The sub-password "similarity" rules (#8) mean that it is incredibly unlikely that the system is storing the password history hashed, and basically impossible that they're storing it salted. What could possibly go wrong?

You don't need unhashed password storage to enforce similarity rules. Presumably, the user has to type in their current password when they set a new password. When processing that request, you have all the information you need to do the similarity check.

What about the 7 passwords prior?

I believe the 7 passwords prior aren't checked for similarity, only equality.

Counteroffers get made all the time - I've had at least 3 made to me in the past, including one for an interdepartmental transfer within the same company (!) Accepting a counteroffer is staggeringly stupid for a number of reasons, but I just can't comprehend why the author would get so offended that one was made in the first place. Answer "no" and move on, easy.

Monitors are nice indeed, but the one infrastructure item that would get me to turn down a job offer is Lotus Notes. I depend entirely too much on email to be able to do my job to saddle myself with that piece of junk. Using Notes is like trying to run a marathon with snowshoes on.

omg - does that still exist?

Yes, I work for a large insurance company, and we're wedded to Notes until death do us part.

And it's not just for email, it's for a huge number of custom applications that use the Notes framework.

Greedo - it's not in North Carolina, is it?

I worked tech support last year and yes, there is still a small percentage of people that use Notes in their daily work. I have no idea how they did not get an internal employee revolt yet. I didn't dare ask :|

I have to use Lotus notes at my work. As a result my team doesn't use email.

We pretty much don't communicate in any reliable way and insert all of these strange rules on our tracking system so things don't get lost.

Ridiculous.

General motors still runs their entire email system on Lotus Notes. Some people are even still running version 6, which I think is 2 or 3 versions behind...