The Password Is Correct, It’s The Universe That’s Wrong

This is an email conversation with a client about logging in to the service my employer offers. This happened long ago, when automatic password changes were not yet so common.

Client: “I cannot log in.”

Me: *The same day.* “What happens when you try to log in? If you get an error message saying ‘Incorrect username or password’, please contact your administrator for password reset.”

Two days later:

Client: “I still cannot log in. The password is correct.”

Me: *The same day.* “Can you please describe in detail what happens when you try to log in? Does the page freeze, or do you get some error message? If you get an error message saying ‘Incorrect user name or password’, please contact your administrator for password reset. A reset is the only way to get around this error message.”

Three days later:

Client: “I’m still unable to log in. My work is piling. The error message says ‘Incorrect user name or password’, but the password is correct.”

Me: *The same day.* “The only way to get around the error message saying ‘Incorrect user name or password’ is to contact your administrator for a password reset. Even if you are writing the password correctly.”

Two days later:

Client: “Okay, I’ll try that. But the password is correct!”