> Requiring users to have a number, punctuation, mixed case, 10 digits, etc. may make the password itself more secure, but it's all for naught since the user just wrote it down on a Post It note because it's an unmemorable heap of bits.
There is no realistic chance that the people who are interested in finding my passwords will be able to read a Post It note inside my house, so if having to use a more secure password causes me to resort to a Post It note it would not be for naught.
If you're setting requirenments on password for yourself then perhaps you've got some problems.
This is matter of security in systems with many users where industrial espionage or social engineering might happen.
Requiring users to have a number, punctuation, mixed case, 10 digits, etc. may make the password itself more secure, but it's all for naught since the user just wrote it down on a Post It note because it's an unmemorable heap of bits.
Just run the username/password through a cracking library and if it doesn't crack then let them use it.