Last week, I was using a new laptop and wanted to log into my blog but couldn’t remember the password.

It is a password that I know like the back of my hand, but out of the blue, my memory completely failed me. I didn’t feel too bad. I know for a fact that others have had the same problem because people are constantly complaining to me about how difficult it is to remember their usernames and passwords.

Actually I didn’t feel bad at all. All I had to do is go over to my main computer and retrieve my password from Roboform, the password program that I use.

Roboform 7 is the latest version. It not only remembers your passwords, but it also enters them for you. You can also enter your name, address and as much additional information as you like, and Roboform will automatically fill in forms for you.

Last week, I told you that the best passwords were those with 10-digits that include numbers, letters in both upper case and lower case, and symbols. These can be difficult to create as well as to remember. To help with that problem, Roboform will generate a unique password for you and will remember it as well.

Installing Roboform is easy and accessing it requires only one password. This is a password that you will have to remember. It is best to write this one down and hide it in some unusual place. Just don’t hide it too well because you might need to find it if you ever have a brain freeze like my recent one.

After installation, for easy access, Roboform appears as a toolbar or a drop-down icon at the top of the screen when you are browsing the Web. When you fill out a new username and password, a Roboform pop-up box appears asking if you want it to save the information you have entered into Roboform.

Roboform will also let you print out a list of your passwords. This is a good insurance policy in case anything happens to your computer or to have handy for your digital estate. It is, of course, something you will want to keep in a safe place such as a safe deposit box.

One thing that I like about Roboform is that it works with all the browsers that I use, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera. And you can easily switch between browsers and still use it.

The only confusing thing about this software is that it has several versions that are not fully explained on the website (www.roboform.com). Roboform 7 is the desktop version. It costs $30. There is a 30-day free trial with no credit card required.

This is a fully functioning version with a limit of ten passwords. If you have ten passwords or less, after 30 days you can keep using the software at no cost. If you have more than ten passwords, the Roboform program will cost $30.

Roboform2Go ($40) lets you put your passwords on a USB drive in an encrypted form so they you can take them with you anywhere.

Roboform Everywhere costs $10 for the first year and $20 for subsequent years. You don’t need to purchase the desktop version to use the Everywhere version. This version lets you access your passwords from any Internet-connected computer.

This version is especially enticing since it can also be used on mobile devises. With all the hacking going on out there, even though I know and trust the Roboform people, I can’t recommend Roboform Everywhere for general use. In today’s world I feel it is still best to keep your passwords as private as possible.

Security Alert: Microsoft recently released a security advisory that instructed Windows Vista and Windows 7 users to disable their Gadgets. Gadgets are those cheerful little items on a Windows desktop that show a clock, calendar, weather, stocks, and other real-time data. Every Vista and Windows 7 user has gadgets.

Tomorrow at a Black Hat convention in Las Vegas, some hackers are scheduled to reveal the vulnerabilities in this part of the Windows operating system. These must be large vulnerabilities because Microsoft is not trying to patch the problem. Instead they are telling everyone they must nuke their gadgets.

The only good part about this is that Microsoft makes it easy. Just surf over to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2719662, scroll down to the bottom of the page, then click on the Mr. Fix-it Man that says “Disable Sidebar & Gadgets.”

There is also a Fix-it Man that says “Enable Sidebar & Gadgets.” So there is hope that Microsoft will fix this problem in the future. However, as for now, it is best to take action and disable your Gadgets. I will miss my clock and the weather, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

Contact Sandy Berger at sandy@compukiss.com.