Despite the fact I've merrily been using my password since I signed up, when I changed my presentation today I got told that my password was 'too common' (which in itself is a little concerning, since I don't think it is) and the system made me change it.

Which has made me an unhappy bunny as I now probably won't be able to remember the damn thing. :P And we know writing down passwords and leaving them by your PC is a Bad Thing Indeed.

When was this system implemented, and why? Surely if someone managed to guess my rather obscure password, then that's my fault and mine alone?

You might think it's obscure, but because WC asked you to change your password means that it is already being used by several others. Therefore it's really not that obscure.

(Speaking from my experiences at Elftown)You might think it would be your problem, however people tend to pester the guards a lot saying they have forgotten their password and didn't add an email address, or someone has 'hacked' their account and can no longer log in, this becomes our problem and we are the ones who have to deal with it.

The system was implemented to encourage users to use passwords that are more complicated and less easy to guess. Many large communities encourage users to use more complex passwords to increase security, ideally a mixture of letters and numbers.

The main problem is less easy to guess passwords are less easy to remember. :P I don't want to have passwords plastered over my PC or buried in my phone. Every site tells you that your password should be different from every other site, but no one thinks that you have to remember this multitude of passwords. And it'd blatantly be a bad idea to swap to some vastly obscure password like the one assigned to my email address by my provider, for obvious reasons. (Not to mention it took me years to remember the thing - works as an effective way to keep me with my provider though!)

I'm just also fascinated / slightly miffed that it's the first time it's ever asked me to do it. It's pretty annoying too. Can't help it. *shrugs*

Just have to remember to write it down now, I guess. :P

But wouldn't have it been more effective if it'd asked me to change it when I logged in, rather than waiting until I edited my presentation? If I hadn't gone to add the NaNo word counter, then I'd still be using the same popular password without the system even caring, surely?

Yea it is very strange that, but that’s what makes Heddate sites so wonderful, their quirkiness :P

You could always use your old password and add a memorable number on the end or at the start.