I agree strongly with this - setting passwords blind is a pain. It is easier to remember the password, easier to check for strength (lets not start that arguement), easier to ensure that the caps lock is not on. And mostly, you should be in a position to see the password in some degree of privacy. Or maybe the answer is to obfuscate the login id as well as the password. :) Makes shoulder surfing harder. Just got to watch out for the web cam pointing at the keyboard (i.e. how ATM hacks work)

The most effective I have seen is people trained to use Information Mapping methodoloies. Seriously, if you have project budget, don't invent the wheel, get the people with the right skills. Wiki entry at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_mapping

And it is not even on the list :)

It works fine. If you read the fine print carefully, you will find it is not actually restricted.

And I have done this - I was fully expected (and dreading) to pay the MS tax, but it activated without issue.

One of the few times I have done an upgrade and not spent hours swearing about microsoft - I even had mild warm fuzzies for them for a day.

Then I went back to trying to something useful :)