# how2-manage-passwords

I've been saying for years to anyone who will listen, get a password manager. 

so, how?

## alternative, inferior solution

You could pay a service like NordPass or LastPass or whatever.

pros:
* someone else keeps a server running for you. Meaning they worry about hardware, electricity, bandwidth.
* that other party hopefully has offsite backups, in case of some kind of catastrophe.

cons:
[note] which, for once, is only fair.
* if their upkeep means they're never done paying, there's no way you're not on the infinite payment model as well. 
* as long as they have all this data on what sites you consider important, and the frequency with which you visit them... what, are they going to *not* sell that data to advertisers?
* there was that one time LastPass raised their price and "coincidentally" "accidentally" found that their export function broke. which is partly the price point again, partly just some intolerable shenanigans.

or...

## Welcome the KeePassiah

[https://keepass.info/]
KeePass is free and open source. OSI certified, uses state-of-the-art encryption, plays well with others. amazing.
[Great Thing stamp over KeePass logo]

The original KeePass exists on Linux, Windows, and Mac. So if you're watching this on mobile,
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKiIroiCvZ0] on your fucking telephone!
[https://f-droid.org/packages/com.kunzisoft.keepass.libre/]
you'll want KeePassDX.

Quickstart:

install one. make a new "database". give it a really good password - it'll even help you generate one. This is the one you rehearse and memorize. For god's sake don't write it on a note stuck to your monitor. Please. I'm begging you.

[do we re-do the joke with Joel Haver saying photophotophotogift1?]

[note] or it can hold more stuff. or less. whatever you want, I'm not your real dad.
an "entry" is one account, a username/password combo.
a "group" is a folder of those.

Great. Easy. Store all your passwords. You can also "set up 2-factor". Much like google authenticator, except you get to decide which device is standing in for the "something you have" factor.

## extra features on desktop

if you're on a real operating system, you'll probably want 2 more features:

first, browser integration. 
[note] I'm on KeePassXC, i assume o.g. KeePass is the same 
[note] RIP to anyone who's employer likes microsoft, being forced to use Edge.
click the cog to go to settings. scroll the left menu to find browser integration. Check to enable. check to enable tor browser, check to enable firefox, check to enable any of the inferior junk (if you partake).

Second: learn a new global hotkey.
Cog for options, go to general, click Auto-Type. I use ctrl+alt+v. I use a typing delay of 25ms, any faster than that and I find some stuff can't keep up.

You probably want it to start automatically on startup, start minimized, minimize instead of exit, and you'll definitely want to automatically lock the database after some delay, if you're on a laptop you'll want it to lock the database when the lid is closed.

## multi-track drifting

what if instead of the mobile path or the desktop path, you have both? 
Fortunately, KeePass databases are
[heavenly chorus]
a file.
So you're allowed to back them up and sync them the same as any other file. 

[https://syncthing.net/]
I use Syncthing. It's great for syncing moderate amounts of things, fairly quickly. 
[https://martchus.github.io/syncthingtray/]
you might want Syncthing Tray - which is just syncthing plus a tray app to start with windows. Make a folder, put your password db in that, add your other device, share the folder, and voila.
now you can also add syncthing to your NAS box.
or maybe instead of syncthing, google drive. or Any number of offsite storage providers.
