I primarily use this blog to show off my photographs, but I wanted to write a review of some software I’ve been using and the only place I could think to post the review would be my blog.

Being a photographer, I belong to several online communities.  Each of those online communities require a username and password for access.  I used to just use the same password for all of them, after all, how would I keep track of which password went with which account?  Using the same password for all of your accounts eliminates the need to write everything down on sticky notes and stick them all over the monitor, right?  But, if you’re using the same password for everything, then wouldn’t it be easy for someone to guess it?  If they did successfully guess your password, then potentially, they would have access to you bank records, your PayPal account, your Gmail account, your Facebook account, your Twitter account, etc…  You get the idea.

Enter Password Management tools.  With Password Management, the software keeps track of everything for you!  It will generate a random secure password.  I’ve been using a Password Management program for over two years.  Other than my master password (to get into the Password Management program), I do not know my passwords.   The management program knows them all.

As I said above, I’ve been using Password Management for over two years.  The software I have been using is called RoboForm Pro, by Siber Systems.  A co-worker of mine was using it and I asked her about it.  I tried the free version and after a week upgraded to the paid professional version.  If you want to know the difference between the “free” and the “pro” you should visit their web page for a list.  One of the main differences is that the “Pro” version stores more passwords than the “free” version.  I have been using RoboForm Pro every day since installing it.  I also have the portable version, so I can take it with me where ever I go.

I was satisfied with RoboForm Pro and really wasn’t looking for an alternate solution, but then I found out about LastPass.   At first I wasn’t even going to try LastPass, but my curiosity got the best of me.  I went to their website and read up about the service.  I downloaded it and installed it on my computer.  My main concern was that I had beaucoup passwords stored in RoboForm Pro.  How was I going to transfer all the passwords?  Well, guess what?  LastPass has the ability to import passwords from RoboForm!  Problem solved!

Unlike RoboForm, which stores your passwords locally, LastPass stores your passwords on a secure server (Siber Systems, maker of RoboForm, is working on a solution called RoboForm Online, but it is still in Beta).  I like RoboForm and I really like RoboForm’s interface, but the online storage of LastPass is what sets it apart from RoboForm.  Let’s say you’re on your desktop and you visit a new site that requires a password.  RoboForm requires that you manually run a sync program in order to upload the new password to the web interface or to your USB Thumb Drive (for portability, so you can use it on your laptop, work computer, cybercafe, library, etc…), whereas, as long as you’re connected to the Internet, LastPass will automatically synchronize.  I can use LastPass on my desktop at home, on my laptop on the go, and at any other web connected computer (just install a plug-in for Firefox or use a USB Thumb Drive).

Both programs encrypt your data.  You set a master password when installing the software for the first time.  Don’t lose that master password or you’re toast.  No one can retrieve your data without that master password.

Did I mention that LastPass is FREE?  That’s right, it is absolutely free.  If you want advanced features (such as being able to use it on your iPhone or SmartPhone) it is $1 per month.  On the other hand, RoboForm Pro is not free.  Want to use RoboForm Pro on your desktop?  That will be $29.95.  Want to install on a USB Thumb Drive? Cough up $39.95!  Oh, wait, we’re not done yet.  Would you like to have the ability to backup or synchronize your data?  That will be another $29.95! (Yes, really!).  Total damage: $99.85!  Oh, there is a “package” available that will bundle all this software together for only $69.85.

Since I did pay for RoboForm Pro, I’m probably going to continue using it.  After all, it does have a nicer and in my opinion, easier to use interface, but LastPass does have automatic synchronization and RoboForm currently does not.  Also, for you Mac users, you can only use the “RoboForm Online” version of RoboForm.  LastPass supports Mac.  If I had found LastPass before I found RoboForm, I would be using LastPass.  Right now I do have both RoboForm Pro and LastPass installed side-by-side, but LastPass is winning the Password Management race right now.

*** Siber Systems is working on a new version of RoboForm that is supposed to incorporate many features also supported by LastPass.  I do not know when this new version would be released.

Posted in: General by Neal / Tags: LastPass, review, RoboForm, software