Many websites request you enter a “password”.

Taking the phrase apart, they’re asking for a “word” that allows you to “pass” into a secure area.

So why do they complain when you enter a “word”? They’re half-right: a single* dictionary word is easily guessed and easily hacked.
They should ask for a “passcode”.

We’ll leave the rest of this discussion to William Safire.

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* While a single dictionary word is insecure, current theories suggest “Thisisareallylongpasswordforawebsite” is more secure than “password123″. It’s also easier to remember: just pick a favorite phrase or joke. Don’t forget the punchline.

A long-time lactard, I was thrilled to see new Lactaid Sliced Cheese in the dairy section (side note: why does the dairy section have pickles and chumus?). A few folks had an important ingredients question for the maker, so I submitted a ticket at Lactaid’s website.

Following Rule One of Lame Customer Service: “shifting blame”, Lactaid told me to contact the licensee, a Mid-Atlantic Cheese, and gave me a phone number. Already Lactaid looks bad - if you agreed to stick your name on a product, shouldn’t you be able to tell me what’s in it? Lactaid can’t.

So I called Mid-Atlantic. Repeatedly. For all the evidence, Mid-Atlantic Cheese might be a row of cows and an answering machine. Cows cannot answer phones (the buttons are too small for the hooves), so after a few days of a machine telling me to fax in an order if I want human contact (grrrrr!), I sent another note to Lactaid.

They doubled their efforts! That’s right, this time they sent back TWO numbers – both to the same machine! Nada.

I sent a third note… I got back: the same response!

This is how to kill a brand.

The only reason I picked up that item was because it said “Lactaid”, not “Mid-Atlantic Cheese”. It was their name that took the loan out on my trust, and it’s their name that’s defaulting. Mid Atlantic can fail to pickup their phone, make someone sick, and it’ll be Lactaid’s name in the news. Lactaid either needs to handle the customer service for all Lactaid products (that sounds obvious) or demand reasonable performance from their licensees.

Touch sensitive light controls are very cool - you simply run your finger across a panel and behold the glow. It’s a great way to increase reliability: it eliminates the need for moving parts and the resulting gaps where dirt, water, or air can penetrate and corrode the fixture. But try to turn the light on in the winter when you’re wearing gloves: darkness.

US Air’s short-hop propeller planes have such touch sensitive switches. When it’s 70 degrees outside (or 90 inside, as there’s no A/C) the switches are fine, but in the winter the cabin is dark: nobody can operate the switches with gloves on.
When designing anything, ask: Where has the user just been? What are they wearing? Does this change by season?
The same problem would prevent gloved laborers from operating a touchpad on a laptop. Other glove wearers: medical professionals, food service personel, artisans, athletes, and toll collectors.