Does anyone know?
a) Why I can never, ever log in to AskUbuntu?
b) Why AB has the strictest password requirement of any site on the planet.
a) Why I can never, ever log in to AskUbuntu?
b) Why AB has the strictest password requirement of any site on the planet.
There is no mandated password complexity.
That's because we don't directly use usernames and passwords here, we use OpenID which pushes authentication out to third parties. You can use whatever OpenID provider you like, including everyday things like Facebook and Google accounts.
You could run your own OpenID provider that had literally no password attached to it. I wouldn't recommend it, but there you are.
Stack Exchange can provide you with an OpenID if you don't have access to another but the password requirement there isn't that arduous.
But more than anything, your account is associated with your Google account. The complexity of your password is really between you and them. I don't understand why you're having a grumble here.
To answer your questions:
Why I can never, ever log in to Ask Ubuntu?
I can only assume it's a case of PEBKAC here. Sorry. Clicking the button that says Google and giving them your auth details (if you aren't already logged in) isn't hard.
If something is going wrong in this process (ie, you're logging into Google but that's kicking you around) I'm very sorry for accusing you of whataever I've been accusing you of. Please use the contact form to talk to SE directly and get it fixed.
Why the {expletive deleted} AB has the strictest password requirement of any site on the planet.
Along with other sites that use OpenID, it has literally the least strict password requirement of any site on the planet.
What is it? A front for the CIA?
We can neither confirm or deny this allegation.