Mac OS X 10.3: Connecting to a server using an alias in the Dock

• The authentication dialog is not editable. Though your name may already appear, it's dimmed, and you can't change it.
  
• The authentication dialog may appear behind another window.

This affects Mac OS X 10.3 and connections that use Apple Filing Protocol (AFP), such as Personal File Sharing or Apple File Service (Mac OS X Server).

To avoid the issue, open the alias from the Finder rather than from the Dock. You could keep a copy in your Favorites folder for quick access, for example. You can use an alias in the Dock to access the shared volume after you've connected.