Well, Me, for one. Try squeezing full raster 10 bit HD-SDI through an ethernet cable in real time. 3Gbps != 1Gbps. Fiber channel on the other hand...

I use a similar method, but then apply an additional layer of obfuscation by putting my password that I've generated with my algorithm through something like an MD5 hash. If I can't remember the password, I can always recreate it, but the chances of anyone stumbling across it with anything other than brute force are miniscule. You could even write your passwords down and it wouldn't make a difference. All you're giving them is the seed. You can also apply simple encryption to them, such as having a deviation pattern from the password you've written down (i.e. first character is to the left of the one I've written down, second one two characters up on the keyboard, etc. I've also had success just keeping a list well hidden such as making a file called .nothing_interesting_in_here (for example) and hiding it down in /var or /etc somewhere. The chances of some miscellaneous laptop thief getting root and going ls-la through all of your config directories is relatively small. You just have to remember where you put the file.