I’ve never trusted a Internet Explorer or any other web browser to store my personal information. Not forms, not credit card information and especially not passwords. Microsoft made a feeble attempt in order to keep track of this information for you. When I set up Internet Explorer, the first thing I do is disable the form filling and password saving tools that it comes with. It’s all to easy for someone to grab that information. It isn’t even encrypted! Due my inability to unconditionally trust Internet Explorer (or any other web browser), I’ve relied on different methods for keeping track of my fifty plus usernames and passwords which I use as I stroll around the Internet. A little over two years ago, I was introduced to Roboform, which came bundled with Maxthon (a web browser that I throughly enjoyed at the time). I researched it and like what I saw. Today, I would be unable to part with it.

Roboform is a small utility designed to securely store information used for web page forms. It fills in usernames, passwords and other information in their respective fields of a website. Basically, it does the same thing Internet Explorer can do, but more securely. Best of all, it goes above and beyond the functionality of a simple password safe and form filling tool.

Roboform attaches itself to the browser of your choice and shows up as toolbar. To save login information, fill the username/password fields on the website and then click the save button on the Roboform toolbar. The next time you visit the same website, it will gently remind you that it has the login information stored. Click the login button and it fills in the information for you.

Roboform also allows you to organize your passwords. I for one have categories for School, Work, and so on. I even break down those categories into subcategories. Opening Roboform brings up a Windows like browser with a very simple drag and drop interface. Anyone that enjoys organization to the extreme, is going to love this feature.

The security on this program is outstanding. In order to use the program, first you need to enter your master password. You are prompted for a password anytime you wish to access Roboform. So you are not required to fill in that password each and every time, when you enter your Roboform password a session is started. (This is the default setting). While you are logged into the session, you will not be prompted to use your master password. You can set how long the session lasts before being logged off automatically from Roboform. Session behavior can also be adjusted for instances where the computers screen saver is activated or the computer goes into standby. Most importantly, your password files are encrypted. This means that the password files are scrambled so much, it’s extremely difficult (almost impossible) to recover without the master password. (That’s a lot more than Microsoft gives you.)

As I mentioned, this program goes above and beyond. There are two features that I find very useful. Roboform can store various identities as well as save notes just as securely as it does with login information.

We all have more than one identity. For instance, I can be identified as a person that lives at home. I can also identified as a person with a job. Yet another identity goes to (or went to) school as well as one that surfs the Internet. I’m sure I have more than these, but let’s keep it simple. While almost all those identities have commonalities (such as my name, my age), they also have differences. My home identity uses my home address while my work identity uses the address of my employer. The e-mail address I use for school is different from the one I use in various places/forums on the internet. Filling out forms can be tedious, but not with Roboform! I just select my identity and it fills in the form for me.

Now let’s talk about notes, or SafeNotes as Roboform likes to call them. I have post-it note pads at work and home. They’re fast and easy to fill out and I can place them at any convenient place. However, some information is more sensitive than others. After all, you wouldn’t want a post-it with your safe combination to fall into the wrong hands. (Do you know how hard it is to keep birthday plans a secret from your wife? (Note from wife: Pft! What birthday plans?)) SafeNotes also provides a way for me to keep security information about my Wireless Router and Home Security System safe. It works just like any other notepad and it is just as easy to use.

Another feature with Roboform is the ability to have profiles. You can have a profile for yourself and other individual profiles for other people using the same computer.

Roboform is easy to maintain. When you’re backing up your computer, just back up the folder with all your encrypted data. Each passcard, identity, and safenote is it’s own individual file. This further makes it easier to sync two computers (presuming you’ve bought a license for each computer) so they contain duplicate passcard information. I use this with my laptop and home computer and it makes my life much simpler. Now when I create, update or delete a passcard, that change will be reflected on both computers after syncing them.

The best part about Roboform is that you can sync it with your hand held organizer (PDA such as a Palm Pilot, Axim, iPaq, etc.). If you’re using the Windows or Palm OS on your handheld, you can have all your important information with you all the time. It’s kept encrypted on the device as well. The one small, itty bitty drawback is that you can’t create or modify the information while it’s on your PDA. However, if you lose your PDA (and many people do each year), your information is secure. You don’t have to panic that someone now has all of your sensitive information.

Roboform is available in the flavors of Pro and Trial. The trial version will work forever on your computer, but your restricted two identites and ten passcards/safenotes. The trial edition also doesn’t let you play with multiple profiles. (You can get the full trial vs pro list by clicking here.) However, a license for Roboform is only $30. Each additional license (for say another computer or laptop in the house), can be purchase at a discounted price. There is also another $10 charge in order to get Roboform to talk to your PDA.

In conclusion, Roboform is a robust and practical application. My life has been simplified by the fact that all my important information is at my fingertips without sacrificing security. The ease of mind gained by this program has made the small investment of money worth while. If you’re looking for ease of use and security, Roboform is the application for you.