Problem

You need to sign in to Movable Type.

Solution

Point your browser to the Movable Type Content Management System script (typically mt.cgi) and enter your username and password.

Discussion

Before using the system, each author must identify themselves by signing in. The purpose of this exercise is not only to secure the contents of the system, but also to provide customizations based on user preferences.

Begin by entering your username and password. (If you are the first person to log into this system your username will be "Melody" and your password will be "Nelson.") If you check "Remember me?," the system will automatically sign you in to later sessions with this username and password. Press Log In to submit your information and continue.

If you pointed your browser to the Movable Type CMS and ended up on the Main Menu, without ever seeing the login screen, then you are already signed in. This could happen if you've already checked "Remember me?" or because you have an existing session open in another browser window.

When you sign in, MT compares your information to the values in its database. If they match, and if you've previously set the Remember me? option, then an HTTP cookie will be set that contains your username and a unique string called a hash. The password itself is never stored in the cookie. Subsequent requests to the system will transparently verify the contents of this cookie. The cookie expires when you shut down your browser or explicitly sign out unless you previously selected the "Remember me?" option.