def generate_password( length = DEFAULT_PASSWORD_LENGTH )
password = ''
special_chars = ['#','%','&','*','+','-','.',':','@']
symbols = ('0'..'9').to_a + ('A'..'Z').to_a + ('a'..'z').to_a
Integer(length).times { |i| password += (symbols + special_chars)[rand((symbols.length-1 + special_chars.length-1))] }
special_chars.include?(password[0].chr) and password[0] = symbols[rand(symbols.length-1)]
special_chars.include?(password[password.length-1].chr) and password[password.length-1] = symbols[rand(symbols.length-1)]
password
end