happens to your life online when you die, dealing mainly with your social networking presence (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Blogger, Buzz, Gmail, etc.). It was an extremely interesting article!
Well… can’t say I’ve given much thought to this, altho’ I certainly should since I’m a certified member of the Old Fart’s club. Seeing as I’m not much into social networking, I’m more concerned about all my online banking, credit card, email & shopping (e-commerce) accounts.
One point of view a person could have is: “Who cares? I’m dead!” Another point of view though, if you’re leaving behind a ‘significant other’, is why make a difficult situation even worse? (unless, of course, your ‘significant other’ is the reason you’re dead :-), in which case “Who Cares?” or worse applies, e.g., “Bite Me!”)
If your ‘significant other’ is a computer numbnuts & doesn’t use a PC, then I suppose the “Who Cares?” applies. But if he or she DOES & CAN use a computer, then it “may” be convenient to leave them access to all your accounts (banking, email, e-commerce, etc., etc.).
One of the programs I mentioned previously in “My List of Favorite PC Programs & Utilities” post is the free, open source password manager called KeePass Password Safe. Here’s just some of the info that I store in KeePass:
- All bank accounts (acct #’s, passwords, security questions, URLs, tele #, etc.)
- All credit cards (credit card #, PIN, CVC # and/or security code, username/password, tele #, etc.)
- All email accounts (usernames, passwords, acct settings, tele #, etc.)
- All e-commerce site usernames, passwords, URLs, etc.
- Administrator passwords for all PCs, laptops, BIOS’, Router, DSL Modem, etc.
- Program or file passwords (i.e., Quicken, TrueCrypt files, other password-protected files, etc.)
- Software license info, CD keys, registration #’s, etc.
KeePass has fields for several of the key items (username, password, URL) followed by a free flow “Notes” section where you can put whatever information you desire (including silly notes like “How could you do this to me?”)
I’ve made sure that my ‘significant other’ has the password to KeePass and knows how to use it.
So…… now…… when I croak…… can I rest peacefully? Knowing that I’ve provided important & necessary information to my ‘significant other’?
Naaaaaaaa. Who cares? I’m dead already!