Unlike Mac OS 8 or 9, OS X now has local accounts. This means that you now have
two accounts: an account with a password specific to your Mac OS X computer,
and an account with a password that you use to get email and access to your
Carleton network places (like Home and Collab).
You’ll want to change this Mac OS X password soon, after you login for the first time. You can do so by going under the Apple (on the upper left of your screen), to “System Preferences...” That will open up a dialog box with about 4 rows of icons.
On the top row is an icon called “My Account”. Click on it. It will bring up another box about your account.
There is a button next to “My Password” called “Change…” Click it.
A drop down box will appear. In the top line you can type in your current password. This is the password on your local machine, not necessarily your email password.
After you type in your password in the top line, hit the Tab key on your keyboard. If you typed in the correct password, then you will see 2 blank lines.
Type a new password into these lines. (You have to type it twice to make sure
you didn’t make any mistypes the first time.)
Please do not leave these lines blank. Let me repeat – Please do not leave these lines blank.
Accounts on modern computers must all have passwords. Twice this summer alone,
Carleton’s network was brought to a standstill by hackers who were able
to take control of computers because these computers had accounts which had
blank (or no) passwords. (Passwords can sometimes be a pain to maintain, but
they are like the locks on our doors at home – There was a time not long
ago when people didn’t need them (as much), but just about everybody uses
them today.) The security of your computer should never have to be an issue.
Putting a good password on your account helps tremendously.
After you have typed in your new password on the two lines, hit the “OK”
button. Now your local password (that is, the password for your account on this
machine) has been changed.