forms - Are we stuck with the "Forgot password" link?

The convention for forgotten passwords seems to have stranded on the following:

1. Click a link under the Password input field saying "Forgot password"


2. Enter your email address and click "Send password"


3. Click the link in the email to create a new password.

I'm trying to think of a way to lose the "Forgot password" link. My ideas so far are:

• A) If the user logs in with the incorrect password, send him the reset password link.


• B) If the user logs in with no password, send him the reset password link.

The problem with A is that the user will get some unnecessary emails, if he just needs a few attempts at remembering his password by heart.

The problem with B is that you have to tell the user to leave out the password. And that quickly takes up more space than the "Forgot password" link.

(You could say after the first login failure: "Leave password field blank to create a new password". But would most people make at least one attempt at logging in before realizing they don't remember their password, or are their minds just blank from the start so they won't even have a go at it?)

Are we stuck with the "Forgot password" link, or can anyone come up with a better solution?

EDIT: The original post actually said "send password", whereas I obviously meant "send reset password link". How embarrassing :)